Getting Involved: Advocating for Milford Schools

We know that many families want to support advocating for our district but may not be sure where to start.

MEVSD has engaged in productive conversations with State Legislators and Representatives, where they valued our opinions and were very respectful. However, they made it clear that the community needs to be active participants in shaping the future of school funding.

Your voice matters in this process. State leaders need to hear directly from parents and community members about how these funding issues impact our schools.

URGENT - MILFORD SCHOOLS NEEDS YOUR HELP TO OPPOSE HB 335

Ohio House Bill 335 is a fast-moving piece of legislation that could devastate public education funding across the state. If passed, it would eliminate "inside millage" — a key source of funding for schools, cities, and counties — ban new emergency and substitute levies, and give county budget commissions the power to override voter-approved levies.

For Milford Schools, the impact would be severe. We stand to lose $6 million every year, which would directly affect our teachers, academic programs, and student support services. The City of Milford would lose over $700,000, and Clermont County could see losses of more than $22 million annually.

This bill was introduced without meaningful consultation from the communities it affects. It promises short-term tax relief, but at the cost of long-term consequences: more levies, fewer services, and increased burdens on families and businesses.

RESOURCES:

Letter-Writing & Email Guide

To help our community take action, we have created a general template that MEVSD community members can use to write to state officials.

We strongly encourage you to personalize your message. While this template is a great starting point, officials have advised us that personal stories and unique perspectives have the greatest impact.

Both email and physical letters make a difference. Many government officials still appreciate receiving physical letters from their constituents.

Please reference the legislators listed on the right side of the webpage for contact in addition to the email template below for House Bill 335.

HB 335 Template

Share Our Story!

In addition to contacting local legislators, we encourage all stakeholders to help us spread the word. Below, you’ll find a short video explaining the impact of House Bill 335—not just on Milford Schools, but on communities throughout Ohio. Please consider sharing this video and inviting others to join the effort to raise awareness and stand against HB 335’s long-term consequences.

Local Legislators

Representative Jean Schmidt

Senator Louis (Bill) W. Blessing, III

Representative Adam Bird

Understanding the Ohio Fair School Funding Formula & the Voucher Issue

At Milford Exempted Village School District, we are committed to providing the best possible education for all students. However, state funding policies play a significant role in our ability to do so.

The Ohio Fair School Funding Plan was introduced to ensure a more equitable distribution of school funding, but it remains only partially funded and places too much financial burden on local taxpayers. Many districts, including Milford, struggle to keep up with rising costs when levies fail or funding does not increase to meet student needs.

Additionally, the expansion of private school vouchers continues to divert crucial public dollars away from public schools. As more state funding is allocated to private school tuition, public school districts—including MEVSD—receive fewer resources to support our students, teachers, and programs.

The Board unanimously passed a resolution urging the Ohio General Assembly to:

  • Fully fund years 5 and 6 of the Fair School Funding Formula

  • Update base cost inputs to reflect current inflation

  • Reject proposed reductions to guaranteed funding

You can view the resolution here.