Budget Committee
Indiana · corporation 5625 · Grant County

Oak Hill United School Corporation

District briefing, fall 2026: enrollment, achievement, attendance, finances and property taxes.

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Oak Hill United School Corporation: one referendum question

Shall Oak Hill United School Corporation increase property taxes paid to the School Corporation for no more than eight (8) years for the purpose of funding and sustaining educational and operational stability in response to reductions in property tax revenue, including maintaining essential health and safety initiatives including the employment and retention of school resource officers and nurses, supporting, attracting and retaining teachers and staff, maintaining class sizes and student transportation, and funding academic and support programs to meet the educational needs of all students, by imposing a property tax rate that does not exceed $0.3332 and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed $1,627,112? If this operating referendum public question is approved by the voters, for a median residence of $150,000, the property's annual property tax bill would increase by $198 per year.

Source: Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, final determination 26-009-REF

Enrollment
1,504
2025-26
Fall ADM
1,588
2023-24 funding count
Enrollment, 5 yr
−10.2%
headcount change · regional −3.2%
Chronic absence
7.9%
2024-25
Spending / pupil
$11,698
FY2024
School tax rate
$1.2684
pay 2026
Home value
+2%
5-yr avg vs. 12 nearby districts
Enrollment

1,504 students in 2025-26, −10.2% over five years; the regional peer median moved −3.2%.

Achievement

47.8% proficient in ELA and 49.2% in math on ILEARN 2025 (median corporation 38.2% and 40.7%), 51st of 290 statewide in ELA. Graduation rate 95.6%.

Attendance

7.9% of students were chronically absent in 2024-25, against 13.2% for the median corporation.

Spending

$11,698 current spending per pupil in FY2024, above the peer median of $11,159 and below the statewide median of $11,831.

Property tax

The school tax rate payable 2026 totals $1.2684 per $100 of assessed value on a $6.0M levy; $0.0M of it is the operating referendum.

Referendum

The November 3, 2026 ballot asks for an operating referendum tax of up to $0.3332 per $100 of assessed value for up to 8 years, raising at most $1.63 million a year. If it passes, the county auditor estimates the tax bill on a median home ($150,000 assessed value) would rise by $198 a year.

Oak Hill enrolled 1,504 students in 2025-26. Since 2005-06 enrollment has grown 2%; the regional peer median shrank 13% and the median Indiana corporation shrank 11%. The chart indexes each series to its 2005-06 level.

Oak HillRegional peers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
12211210293832005-062009-102013-142017-182021-222025-26

Enrollment and the funding count

Indiana's tuition support formula pays on average daily membership (ADM), counted each September and again in the spring; ADM excludes pre-kindergarten, which the enrollment count includes. Oak Hill's fall ADM was 1,588 in 2023-24, 0.98 per enrolled student.

School yearEnrolled studentsFall ADMPer enrolled student
2018-191,7251,7070.99
2019-201,7021,6991.00
2020-211,6741,6530.99
2021-221,6421,6230.99
2022-231,6271,6120.99
2023-241,6131,5880.98

IDOE State Tuition Support Annual Reports, Appendix A (fall count, non-virtual plus virtual ADM), and IDOE enrollment (October count).

Students, 2025-26

Student groupOak HillPeers (median)Indiana (median)
Eligible for free or reduced-price meals39.1%39.8%46.4%
Receiving special education services16.0%16.6%18.4%
English learners0.9%1.0%2.1%
White88.7%89.7%87.6%
Hispanic or Latino5.7%4.7%6.1%
Black or African American0.9%0.7%1.0%
Asian0.3%0.4%0.4%
Two or more races4.3%3.5%3.4%

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Oak Hill averaged $145,680, 2% above the median of the 12 districts within 25 miles ($142,730). That ranks 7th of 13 in the area and at the 37th percentile of Indiana districts (state median $158,850).

ACS 5-year releaseOak HillNearby medianDifferenceIndiana median
2016–20$128,900$120,800+7%$132,200
2017–21$128,600$128,300+0%$141,050
2018–22$138,300$144,600−4%$160,550
2019–23$153,900$154,950−1%$175,600
2020–24$178,700$164,500+9%$187,600
Five-release average$145,680$142,730+2%$158,850

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, median value of owner-occupied homes (table B25077), in nominal dollars. Consecutive releases share four of their five survey years, so the average is a smoothed level rather than five independent years. Nearby districts are those whose NCES office address lies within 25 miles of Oak Hill's: Northwestern (16 mi, $193,900); Western (24 mi, $193,840); Eastern Howard (10 mi, $178,000); MSD Wabash County (18 mi, $158,760); Tipton (24 mi, $148,440); Eastbrook Community Sch Corp (17 mi, $146,880); Maconaquah (13 mi, $138,580); Lewis Cass (23 mi, $136,200); Madison-Grant United (15 mi, $119,040); Mississinewa (13 mi, $107,160); Alexandria (22 mi, $103,920); Peru (18 mi, $84,280).

Where resident students go, fall 2025

Of 1,196 students who live in the district, 1,037 attend Oak Hill schools: a retention rate of 86.7%, 66th of 290 statewide. 159 leave: 25 on Choice Scholarships to private schools, 15 to charter schools and 119 to other public corporations. 441 students transfer in. The largest destinations:

AttendsStudentson Choice Scholarshipsat charters
The King's Academy22220
Eastern Howard School Corporation2100
Marion Community Schools1700
MSD Wabash County Schools1200
Indiana Connections Academy 7-12909
Madison-Grant United School Corp900

IDOE enrollment (October count) and fall 2025-26 transfer report. Retention = resident students enrolled in the corporation as a share of all students who live there (“settled”).

On the spring 2025 ILEARN, 47.8% of Oak Hill students were proficient in English/language arts and 49.2% in math, against 38.2% and 40.7% for the median Indiana corporation. That ranks 51st and 76th among 290 corporations. Against the peer median it trails in science, IREAD-3, the SAT and graduation.

MeasureOak HillPeer medianregional beneathIndiana (median)Statewide rank
ILEARN English/language arts, grades 3–8 (2025)47.8%39.5%regional 36.8%38.2%51st of 290
ILEARN math (2025)49.2%46.5%regional 41.9%40.7%76th of 290
ILEARN science (2025)43.6%47.2%regional 43.5%43.2%141st of 290
ILEARN, proficient in both ELA and math (2025)35.5%31.5%regional 29.5%28.1%75th of 290
IREAD-3 pass rate (2026)87.8%95.2%regional 90.3%91.3%203rd of 290
SAT, met both benchmarks, grade 11 (2026)16.0%24.9%regional 16.2%19.3%182nd of 289
Graduation rate (2025 cohort)95.6%96.4%regional 96.9%95.1%129th of 289
Schools rated Meets or Exceeds Expectations (2025)60%50%regional 33%33%88th of 290

IDOE assessment, graduation and federal accountability files. Rank is among Indiana's public school corporations with a reported result (1st = highest). Only the 2025 ILEARN release is on file, so there is no trend line here.

In 2024-25, 7.9% of Oak Hill students were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of the school year), against 12.8% in the peer median and 13.2% in the median Indiana corporation. That is 34th lowest of 290. Before the pandemic, in 2018-19, the rate was 9.9%.

Oak HillPeers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
19%15%10%6%2%2012-132014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232024-25

IDOE chronic absenteeism file, 2012-13 to 2024-25. A student is chronically absent after missing 10% or more of enrolled days.

Oak Hill spent $11,698 per pupil on current operations in FY2024, against $11,159 for the peer median and $11,831 for the median Indiana corporation. Local property tax provided 20% of revenue (peer median 25%, Indiana median 25%) and state aid 50% (Indiana median 55%).

Oak HillPeers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
$12,429$10,885$9,341$7,797$6,253FY2006FY2010FY2014FY2018FY2024

U.S. Census Bureau annual school finance survey (F-33), current spending per pupil, nominal dollars, excluding the teacher-retirement payments the state makes on corporations' behalf (reported inconsistently in FY2023). Capital and debt payments are not current spending.

For taxes payable in 2026 the corporation certified $6.0M across its funds, at a combined rate of $1.2684 per $100 of net assessed value. It levies no operating referendum. Indiana's property-tax caps do not apply to referendum levies, which makes an operating referendum the one local operating revenue source outside the caps.

DLGF certified levyPay 2022Pay 2023Pay 2024Pay 2025Pay 2026
Total certified school levy$4.8M$5.8M$5.5M$6.0M$6.0M
Operations fund$2.3M$2.4M$2.5M$2.6M$2.7M
Debt service$2.5M$3.3M$3.0M$3.4M$3.3M
Operating referendum$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M
Referendum debt (capital)$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M
Total school tax rate per $100$1.4995$1.5601$1.3278$1.2587$1.2684
Operating referendum rate per $100$0.0000$0.0000$0.0000$0.0000$0.0000

Oak Hill and its regional peers, pay 2026

CorporationTotal school rate per $100Operating referendum rateTotal levy
Mississinewa Community School Corp$1.4051$0.0000$5.1M
Oak Hill United School Corp$1.2684$0.0000$6.0M
Eastern Howard School Corporation$1.2037$0.0000$5.9M
Peru Community Schools$1.1583$0.0000$6.3M
MSD Wabash County Schools$1.1000$0.0000$12.6M
Western School Corporation$1.0821$0.0000$9.6M
Northwestern School Corp$1.0365$0.0000$9.6M
Alexandria Community School Corp$0.9732$0.0000$4.1M
Maconaquah School Corp$0.9618$0.0000$6.6M
Madison-Grant United School Corp$0.9531$0.0000$6.0M
Lewis Cass Schools$0.9122$0.0000$5.6M
Eastbrook Community Sch Corp$0.9097$0.0000$4.9M
Tipton Community School Corp$0.8655$0.0000$7.8M

Oak Hill's operating referendum rate is the highest of these 13 corporations. Statewide, 66 of 290 school units levied an operating referendum for taxes payable 2026.

Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Certified Budget, Levy, CNAV and Rate by Fund files. Operating referendum = funds 0022, 0023 and 0025; referendum debt = 0187 and 0287. Rates are per $100 of net assessed value; referendum funds are levied on a different assessed-value base from the other funds, so the rates are summed as published.

The November 3, 2026 question asks for an operating referendum tax of up to $0.3332 per $100 of assessed value for up to 8 years, raising at most $1.63 million a year. If it passes, the county auditor estimates the tax bill on a median home ($150,000 assessed value) would rise by $198 a year.

Oak Hill levied no operating referendum tax for taxes payable 2026.

Oak Hill's only school referendum since 2009 was in May 2011, and it failed. Statewide, DLGF records 190 operating referendum questions from 2009 through 2025, and 133 passed (70%).

ElectionTypeResult
May 2011Construction (borrowing)Failed

Ballot terms: the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance's final determination on each question, which quotes the approved wording and the county auditor's certified median-home estimate. Past results: DLGF historic referenda records (outcome only; DLGF does not publish vote counts). Current levy: DLGF certified levy by fund.

Wherever this briefing sets Oak Hill beside other school corporations, it uses the groups below. A group figure is the middle value across its members, each counted equally, so one large member cannot dominate it.

Peers 12 school corporations

The 12 Indiana districts (public school corporations) most like Oak Hill on four equally weighted factors: total enrollment (compared as a ratio), current spending per pupil, students per teacher and the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, each difference scaled by how much the factor varies across districts, and none more than two standard deviations away on any one. The group starts with nearby districts that match closely (within half a standard deviation on average) and fills the rest from anywhere in the state. Peers carry the achievement, spending and staffing comparisons.

School corporationCountyMilesEnrollmentSpending per pupilStudents per teacherFree/reduced-price meals
Eastbrook Community Sch CorpGrant171,531$10,53114.945.3%
MSD Wabash County SchoolsWabash182,237$10,92716.349.8%
Alexandria Community School CorpMadison221,354$12,64614.339.3%
Lewis Cass SchoolsCass231,279$11,83214.749.6%
Tipton Community School CorpTipton241,406$11,51613.339.8%
Western School CorporationHoward242,557$11,16915.534.7%
Western Boone Co Com Sch DistBoone551,578$10,45216.136.8%
Triton Central SchoolsShelby671,396$11,05415.438.5%
Centerville-Abington Com SchsWayne681,701$10,39716.239.8%
Baugo Community SchoolsElkhart741,822$11,14916.139.6%
MSD Warren CountyWarren801,352$11,85515.543.6%
Perry Central Com Schools CorpPerry1751,272$12,08915.842.7%

Regional peers 12 school corporations

The 12 districts (public school corporations) within 25 miles of Oak Hill, straight line between district offices, whose profile on the same four factors is comparable: on average within one standard deviation. They carry enrollment, property taxes and home values, and their median sits beneath the peer median elsewhere. A district in both groups appears in both lists.

School corporationCountyMilesEnrollmentSpending per pupilStudents per teacherFree/reduced-price meals
Eastern Howard School CorporationHoward101,639$9,78917.939.9%
Mississinewa Community School CorpGrant132,283$11,81515.457.0%
Maconaquah School CorpMiami131,845$11,11517.258.5%
Madison-Grant United School CorpGrant152,110$9,85217.131.2%
Northwestern School CorpHoward161,835$10,35315.030.0%
Eastbrook Community Sch CorpGrant171,531$10,53114.945.3%
MSD Wabash County SchoolsWabash182,237$10,92716.349.8%
Peru Community SchoolsMiami181,688$11,93116.657.7%
Alexandria Community School CorpMadison221,354$12,64614.339.3%
Lewis Cass SchoolsCass231,279$11,83214.749.6%
Tipton Community School CorpTipton241,406$11,51613.339.8%
Western School CorporationHoward242,557$11,16915.534.7%

“Indiana median” is the middle value across Indiana's public school corporations. Corporations that enroll mostly virtual students are left out of both groups. Spending is F-33 current spending excluding state on-behalf payments; students per teacher is the NCES Common Core of Data count.