Many people have expressed frustration that Groveport Madison High School was at capacity when it opened in 2018, questioning the district’s planning process. However, it’s important to understand the constraints placed on the district at the time.

In 2015, the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) projected that Groveport Madison’s enrollment would remain flat, meaning they did not anticipate significant growth. The school district strongly disagreed with these projections, as local data indicated a rising student population. However, in order to receive state funding to build a new high school, the district was required to align with the OFCC’s projections. The alternative would have been to fund the entire project locally, which would have placed a significant financial burden on the community.

Time was of the essence. The existing high school was in dire condition and needed to be replaced as soon as possible to ensure a safe and functional learning environment for students. While the district would have preferred to build a larger school based on its own projections, doing so without OFCC support would have been financially impossible.

Ultimately, the decision was made to move forward with the new high school under the OFCC guidelines to secure the necessary funding. While the school reached capacity quickly, the district’s priority was to provide a modern, improved facility for students rather than delay the project indefinitely in pursuit of an unattainable local funding model.

As part of Bond Issue #24, it will address the growing student population with a 300-student addition to Groveport Madison High School. If passed, the bond will be 53% funded by the state of Ohio.