Relocation - Dublin, Hilliard and Powell (Columbus, Marysville: real estate, sex offenders, homes)

[sftong]

I cannot imagine that Hilliard was asking for another raise.

If you go to Franklin County Auditor web site, as well as Delaware County auditor site, punch in a reference home value say $300K, you would find that Hilliard is easily the HIGHEST TAX RATE district, higher than Dublin/UA/Worthington etc, yet the academic achievement scores are substantially lower.

Yet they WANT another rate hike? Think it's time to cut some staff and compensation.

[bgfalcons86]

Originally Posted by sftong

I cannot imagine that Hilliard was asking for another raise.

If you go to Franklin County Auditor web site, as well as Delaware County auditor site, punch in a reference home value say $300K, you would find that Hilliard is easily the HIGHEST TAX RATE district, higher than Dublin/UA/Worthington etc, yet the academic achievement scores are substantially lower.

Yet they WANT another rate hike? Think it's time to cut some staff and compensation.

By law, schools are not allowed to operate with a deficit. Decisions will be made soon on what cutbacks will be made and the levy will go back on the ballot in November. Typically, operating levies in Hilliard pass on the second attempt.

"Substantially" lower scores? It almost sounds as if the district met only half of the indicators on the state OAT/OGT. Actually, Hilliard met 28 of 30 indicators, with a performance index of 100.2. Dublin, Olentangy and Worthington met 29 of 30 indicators.

It is true that Hilliard was rated Continuous Improvement due to missing Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). As I stated prior to the posting of this years scores, an increasing number of districts that overall do well on standardized tests will miss AYP and overall ratings will be impacted. That is exactly what happened to both Worthington and Pickerington this year. Both were rated Continuous Improvement. I expect that to happen to even more districts this August. Districts such as Olentangy LSD (since more than 1 subgroup AYP missed last year) are among those at risk this August.

Bottom line is that the vast majority of Hilliard CSD graduates make their way to postsecondary education. The number of students at Hilliard Darby that plan to move on is around 85%. My guess is that the number at Hilliard Davidson is the same or slightly higher. If Hilliard schools were doing such a poor-to-mediocre job, I don't think the graduation rate would be around 95% (94.4% is the most current number) with most of those kids moving on to postsecondary education.

[bgfalcons86]

Originally Posted by bgfalcons86

I don't think the graduation rate would be around 95% (94.4% is the most current number) with most of those kids moving on to postsecondary education.

Slight correction... 94.7% is the current number.

[NewToCA]

One of the core problems in Hillard is average property value within the confines of the school district. When the value is low, the property tax % per property tends to be higher, so the tax per property (based on value) becomes a bit of a problem.

[alliswell]

We won't be here by November. I can only hope for the children in Hilliard that the levy does pass. My kids have received excellent service at the PreK-6th grade levels from the Hilliard school district and it makes me sick to leave it. Although, if it's not properly funded, maybe we're getting out just in time.

Frankly, no matter where we end up living I don't want underpaid or *discount* teaching professionals spending 7+ hours a day with my kids. An understaffed school in this day and age is not a good plan. I don't want my kids to go without anything they need for a quality education and I'm willing to pay for it. Educating a child in 2008 costs more than it did just a few years ago. The reality of economics does not mysteriously circumvent school districts; and I do believe each school district is unique and one must examine them on a case by case basis on most points and be sure apples are being compared to apples.

I know for a fact that the stigma of cheap communities who live with underfunded schools is the worse thing that can happen to home values.

[sftong]

bgfalcons,

Here's the problem of Hilliard School -- Higher taxes, lower quality.

I looked up a house in Hilliard Britton Farm -- the premier place. 4775 Britton Farms Dr. Asking price $270K, but property taxes is $5800, living space is 2700 sqr feet.

For the similar sqt feet, you probably can get a higher price home in Dublin but paid similiar or lower taxes.

Yet Hilliard schools's performance index score are lower -- 100.2. Compared to Dublin 103.7, Olentangy 102.8, Upper Arlington 105, Worthington 102.4. I mean, Hilliard already having HIGHEST tax rate, very high property tax collected comparable (or higher) to other Excellent districts, but achieved lower rating and performance score CONSISTENTLY over the years. Yet they WANT MORE money again? What a joke.

In addition, Hilliard has a lot of infrastrucutre road upgrades to catch up -- many places 1 driving lane, and I have to frequently endure traffic back up during house hunting in the weekends, just because some cars want to turn into other driving lanes.

I am glad I skipped it during my house hunting years ago. You can choose to stay to decide how your property tax money gonna get spent.

[kilgresak]

I agree.....underfunded schools is not good for home values. I think I will be looking more at property in the Dublin and Olentangy schools instead of Hilliard.

[streetcreed]

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I agree.....underfunded schools is not good for home values. I think I will be looking more at property in the Dublin and Olentangy schools instead of Hilliard.

One really needs to look at the demographics of Hilliard. Yes there are some high incomes there, but it is still mostly middle of the road middle class. There is a lot of development in Hilliard that caters to those who are first time home buyers or just barely making it out of an area that isn't so great. I would still recommend the Hilliard schools, but the area is much more conservative than Columbus and most of its suburbs. Thus, there seems to be a pattern where conservative areas are less likely to increase taxes, even for something as essential as education.

Grandview, Bexley, Dublin, Upper Arlington, Olentangy, Worthington. All of those suburbs have more progressive values and would support a tax levy for education. Those areas, also, seem to have education systems that are functioning to a slightly better degree.

[JilliO]

I agree with previous poster about Hilliard needing to upgrade it's infrastructure, as a former Hilliard resident, that's the number one issue that would influence my view. The differences cited in achievement are really minor. The schools in Hilliard are quite good. AYP is a very nuanced thing and I hope folks understand what it means. THe school(s) could be doing excellently with the majority of its student population, but misses targets with sub-groups. And reasons for that are myriad. Ohio is blessed and cursed by the fact that it is known as a "teacher producer" state... there are many, many top notch teacher ed programs in the state. However, there are fewer jobs available that numbers of teachers. So many new grads have to leave the state in search of teaching jobs. Bottom line, competition to get a teaching job in Ohio is fairly strong. Talented, top-notch folks are eager to get in.

[bgfalcons86]

JilliO, Good post - You're right, the infrastructure in Hilliard has lagged behind the residential development. Things are moving in the right direction, with the expansion of Hilliard-Rome Road from 2/3 to 5 lanes. I'd also second what you say about the schools.

streetcreed, (per the Dispatch) Hilliard CSD has passed 4 levies and 4 bond issues since 1991, so I think education is important to the community. I do agree with you that Hilliard CSD has a different demographic than Dublin, Olentangy and Upper Arlington. Although the median household income is quite a bit higher than the national average, the district is definitely more of a socio-economic mix than those three districts. More similarities exist with Worthington (than Dublin, UA) in terms of incomes and number of kids receiving free/reduced lunches, but Worthington is a more established school district (which is a positive). IMHO, Hilliard is much more similar to Gahanna and Westerville in terms of the overall socio-economic mix.

A LOT of the transplants to Hilliard are actually from outside Franklin County. Even among those that hail from Central Ohio, I've come across quite a few people originally from other suburban areas such as Worthington, the Northwest Side, - even UA and Dublin. As you alluded to, some folks have made the move from the West Side (usually to a more modest neighborhood in the district), but I'd say that number pales in comparison to the out-of-county transplants.