Prop O is a levy transfer intended to help stabilize the operating budget by moving 12.5 cents per $100 of assessed valuation from the debt service fund to the operating fund. This transfer would make an additional $5.5 million available annually for the District’s operating budget without raising the tax rate. 

This is not new money or more money. School districts are required by law to get permission from voters to move a portion of the existing levy from one account to another so it can be used to pay for things like staff salaries, curriculum and student programs. It's a way to use the resources the community has already provided in a way that most effectively impacts students and staff. 

A levy transfer is the only way to secure sustainable operating revenue from existing sources without a tax rate increase.

• Prop O is necessary because costs are increasing due to inflation and higher needs, and funding for public schools is uncertain.
• The state of Missouri announced that the Foundation Formula would not be fully funded for the 2026 and 2027 fiscal years.
• As a result, FHSD is estimated to receive $7.6 million less in state funding over those two years than a fully-funded formula would provide.
• At the same time, daily operating costs are increasing. Employee health insurance costs rose nearly 20% in two years. Fuel costs for District school buses are up 18%. It costs approximately $4 million each year to provide a cost-of-living raise to our 2,500 teachers and staff. 
• The FHSD FY27 operating budget projects a $2.6 million deficit at the end of the year. The District cannot continue to deficit spend and also maintain current staffing levels, pay raises, and student programs and services.
• Prop O alone will not solve the District’s financial challenges, but it will slow the downward trajectory and lessen the impact.
   

If Prop O is approved, the funds would support daily operating expenses, including staff salaries, curriculum and student programs.This would help provide competitive compensation for employees, ensuring the District can attract and retain high-quality teachers and staff, all without changing the current tax rate or impacting debt payments.

Prop O will not increase the tax rate, which is currently the lowest it has been in more than 20 years and is the lowest tax rate of all public school districts in St. Charles County.

Senior citizens might actually be able to save money if Prop O passes. Here’s why: 

• Missouri allows eligible seniors age 62 or older to receive a property tax credit that essentially "freezes" county real estate taxes on their primary residence.
• In St. Charles County, the freeze does not apply to debt service levies. 
• Prop O authorizes a debt service levy transfer. By moving debt service levy to the operating levy, those funds become eligible for the senior property tax freeze.
• The District’s debt service levy has remained unchanged for more than 20 years, while the operating levy (due to the Hancock Amendment) has declined by more than 20% during that same time period. 

If Prop O passes, the District’s total tax rate will remain unchanged, but a portion of the levy will move from the debt service fund to the operating fund. This move would make approximately $5.5 million available annually to help maintain student programs and opportunities, deliver future raises for teachers and staff, limit health insurance premium increases, and preserve the community’s investment in strong schools. Moving a portion of the levy out of debt service would not impact the District’s ability to repay its long-term bond obligations. 

If Prop O does not pass, the transfer of 12.5 cents to the operating budget will not occur. Financial projections show continued declines in fund balance. If revenues do not keep pace with inflation, the District will need to consider options to further reduce expenses, which could include:

• Salary and hiring freezes
• Health insurance premium increases
• Staffing reductions
• Higher class sizes
• Reductions in student programs and extracurriculars
• Changes to bus transportation, and
• More deferred maintenance on our schools and facilities

Ballot language must follow a specific format established in state statute, and for this reason, it can be confusing for some readers. The official Prop O language that will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot is below. 

The first sentence mentions an operating tax increase, but it is important to keep reading! The second paragraph clarifies that the overall tax rate will not increase because a corresponding decrease of the same amount will happen to the debt service levy.

PROPOSITION O BALLOT LANGUAGE

Shall the Board of Education of the Francis Howell R-III School District, St. Charles County, Missouri be authorized to increase the operating tax levy ceiling to $3.4306 per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property according to the 2027 assessment and to use such funds to provide for general operating costs, including increasing employee compensation to attract and retain quality faculty and staff?

If this question is approved, it is expected to result in no increase to the overall tax levy of the District as the operating tax levy is estimated to increase by $0.1250 per $100 of assessed valuation and the debt service tax levy is estimated to decrease by the same amount.

Prop H is a $150 million bond issue intended to promote facility longevity by allowing the District to make repairs and improvements at multiple schools without increasing the current tax rate.

FHSD has a large physical plant to maintain, with 2.9 million square feet of buildings and 503 acres of property. Our oldest schools are more than 60 years old. The District’s capital budget alone cannot support the maintenance needs on all of these facilities. Addressing issues as soon as possible is likely to cost less than making those same repairs and replacements in the future.

By law, bond funds can only be used on “bricks and mortar” projects such as construction, renovations, and infrastructure. Bond funds cannot be used for ongoing operating expenses such as salaries and benefits. 

Prop H centers on maintaining and improving existing buildings and infrastructure, not constructing new facilities. Prop H bond funds will be focused in three priority areas:

• Safety & Security: Keeping students and staff safe [$21M]
  • Security vestibules at remaining district facilities
  • Security camera upgrades at all schools
  • 2-way intercom system
  • Traffic flow improvements at multiple schools
  • ADA and accessibility improvements

• Building Maintenance and Repairs: Taking care of what we have [$55M]
  • Roof repairs
  • Window and door replacements
  • Exterior brick repairs
  • Parking lot and sidewalk repairs
  • Heating and cooling systems
  • Plumbing
  • Electrical
  • Upgraded lighting

• Learning Environments: Enhanced opportunities for students [$74M]
  • Career and Technical Education expansion 
  • Upgrades to science labs, performing arts spaces and Library Media Centers
  • Locker room renovations
  • Baseball/softball field upgrades
  • Classroom technology (interactive display panels)

The projects slated for the Prop H bond issue came out of a long-range planning process that began in 2025. A facility condition assessment was performed at all 23 schools. In addition to the on-site audits, more than 1,100 teachers, support staff, and administrators provided input on specific facility needs at the buildings they spend time in every day. This information, along with the results of a demographic report and capacity study, was presented to the Board and community in September 2025. A Facilities Master Plan was prepared based on this data. Prop H addresses the first phase of the plan, and includes ongoing maintenance, safety and security projects, and learning environment improvements.

Prop H will not increase the tax rate, which is currently the lowest it has been in more than 20 years,  and the lowest of all public school districts in St. Charles County.

With the recent passage of Missouri Senate Bill 1002, school districts in St. Charles County can only place ballot measures before voters every two years in November. April and August elections are no longer an option. This means that the District will not be able to place another measure on the ballot for voters until the November 2028 general election. Waiting could cost taxpayers more money since construction, maintenance and renovation projects typically increase each year due to inflation. Based on current inflation rates, $150 million of bond projects could cost more than $165 million by waiting until 2028 to seek voter approval and begin improvements. 

If Prop H passes, the District will be able to address the facility needs noted above to keep FHSD schools in good condition and reduce the likelihood of more costly repairs or rebuilds in the future. Prop H has no impact on the tax rate; it will not increase or decrease based on the outcome of the election. Prop H would extend the District’s debt repayment schedule by five years.

• Urgent school repairs will be delayed. The building and safety needs identified in the Facility Master Plan will go unaddressed. The District will continue to make smaller repairs as funds become available. Delaying these projects will likely cost taxpayers more in the long run due to rising construction costs and emergency repair fees. 
• The tax rate will stay the same. The current property tax rate citizens are paying will not change based on the outcome of the election. The District will simply continue paying off its existing, older bonds on their current repayment schedule.
• The needs do not go away. The District would still need to address critical safety, technology and facility needs, so that could mean going out for another bond issue or raising taxes in the future. Under Senate Bill 1002, FHSD cannot return to voters with any matter until November 2028, and costs will likely increase during that time. Prop H is a zero-tax-rate-increase using tax dollars the District already receives to make facility repairs and improvements.

Ballot language must follow a specific format established in state statute, and for this reason, it can be confusing for some readers. The official Prop H language that will appear on the Nov. 3 ballot is below. 

The first paragraph states the intended use of funds, while the second paragraph indicates that the District’s tax rate will not increase. 

PROPOSITION H BALLOT LANGUAGE

Shall the Board of Education of the Francis Howell R-III School District, St. Charles County, Missouri, borrow money in the amount of One Hundred Fifty Million Dollars ($150,000,000) for the purpose of constructing, repairing, renovating, expanding, improving, furnishing and equipping school and District facilities, including, but not limited to: (1) repairing or replacing failing and aging roofs, windows, mechanical and electrical systems, HVAC, sidewalks and parking lots; (2) enhancing safety and security systems; (3) improving traffic flow and campus access; (4) expanding and modernizing instructional spaces and career and technical education facilities; (5) renovating and upgrading learning environments and student support spaces; and (6) addressing accessibility infrastructure, and issue general obligation bonds for the payment thereof?

If this proposition is approved, it is estimated that the District’s debt service tax levy will remain unchanged at $0.6713 per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property and the District’s total tax levy will not increase.

Early Childhood

• Central School Road Early Childhood
• Hackmann Road Early Childhood
• Meadows Parkway Early Childhood

Elementary Schools

• Becky-David Elementary School
• Castlio Elementary School
• Central Elementary School
• Daniel Boone Elementary School
• Fairmount Elementary School
• Harvest Ridge Elementary School
• Henderson Elementary School
• Independence Elementary School
• John Weldon Elementary School
• Warren Elementary School

Middle Schools

• Barnwell Middle School
• Bryan Middle School
• Francis Howell Middle School
• Hollenbeck Middle School
• Saeger Middle School

High Schools

• Francis Howell Central High School
• Francis Howell High School
• Francis Howell North High School
• Francis Howell Union High School

Special Programs

• Westwood Trail Academy
• Parents as Teachers

Other

• Burbes
• Transportation