In Ohio, the cost of public education is a shared responsibility between the state and local community.

District leadership has worked hard to advocate for state funding to the best of their ability. Westerville led the statewide charge in convincing the governor and state legislators to eliminate some of the more harmful provisions in the most recent state budget.

After the November 2024 levy did not pass, District leadership immediately went to work to reduce costs without a major impact to student programming. But as expenses have continued to rise due to inflation, student needs, and unfunded state mandates, District revenues have not kept pace. As a result, the District has:

• Reduced current operational expenses by $4.8 million

• Reduced future operational expenses by an additional $5.3 million

• Reduced over $3.3 million in salaries and benefits costs, eliminating 33 administrative, teaching, and support staff positions

In Ohio, school districts can ask their community for a Traditional Income Tax or an Earned Income Tax.

The Westerville City School Board approved asking the voters for an Earned Income Tax.

An Earned Income Tax only applies to income earned through wages and net self-employment income.

An Earned Income Tax does not apply to:

• retirement income
• social security
• unemployment
• interest
• capital gains
• dividends.

Revenue from the tax issue will:

• Keep current class sizes

• Preserve academic, arts, and extracurricular programs

• Provide services for students’ unique learning needs, including students with disabilities and gifted learning

• Maintain school staffing and avoid additional layoffs

• Ensure fiscal stability to prevent additional program reductions

Yes, the earned income tax will be a continuing levy.

All residents living within the District’s boundaries who have earned income or net self-employment income would pay this tax.

Unlike a municipal income tax boundaries, those that work within the Westerville City School District boundaries, but live outside of the boundaries, would not pay this tax.

Your employer will deduct the tax directly from your paychecks. Self-employed individuals will make payments directly to the Ohio Department of Taxation.

No. This is an earned income tax, not a property tax.

All registered voters living within the Westerville City School District boundaries. Our District boundaries include all or parts of the following areas:

• Blendon Township

• City of Columbus

• City of Westerville 

• Genoa Township

• Plain Township

• Sharon Township

• Village of Minerva Park

Renters pay earned income tax on their wages and salaries—just like working homeowners.

With more than 14,000 students enrolled, our District is the 11th largest school district in Ohio and among the 14 school systems that have an enrollment of 10,000+ students. We compare by:

• Westerville spends on average over $400 less per pupil on administration

• Our administrators’ average salary is ranked 9th out of the 14 largest districts.

Our District continues to be fiscally responsible, which is evident by having clean audits and receiving the Auditor of State Award with Distinction for 13 consecutive years. The District also maintains a thorough review and vetting process for all contracts, uses the competitive bid process, purchasing consortiums, shared services, and regularly examines staffing levels based on student needs.  

To ensure community involvement in financial oversight, our District has a Finance Committee and an Audit Committee with community members who review financial matters.

In addition to the City of Westerville, the attendance boundaries of the Westerville City School District include portions of the City of Columbus, Blendon Township, Genoa Township, Sharon Township, Plain Township, and all of Minerva Park. Only students who reside within the school district’s boundaries can attend our schools.

Click here to see the Westerville Schools boundary map. 

No. The Win-Win Agreement between Westerville and Columbus City Schools was officially phased out in 2016. This ended the tax-sharing arrangement and permanently preserved the current and historic boundaries of the Westerville City School District. Of note, Westerville Schools has educated students from eastern Sharon Township, southern Genoa Township and areas as far south as Morse Road since the 19th Century.

While the Ohio Lottery contributes funds to education, those dollars are not “extra” money for schools. Instead, the state uses lottery revenue in place of other state funding, not on top of it. That means lottery funds do not increase the total amount of money schools receive; they simply offset what the state would have paid from other sources.