FAQ

Issue 4 is a 4.26-mill bond issue for the Aurora City School District’s Essential Plan. It would provide approximately $96 million to:

• Build a new school for grades 1–3 on the Craddock site

• Add space and make select improvements at Miller

• Build a properly equipped transportation facility

• Complete essential repairs and accessibility improvements throughout the district

• Relocate district administrative offices currently housed at Craddock

The estimated cost is approximately $12 per month for each $100,000 of property value. Visit our Cost & Taxes page for a personalized estimate and additional details.

It is a simple way to explain what Issue 4 would accomplish:

• Replace the more-than-100-year-old portion of Craddock with a new school for grades 1–3 and replace the inadequate transportation facility.

• Repair aging roofs, HVAC systems, parking lots, exterior doors, accessibility features and other essential infrastructure.

• Protect Aurora’s investment in its schools, the reliable operation of the district and the long-term strength of our community.

The Essential Plan includes:

• A new elementary school for grades 1–3 on the current Craddock site

• A new preschool wing and select renovations at Miller

• Leighton’s transition to a school serving grades 4–5

• A new transportation facility with maintenance bays, a bus lift and a wash bay

• HVAC, roofing, paving, exterior-door and ADA accessibility improvements

• Replacement of aging systems and other priority repairs at Miller, Leighton, Harmon and Aurora High School

• Relocation of the Board of Education and district administrative offices from Craddock to an expanded central location

The district’s current estimated project total is approximately $96 million. Costs remain estimates and may change as planning and design progress. The complete district overview is available on the Essential Plan website.

Part of Craddock is more than 100 years old, and many of its classrooms date to the 1940s. Although the district has maintained the building, its age and original design create challenges that routine repairs cannot solve.

Among the concerns are:

• Undersized classrooms

• Outdated electrical and technology infrastructure

• Accessibility limitations

• Aging mechanical and structural systems

• A layout that does not meet current educational and security needs

• Increasingly extensive and costly repairs simply to keep the building operational

A new building would provide appropriately sized classrooms, updated learning spaces, modern infrastructure, improved accessibility and stronger safety and security features.

The district studied renovation, but renovating a building of Craddock’s age would require a substantial investment without providing all the benefits or useful lifespan of a new school.

The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission’s evaluation found that the estimated cost of renovating Craddock exceeded the level generally considered fiscally responsible when compared with replacement. Renovation would also require working around the building’s existing size, layout and structural limitations.

Replacing the school provides a longer-term solution and avoids investing heavily in a building that would still retain many constraints associated with its age.

The current facility was not originally designed to serve as a modern school-bus garage. It is cramped, aging and lacks the equipment and space needed to maintain Aurora’s fleet efficiently.

The facility does not have:

• A bus lift

• Adequate maintenance bays

• A wash bay

• Sufficient work and storage space

• Appropriate areas for drivers and transportation staff

Regular washing is especially important because rust is one of the leading factors that shortens the usable life of a school bus. A properly equipped facility would help the district perform more preventive maintenance, protect its investment in the fleet and keep transportation operating safely and reliably.

Miller would continue serving Aurora’s youngest learners. The plan adds a preschool wing and makes select renovations so students and staff can move out of the modular classroom and back into the main building.

The addition would provide appropriately designed early-learning spaces while allowing Miller to continue serving preschool and kindergarten students.

Third grade would move from Leighton to the new elementary school on the Craddock site. Leighton would then serve grades 4–5.

The updated school configuration:

• Miller: preschool and kindergarten

• New Craddock school: grades 1–3

• Leighton: grades 4–5

This would allow students and staff to move out of modular classrooms and spaces never intended for instruction, including converted closets, and return to classrooms within the main building.

Leighton would remain in use and receive essential repairs included in the plan, helping extend the building’s useful life.

Aurora has reached the point where routine maintenance alone cannot address its most urgent facility needs.

• Part of Craddock is more than 100 years old.

• Major systems throughout the district are approaching or have reached the end of their expected lifespans.

• The transportation facility cannot adequately support the district’s fleet.

• Delaying major work increases the risk of system failures, emergency repairs, school disruptions and higher construction costs.

For approximately 25 years, portions of the district’s General Fund and Permanent Improvement funds were committed to paying for Leighton because voters did not approve a construction bond at that time. Now that Leighton is paid off, the district can begin setting aside money for future turf, track and bus replacements. However, it remains in a largely reactive position as it addresses years of deferred facility needs. Issue 4 would allow the district to tackle those major needs through a coordinated, long-term plan.

The district will continue maintaining Craddock for as long as it is in use, but repairs cannot change the building’s fundamental limitations.

Routine maintenance cannot:

• Enlarge undersized classrooms

• Redesign an outdated floor plan

• Provide complete modern accessibility

• Fully update the building’s infrastructure

• Give a century-old structure the same useful life as a new school

Continuing to make individual repairs would require spending more money on an aging building without producing a complete, long-term solution.

The district would continue operating and maintaining its buildings, but the underlying needs would remain.

Without the bond:

• Craddock would continue requiring extensive repairs to remain operational.

• Major infrastructure projects could be delayed or completed individually as limited funding becomes available.

• The inadequate transportation facility would remain in use.

• The Miller modular classroom would remain necessary unless another solution could be funded.

• The Leighton modular classroom and using closets for classrooms would remain necessary unless another solution could be funded.

• The risk of unexpected failures and emergency repairs would increase as systems continue to age.

• Construction and repair costs could rise while the district waits.

The district would still be responsible for addressing these needs, but without the funding needed to complete them as one coordinated plan.

The district reviewed the 2024 election results, gathered additional community feedback and substantially reduced the proposal’s size and cost.

The Essential Plan is approximately 44% lower than the previous proposal and focuses on the most urgent needs:

• Early-elementary education

• Transportation

• Essential building repairs and accessibility

• Preservation of the schools Aurora already owns

It does not include every improvement considered in the earlier facilities plan. It is a narrower, less expensive proposal built around the community’s most urgent needs.

Aurora voters have not approved a bond issue to build a new school in approximately 60 years.

Leighton was built around 2000, but it was financed using district General Fund dollars and a portion of annual Permanent Improvement funds rather than through a voter-approved construction bond. Those payments continued for approximately 25 years, limiting the money available for other major facility needs.

Issue 4 is a 4.26-mill bond issue that would provide approximately $96 million for the Essential Plan. The proceeds may be used only for the capital projects described in the bond issue, not for salaries or routine operating expenses.

View the complete project breakdown.

The district estimates that Issue 4 would cost approximately $12 per month for each $100,000 of property value.

Your actual cost depends on the taxable value used by the county auditor. Visit our Cost & Taxes page to see examples and calculate an estimate.

The estimate is based on the appraised market value assigned by the county auditor for tax purposes, not necessarily the price for which your home could sell.

In Ohio, residential property taxes are calculated using 35% of the auditor’s appraised value. Our Cost & Taxes page explains the calculation and provides examples.

Find your property’s appraised value through the Portage County or Summit County auditor’s website, then use the calculator or examples on our Cost & Taxes page.

No. Bond proceeds are used for long-term capital projects such as construction, renovations, major repairs and permanent improvements. They cannot be used for salaries, benefits or normal classroom operating expenses.

The General Fund pays for daily school operations, including instruction, staffing, student services, utilities and routine maintenance. The district’s Permanent Improvement Fund supports scheduled capital needs, but it is not large enough to pay for a new school, a transportation facility and districtwide infrastructure work of this scale.

Using operating funds for these projects would take money away from educational programs and everyday school operations.

Yes. Leighton was paid for over approximately 25 years using General Fund and Permanent Improvement dollars because a construction bond was not approved at that time.

With those payments completed, the district can set aside approximately $230,000 annually for future turf, track and bus replacements. That is an important step, but it is not enough to pay for the major building and infrastructure projects included in the Essential Plan.

Yes. After reviewing community feedback, the district reduced the earlier facilities proposal by approximately 44%. The Essential Plan concentrates on the highest-priority needs rather than every project considered in the previous plan.

The district’s current estimates include:

• New Elementary School: $57.6 million

• Miller Addition & Select Renovations: $5.5 million

• Board Office: $2.9 million

• Essential Capital Improvements: $23 million

• Transportation Center: $7 million

These are planning estimates and remain subject to change as design and bidding progress.

Aurora spends less per student and operates with fewer administrators per student than comparable districts, according to the district’s comparison data. It also revised the earlier facilities proposal in response to community concerns, reducing its scope by approximately 44%.

Responsible financial management includes controlling daily expenses, but it also requires addressing major building problems before failures and emergency repairs make them more expensive.

No public body can promise that voters will never be asked to consider another tax issue. However, the Essential Plan is intended to address Aurora’s most pressing known facility needs and extend the useful life of existing buildings and systems.

Some Ohio homeowners may qualify for the Homestead Exemption based on age, disability, income or other eligibility requirements. Because every household’s circumstances are different, residents should consult their county auditor for eligibility and property-specific information.

Yes. The figures are current planning estimates. Actual costs will depend on final design, construction bids, interest rates, market conditions and project timing.

The bond establishes the maximum amount the district may borrow. The district cannot collect or spend more than voters authorize through the bond issue.

Current projections show overall enrollment holding relatively steady, with the potential for modest growth. Enrollment can vary by grade and year, so a district may experience space pressure in particular buildings even when its total enrollment remains relatively stable.

The plan is designed to meet current needs while giving the elementary-grade configuration enough flexibility to respond to foreseeable changes.

Craddock’s replacement is primarily about the condition and function of the building, not simply adding capacity.

Part of the school is more than 100 years old, and its classrooms, infrastructure, accessibility and layout do not meet current needs. Even with stable enrollment, Aurora still needs safe, functional and appropriately designed spaces for the students it already serves.

Moving third grade into the new building also allows the district to use its existing elementary schools more effectively.

The district reviewed enrollment information, housing trends and known development as part of its planning. The proposed grade configuration, preschool and kindergarten at Miller, grades 1–3 at the new school and grades 4–5 at Leighton, makes better use of available space and provides flexibility for expected enrollment changes.

No projection can guarantee exactly how quickly or where development will occur. The plan is intended to serve current students without overbuilding while preparing for reasonable future needs.

Miller currently relies on a modular classroom for music and library space. The addition would create a dedicated preschool wing and bring students and staff back into the main building.

The added space is needed to:

• Eliminate reliance on the modular classroom

• Provide appropriately designed early-childhood classrooms

• Keep preschool and kindergarten programs together

• Accommodate current needs and expected fluctuations in Aurora’s youngest grades

Public schools are community assets that affect everyone, not only families with students.

Issue 4 would help Aurora:

• Protect buildings and infrastructure the community already owns

• Maintain safe and reliable student transportation

• Reduce the risk of disruptive and increasingly expensive emergency repairs

• Support the community’s reputation as a desirable place to live

• Preserve a school system that helps attract residents, employees and businesses

Every generation benefits from investments made by the residents who came before it. Issue 4 is an opportunity to protect that legacy for the future.

Strong schools help make Aurora a community where people want to live, work and invest. They contribute to community pride, help attract families and employers, and support demand for local housing.

Schools also prepare the future workforce and provide facilities, programs, performances, athletics and activities that bring the community together. Maintaining those schools protects an important public asset and supports Aurora’s long-term quality of life.

Public education is the bedrock of our society. Everyone contributes to ensure children receive a good primary education. This prepares kids to pursue apprenticeships, vocational degrees, military service, and other education that allows them to contribute back to society. It also ensures they pay back into the system funding property taxes, schools, Social Security, Medicare, and other essential programs. 

We can look around at other local communities and see the impact of failing schools. Families leave, property values drop, businesses close and take jobs with them, and crime and other social ills increase. The future of Aurora is in all of our hands. We live in a thriving community. Good public schools ensure Aurora continues to thrive and be a great place to live.

We are all in this together.  

Aurora is currently near the bottom of the list as compared to similar districts. If this bond issue passes Aurora will still be in the bottom half and possibly lower as other districts also have levys/bonds in the upcoming election. See Tables below.

This short article does a good job of explaining why Ohio school districts have so many school levies...it comes down to HB (House Bill) 920 passed in the 1970s - https://www.statenews.org/news/2023-11-29/why-ohio-has-more-school-levies-than-any-other-state

In Ohio, school districts rely on different types of local tax levies to raise funds. Each type serves a specific purpose:

1. Bond Issue:

   • A bond issue is used to raise money for long-term capital improvements, such as constructing new buildings, renovating existing ones, or acquiring land.

   • Voters approve the district's ability to borrow a specific amount of money by issuing bonds, which must be repaid over time, typically 20-30 years, with interest.

   • Taxes are collected to pay off the bonds over that period. Bond money cannot be used for daily operational costs or maintenance.

2. Operating Levy:

   • An operating levy generates funds for the day-to-day operations of the school district. This includes paying salaries, benefits, utilities, transportation, and supplies.

   • It is usually a property tax based on millage (rate per $1,000 of assessed property value), and it can be approved for a specific time period or as a continuing levy, which does not expire unless repealed by voters.

   • Operating levies do not cover capital improvements or major building projects.

3. Permanent Improvement Levy:

   • A permanent improvement levy raises funds for long-term maintenance and improvements of district facilities, such as repairing roofs, buying school buses, upgrading technology, or maintaining buildings.

   • The levy is used for items that have a lifespan of five years or more. Funds cannot be spent on operating costs (e.g., salaries or supplies).

   • Permanent improvement levies can also be set for a specific number of years or as a continuous levy.

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Early in-person voting begins October 6. Most Aurora residents vote early at the Portage County Board of Elections, 449 S. Meridian Street, Room 101, Ravenna. Aurora residents registered in Summit County must vote early at the Summit County Board of Elections. Bring an acceptable photo ID.

EARLY VOTING DATES AND INFO

PORTAGE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

SUMMIT COUNTRY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 

Complete, print and sign an absentee-ballot application, then mail or deliver it to your county Board of Elections. 

Once you receive and complete your ballot, return it promptly. Under Ohio’s new law, your ballot must be received by your county Board of Elections no later than 7:30 p.m. on November 3.

PORTAGE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

SUMMIT COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

Your polling location is based on the address where you are registered to vote. 

PORTAGE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS

SUMMIT COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS