A campaign of Citizens for Hillsboro Proposition H
Vote yeson Prop H
Safe schools. Strong schools. Strong community.
Prop H is Hillsboro R-3's school levy question on the November 3 ballot. It funds secure entrances, career and technical classrooms, fine arts and athletics — in the district with the lowest school tax levy in Jefferson County.
We are your neighbors — parents, grandparents, teachers and taxpayers — volunteering together as Citizens for Hillsboro Proposition H to pass Prop H on November 3.
What is Prop H?
Proposition H is a proposed $1.39 operating tax levy increase per $100 of assessed valuation for the Hillsboro R-3 School District. Voters decide on November 3, 2026, and if it passes the increase begins with the 2027 tax year.
It funds daily operations — the people and programs that keep school running every day — and future growth and needs: the facility, safety, instructional and infrastructure projects identified across the district, with room to grow as Hillsboro grows.
Operating levy, not a bond issue
This is an operating levy: the ballot raises the district's operating levy ceiling, which is what lets the revenue support operations and the construction and improvement projects named on the ballot.
The plan
What Prop H does
Beyond supporting operational needs, Prop H allows for new, exciting and much-needed facility upgrades like secure entry at the high school, updated athletic complexes, updated playgrounds, and more. There are proposed upgrades at every building throughout the district.
Inset photos are examples from comparable schools and are not reflective of final projects. Project scope and costs are preliminary and will be refined as design and planning proceed.
The need now
Why is Prop H on the ballot now?
Hillsboro R-3 School District did a thorough assessment of its current facilities, then asked the community through a survey what future needs they wanted addressed, and held two public meetings for feedback. Prop H is what came out of that work.
The needs identified — school security, accessibility, playgrounds, fine arts, career and technical education, athletics and building infrastructure — exceed what the district can complete within its current budget while maintaining existing programs, staffing and daily operations, especially with continued state funding cuts.
Survey results & meeting recordings from the districtSafe schools
Secure entries at every school
Today at the high school, students and visitors walk directly into the commons. Prop H adds a secure entry to the building — the same controlled front-door setup the district's other buildings already have — plus more safety upgrades districtwide.
Secure entrance
A locked front door at Hillsboro High School, where visitors check in — right now, students and visitors walk directly into the commons. This gives the high school the same secure entry the other buildings have.
Storm shelters
When the sirens go off, our kids need a safe place to go. Prop H builds new fine arts classrooms at the high school designed to double as a storm shelter, and a career and technical education building at Bridle Ridge that can serve as a shelter for the community.
Controlled access
Additional security cameras districtwide and secured access doors throughout the district.
Playgrounds & ADA
Playground safety improvements, plus ramps and playgrounds every kid can use, so every student gets where they're going.
A record of fiscal responsibility
The lowest school tax rate in the county
Hillsboro has lowered its total tax rate for six consecutive years. The 2026–27 rate is now below the district's 1993 baseline and lower than approximately 85% of Missouri school districts.
- 6 consecutive rate reductions
- 2026–27 rate of $3.4371 is lower than the 1993 rate of $3.5500
- Among the lowest 15% of school tax rates in Missouri
2026 Jefferson County school district tax rates
Tax rate per $100 of assessed valuation
- Dunklin R-5$4.8569
- Windsor C-1$4.7613
- Sunrise R-9$4.6724
- Grandview R-2$4.6717
- Crystal City #47$4.6681
- Jefferson R-VII$4.5967
- De Soto #73$4.3890
- Northwest R-1$4.2956
- Fox C-6$4.1867
- Festus R-VI$3.9901
- Hillsboro R-3$3.4371
$0.5530lower than the next-lowest district, Festus
$1.4198lower than the highest district, Dunklin
Staircase of savings
6 consecutive years of tax rate reductions
1993 baseline: $3.5500
The 2026–27 rate is below Hillsboro's 1993 tax-rate baseline.
Taxes and home values
Strong schools hold up home values
Ask any realtor what buyers filter for first. Not square footage — the school district.
Buyers shop by district
Families moving into Jefferson County narrow their search by school district before they ever look at a kitchen. Being the district people move toward is what keeps demand — and prices — strong in Hillsboro.
It lifts every home
You don't need a child in school to benefit. Quality school districts support what every home on every street in them is worth — whether you're 32 with a kindergartner or 72 with grandkids.
Falling behind costs more
Putting off repairs only makes them cost more, and a district that slips gets priced into every listing. You find out the day you sell — and by then you can't vote on it.
The straight answer on cost:
Yes — if Prop H passes, your school tax goes up, starting with the 2027 tax year. Weigh it against this: the levy is a known annual cost, while what a strong district adds to your home's value shows up in the price you get when you sell — and Hillsboro is starting from the lowest rate in the county.
Your home, 2014 to 2025
Real estate values rose. Hillsboro school taxes barely did.
Eleven years of districtwide data, 2014 to 2025.
Home values
+33.9%
average
Hillsboro school taxes
+3.7%
average
Four real Hillsboro-area homes. Between 2014 and 2025, home values rose sharply —but school taxes barely moved.
We encourage every community member to look up their own home on the Jefferson County Property Viewer and compare your actual school taxes in 2014 and 2025. Look up your home
The county's value for your home, not what it would sell for. Prop H would add $1.39 per $100 of assessed valuation beginning with the 2027 tax year — see the FAQ for what that means for a specific home.
Important information if you are 62 or older
Seniors with the county tax credit won't pay more for Prop H.
If you already receive Jefferson County's Senior Property Tax Credit and still qualify, Proposition H will not increase the school property taxes you pay on your home.
"It is my understanding that if the ballot measure passes for Hillsboro R-3 it will NOT affect the Seniors already receiving the Senior Tax Credit."
Why: it's an operating levy, not a bond
Jefferson County's Senior Property Tax Credit covers increases in the school operating levy. It does not cover taxes that repay voter-approved bonds. Prop H is an operating levy, so the credit covers it.
Confirmed by the County Collector
On October 21, 2026, the district asked Jefferson County Collector of Revenue Michelle Worth how Prop H would affect seniors already receiving the credit.
Already receiving the credit?
The county renews it automatically each year as long as you still qualify. It applies to your primary residence — the home you own and live in.
Haven't applied yet?
The next application period is March 1 through June 30, 2027.
Please share this with parents, grandparents and neighbors 62 or older.
Source: Hillsboro R-3 School District letter from Superintendent Dr. Jon Isaacson, October 22, 2026.
Ways to help
Support Prop H
Put a sign in your yard
Neighbors notice neighbors. A free sign in your yard is the easiest way to support us. Request one now and display it starting October 4.
Volunteer
A couple of hours makes a real difference before November 3.
- Put out and check yard signs around the district
- Hand out flyers or knock doors on a weekend
- Share our posts with your neighbors
Donate
Donations pay for yard signs, flyers, mailers and ads. No contribution is too small.
helps put 5 signs in yards
prints about 300 flyers
mails postcards to about 200 homes
a week of online ads plus signs
Missouri law requires us to record each donor's name and address, and employer and occupation for larger gifts — please include them.
Or mail a check
Payable to Citizens for Hillsboro Prop H.
1517 Saint Charles Drive
Hillsboro, MO 63050
Follow Prop H on Facebook
Sign locations, volunteer shifts, project updates and voting reminders. Like the page and share it with your neighbors.
Go to our Facebook pageHow to vote
Mark your calendar
- Sep 22
Absentee voting opens
- Oct 7
Last day to register to vote
- Oct 20
No-excuse absentee voting in person begins
- Nov 3
Election Day — vote yes on Prop H
Questions & details
FAQs
The numbers, the ballot language, and what happens either way.
And the other outcome
What happens if Prop H fails?
The $1.39 increase will not take effect and the district will not receive the additional local revenue. The facility, safety, infrastructure, fine arts and career and technical education projects in Proposition H will not move forward.
The district will also need to review its operating budget in response to state funding reductions: about $713,000 less for FY26 and a projected $786,000 less for FY27 — roughly $1.5 million combined.
State funding remains a significant concern. For the current fiscal year, Missouri lawmakers appropriated approximately $190 million less than the state's school funding formula calls for.
Changes already under consideration
- Bus transportation for athletics, activities and field trips would no longer be district-funded — a change already recommended for January 2027.
- Regular bus routes could shrink. The state only requires busing beyond 3.5 miles from residence to the student’s school.
- Library secretary positions would be handled through reassignment and attrition — part of broader 2027–28 staffing reductions including lunch aides, a junior high teaching vacancy, career and technical program seats and sixth-grade band.
- Youth leagues, scouts, clubs and community groups that use our gyms, fields and facilities could face new fees.
- Community traditions like Boo at the Barn and Christmas on the Farm would be reviewed for cost.
- Salary contract finalization would be delayed because of increased reliance on state funding.
The bottom line
Why Hillsboro needs Prop H
Hillsboro R-3 has a strong record of using taxpayer dollars responsibly. The district has the lowest school tax levy in Jefferson County, while also reducing debt by $27 million and saving taxpayers more than $3 million in interest. But to continue providing safe, quality facilities and keep pace with surrounding school districts, additional local funding is needed. This comes at a time when state funding continues to be limited, making it harder for schools to meet growing needs with existing revenue alone.
This initiative is not simply about nicer buildings and athletic facilities. It is about giving Hillsboro R-3 the resources needed to continue operating at a high level and providing students with the schools they deserve. Strong schools also play an important role in a strong community and can help support property values over time. For residents who are proud to call Hillsboro home, Prop H represents a necessary investment in our schools, our community, and our future.
Vote YES on November 3
Safe schools. Strong schools. Strong community.