Upper Arlington City Schools is lining up a hefty ask for voters this fall, packaging a second wave of school rebuilds with a fresh operating levy. The district’s recommendation pairs a multi‑hundred‑million‑dollar construction bond with a 4.9‑mill operating levy that, by the district’s math, would add roughly $1,200 to $1,300 a year to the tax bill on a $500,000 home. If the Board of Education signs off, the combined question would go to voters on November 3.
Board recommendation and timeline
District leaders rolled out the proposal for a $273.5 million bond alongside a 4.9‑mill operating levy at a May 27 special meeting, according to Upper Arlington City Schools. The presentation said the bond would add roughly 2.25 mills to the current bond rate and noted that the board must pass formal resolutions this summer in order to place the combined measure on the ballot. District officials cast the package as critical both for funding phase‑two master‑plan construction projects and for keeping day‑to‑day operations running.
What's in the plan
The draft facilities master plan centers on a full rebuild of Burbank Early Childhood School and Hastings Middle School, plus a renovation or rebuild of Jones Middle School, with turf fields planned for the middle‑school campuses. For the Jones options, the district wrote that "The cost of this option is approximately $135 million" as it weighs designs that would preserve the building’s historic character. To keep students in classrooms while all of this happens, the plan also sketches out swing‑space ideas ranging from a possible third‑floor addition at the high school to modular classrooms.
Price tag and financing
The City of Upper Arlington’s UAiNSIGHT newsletter breaks down the price tag, noting that the three major rebuild projects are estimated at about $287 million before applying the district’s $14 million set‑aside. That produces a projected bond request near $273 million, paired with the proposed 4.9‑mill operating levy. The newsletter also walks through how Ohio’s tax formulas limit growth in voted operating levies, which helps explain why suburban districts periodically return to the ballot to maintain existing services. As the recommendation was finalized, the district updated its assumptions for interest rates and property valuations, according to the newsletter.
How much would homeowners pay
Using example calculations, the city newsletter pegs the estimated increase for a $500,000 home at roughly $1,210 per year under its valuation assumptions. It also notes that district staff said "we were able to extend that timeline by an additional year" when describing the timing of the request and the use of reserves. Local reporting has summarized the broader package as a roughly $285 million tax‑and‑bond ask and has rounded the homeowner impact example to about $1,250 annually for a $500,000 home. Actual amounts will depend on the county auditor’s valuations and the final ballot language.
What happens next
If the Board of Education approves the required resolutions, the combined bond‑and‑levy measure will be placed on the Nov. 3, ballot, and the district will shift into a public information and outreach phase leading up to Election Day. The Columbus Dispatch first reported the plan and its headline estimate of about a $285 million tax increase. Residents who want to dig into the details can review the district’s facilities materials and keep an eye out for upcoming community meetings and board sessions.
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