Euclid Schools Place 6.75-Mill Tax Levy on November Ballot: What Residents Need to Know

Euclid voters will decide in November whether the school district gets a new 6.75-mill operating levy — and whether homeowners and renters should absorb the added cost. The Board of Education approved a resolution on July 8, 2026, to place the measure on the November 2026 General Election ballot, intended to fund the district's necessary requirements.

The board met at the Fordyce Administration Building at 7:02 p.m. and adjourned at 7:26 p.m., with four board members present and Board Member Tia Otoo absent. The approval came after the board initially voted against the resolution at its June 10, 2026, meeting.

The approval comes in a challenging statewide environment: in Ohio's May 2026 primary election, only 24 of 66 school levies passed — about 36 percent — with many districts announcing budget cuts afterward.

For residents already balancing housing, food, and other household costs, the central question is what the district can show for the additional tax money. Homeowners would see the cost on their tax bills; renters could feel it if landlords pass higher property-tax costs into rent.

What the Board Says the Money Will Fund

The district's official meeting recap states the levy will fund the district's necessary requirements but does not itemize specific programs, staff positions, or operational categories the money would support.

The district has a recent levy history that frames the current request. A levy renewal failed in 2018, costing the district $5.6 million annually, and an 8.7-mill emergency operating levy, Issue 4, was voted down in November 2020. Those failures led to significant budget cuts, including reducing transportation to the state minimum and staff reductions.

That leaves basic questions unanswered. What services would be protected? What would be cut or delayed without the money? And what results does the district expect taxpayers to see?

The Dollar Impact on Households

The median home value in Euclid is approximately $146,798, according to Trulia data from April 2026, while the median sale price was $153,183 for the three months ending May 2026, according to Redfin.

In Ohio, properties are assessed at 35 percent of their market value, and one mill equals $1 of tax for every $1,000 of assessed value. For a $150,000 home, a 6.75-mill levy would cost approximately $354.38 annually before credits. Ohio's 2.5 percent owner-occupied rollback and 10 percent state credit together reduce that to approximately $310.08.

Euclid's effective property tax rate is approximately 2.37 percent of market value, and the Euclid City School District's gross tax rate is 134.250 mills on assessed value for Tax Year 2025, Current Year 2026. The 6.75 mills would add to that cumulative burden for homeowners and for renters who pay property taxes through their rent.

Past Performance and Current Results

Euclid City School District enrolled 4,655 students for the 2025-2026 school year, up from 4,239 students, including preschool, in the 2024-2025 school year, according to the district's 2024 fiscal audit.

Approximately 2,441 Euclid resident students do not attend Euclid schools due to open enrollment, scholarships, or private school vouchers, according to that same audit. For a district seeking more local tax revenue, those numbers are a meaningful measure of how many families are choosing another option.

According to Niche, 15 percent of Euclid students are proficient in math and 33 percent in reading on state tests, though this data may reflect a prior year. Ohio state averages for the 2024-2025 school year were 55.3 percent in math and 60.4 percent in reading. The district's graduation rate was 75 percent for the 2024-2025 school year.

The 2024-2025 Ohio School Report Cards were released on September 15, 2025. Euclid Middle School earned a State Momentum Award based on its performance on that report card.

Questions to Ask Before November

Residents should ask the board to specify which programs, staff positions, or operations the 6.75 mills will fund and how those needs are prioritized against other district spending.

Voters should request transparency about how the district has managed past levy dollars, what efficiencies or cuts have been explored, and whether the district has pursued other revenue sources before asking homeowners for more.

Families should ask how the district plans to close the gap between Euclid's proficiency rates and state averages, and what academic outcomes taxpayers can expect if the levy passes.

Residents should inquire why approximately 2,441 Euclid children choose not to attend district schools and what the district is doing to rebuild enrollment and community confidence.

Timeline and Where to Learn More

The levy will appear on the November 2026 General Election ballot.

Residents can find official district information at euclidschools.org, contact the board for upcoming public meeting schedules, and access the district's 2024 fiscal audit and enrollment data through the Ohio Auditor of State.

The Euclid Board of Education includes President Gabrielle Kelly, Vice-President Selina Wright, and Board Members Scott Wilson, Evan Botzki, and Tia Otoo, with Superintendent Karen Brown leading the district.

By November, the decision will come down to a local test of trust: whether Euclid voters believe the district has made a clear enough case to pay more for its schools.