The bond issue, if approved by voters, allows the Kettering City Schools to borrow money by selling bonds to investors. These bonds would be a loan taken out to fund specific projects as outlined in the issue voters will be asked to approve. In this case, the projects will be the construction of a new middle school and the consolidation of three academic units at Fairmont High School into one new building.

The school buildings in Kettering are beyond their useful life and are in need of renovation or replacement. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) has done a thorough evaluation of our buildings and has recommended replacement of all buildings except Greenmont Elementary. Due to the Commission’s recommendation of replacement, any renovation work would have to be 100% locally funded. Passage of the bond issue would take advantage of money from the State of Ohio that will help pay for new construction. The State of Ohio will pay 43% of the cost of the new facilities. The bond issue is the only option available to Kettering Schools to generate the funds necessary for the construction of modern facilities.

The Board of Education reviewed construction estimates and determined a millage amount for the May 2026 ballot. This millage amount determines the actual cost to homeowners. 

To determine your taxable property value:

• Visit mcrealestate.org
• Under "Property Search" type in your address
• Scroll down to "Values"
• The "Total" under the "35%" column is your taxable property value, to be put into the calculator

Make sure to input the "35% Total."

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) oversees capital projects undertaken by state agencies and state-supported institutions of higher education; manages Ohio's school facility programs, which provide support for the construction and renovation of public K-12 schools; and administers the funding for community-based cultural and sports facilities projects. After the OFCC makes its recommendation, it directs the Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP) to determine the funding that can be offered to the district. Established in 1997, CFAP is based on the assessed property valuation per student. That property valuation factor determines the state and local share of the facilities project. CFAP takes a comprehensive approach with local districts by addressing the entire facility needs of a district from kindergarten through 12th grade. Since 1997, the OFCC has provided funding to over 400 school districts and built over 1,200 school buildings.  

A new combined middle school will be built on the campus of Fairmont High School and will serve all middle school students currently attending Van Buren and Kettering Middle Schools. The three academic units at Fairmont High School will be replaced with one new building.  

Without passage of the bond issue, new facilities will not be built. Instead, any and all necessary renovations would have to be 100% locally funded. Kettering Schools will lose out on around $160 million (Segments 1 and 2) of funding that would be provided to the district by the State of Ohio. So, we can accept help to offset the cost, or go it 100% on our own. 

The district will also still have to better utilize the current buildings and “right-size” the number of school buildings because multiple buildings have lower enrollment than what the building is designed to accommodate. Consolidation of students will happen with or without new buildings. It is no longer fiscally responsible to maintain the number of buildings we have.

The district would also be in the position of continuing to maintain aging buildings, all with district funding. The current funding available through the district's Permanent Improvement fund is inadequate to maintain these older buildings. The district will likely have to seek additional funding for care and upkeep through an additional Permanent Improvement levy.

It is a long project involving many facilities. By dividing the project into segments, or phases, we can ensure that there will be space to house our students safely and comfortably while continuing our excellent instructional programs as construction proceeds across the community.

A new middle school will be built on the campus of Fairmont High School to accommodate all middle school students in the district. The three academic units at Fairmont will be replaced by one new building and a media center will be added. The most critical maintenance issues at the elementary schools will be addressed to ensure that these buildings remain “warm, safe, and dry” until they can be replaced in Segment 2. Some athletic programs will need to be relocated for construction.

Greenmont Elementary school will be renovated to the standards of the State of Ohio. Four new elementary schools will be built to replace the seven elementary schools currently in use. This will require passage of a second bond issue currently anticipated in 2030.

This will be a 30-year bond issue, similar a 30-year house mortgage. Fortunately, the bond issue that passed in 2002 will be paid off in 2028,  which will offset a portion of the cost of the new bond issue.

Ohio’s State Legislature recently passed nearly $3.8B in property tax credits and school and local government revenue reductions. A spokesman for Governor DeWine says the bills “will likely be signed into law.”
Here’s the tax savings breakdown according to legislative service estimates:

House Bill 129 revises the school funding formula calculation (estimated to cost school districts across Ohio roughly $609M in lost revenue over three years.

House Bill 186 caps tax increases in 20-mil floor school districts to the rate of inflation, gives a tax credit to homeowners who paid windfalls after their property was re-valued; includes a boosted owner-occupied tax rollback. Relief estimate amounts to $2.47B over three years. As part of this bill, the state is providing a “temporary $465M offset over two years to school districts,” keeping revenues steady at 2024 levels. This will be paid for using the state’s Expanded Sales Tax Holiday Fund, cancelling the holiday “at least” in 2026 and reducing the 2-week holiday to 3 days.

House Bill 335 limits “inside millage” increases for all taxing bodies to the inflation rate, producing an estimated revenue loss of $620M-$763M over three years.

House Bill 309 gives local (county) budget commissions more power to “rein in local district spending they deem unnecessary.”

Note that all these measures were originally vetoed by Gov. DeWine. He then established a working group to further study the problem, and all the above bills were recommended by the working group, which included school leaders as active participants in the discussions.

Former Ashtabula County Auditor Rep. David Thomas, who sponsored all four of these Bills, told the Dayton Daily News “We aren’t finished reforming, but future measures will not be as ‘monumental’ as these. These Bills are aimed at not using more taxpayer money to offset growing taxpayer money, but rather changing policies so that government gets less and the ‘correct’ people are getting the credits they deserve.”

Nothing happening at the state level changes the need to act now in Kettering. The recently completed Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) assessment makes it very clear that Kettering needs new buildings. State funding (up to 43%) to share the financial impact with local taxpayers is available now, and this will not change with ongoing state reform efforts. While the specific cost to each homeowner may change slightly from what the School Board will be able to present to the public this fall, any change impacting an individual homeowner’s cost will be known and presented to voters prior to the May 2026 vote.   

You should vote for it because you live in Kettering and likely have neighbors, friends, family members, coworkers, clients, patients, employers, or employees who would get to experience the new buildings! It seems cliche to say that this is an opportunity to “pay it forward,” but it’s true. Supporting the schools now is an investment in the collective future of the community. Generations before ours answered the need for the district’s current buildings and provided our children, grandchildren, neighbors, and in many cases ourselves(!), with facilities that have served Kettering well for decades. Now, it’s our turn to do the same for future generations.

But, if you need more evidence for why supporting schools is beneficial to everyone in a community, consider these points:

• Strong schools are a major factor for families looking to buy a home. Communities that are supportive of bond issues have boosted property values. Failed school levies can decrease home values within a district.
• Good schools help attract new businesses and talent to a city, which strengthens the local economy and can lead to more jobs.
• A quality education can lead to higher graduation rates and a more productive workforce, which can lower crime rates and reduce the need for social services, saving taxpayer money.
• The students of today are the workforce of tomorrow. By funding schools, you are investing in the development of future professionals and leaders who will serve the community.
• Well-funded schools can provide for essential safety and security upgrades for students and staff. Investing in the youth provides community well-being and can reduce the likelihood of negative, or even criminal, influences.
• Improving school facilities provides additional community resources for events, recreation, and even emergency shelter.
• Supporting a bond issue is an important part of civic engagement. It fosters a sense of pride and collective responsibility in the community.

Believe us, we wish this was simply a “want”! But know that we would not ask for this just to have the latest design ideas. Our facilities are in dire need of attention and this bond issue is a need—a necessity that is essential for the current as well as future generations. The State of Ohio classified 11 of the district’s 12 buildings as “Needs Replaced.” Not renovated, repaired, or spruced up. Fully replaced. These buildings and the systems within the buildings have reached or exceeded expected useful life and/or are out of warranty. They are out of compliance with the OFCC standards. Various systems such as HVAC, roofing, plumbing, etc., have significantly deteriorated or require replacement parts that are no longer manufactured. Continuing to operate or maintain these systems and buildings will be more costly than replacing them due to frequent repairs and/or inefficiencies.

Our buildings are old—it’s just a fact. The Kettering City Schools staff does an amazing job keeping our buildings up and running, but there is only so much that can be done to patch holes, fix leaks, and repair out-of-date systems. Some students at JFK Elementary have class in the former JFK Jr. High locker room in the basement of the building—there are no windows and there are shower drains from 1966 along the perimeter of the room. Van Buren Middle School (1949) has asbestos in the basement, making an entire area of the building unusable.

We’re glad you’re here! There are lots of reasons to choose where to put down roots. Kettering is a great city and the schools are an important part of why, but you likely chose Kettering for multiple reasons. Kettering offers family-oriented neighborhoods, parks, community events, convenient access and proximity to multiple cities, as well as strong safety and public services. Kettering also offers diverse housing at lower costs than neighboring cities such as Centerville, Springboro, and Oakwood. Given Kettering’s lower housing costs, the average property taxes paid per house is actually about 19.5% lower than our neighboring cities on average. Factoring in the community as well as housing costs and top school ratings, Kettering has a lot to offer! The need for new schools is not unique to Kettering—many local districts have reached the point of needing new buildings. So, moving to a neighboring city won’t allow you to escape the need to support school funding. Springboro has a bond levy renewal on the November 2025 ballot. The Lakota District has a bond issue and a permanent improvement levy in November 2025 to fund construction of new elementary schools and renovations to the existing high schools. Oakwood just approved a bond issue in May 2025. Centerville approved an operating levy in November 2024. Regardless of where you live, students need community support. Kettering’s strong history of community support has served previous generations well. Let’s continue that tradition.