Schools in Ohio collect taxes in two ways - inside millage and outside millage.  Inside millage is millage that was not approved by voters, but levied by local governments.  Mentor Schools' inside millage is 4.8 mills. 

Outside millage is that which has been approved by voters through levy campaigns. HB 920 limits the dollar amount that a school district may collect to the amount the millage brought during the original vote.  As new building or inflation might increase the overall property values, the voted millage is reduced to keep the dollars constant.  The term effective millage refers to the current value of the original outside millage.

The graph below shows how outside millage has been adjusted over time as property values have appreciated:

The end result is that as the value of property increases, the only increase the schools receive is on the inside millage.  For example, if you own a $150,000 house, your taxes are based on 35% of the value, or $52,500.  The inside millage receive by Mentor Schools is 4.8 mills or $252.  As the value of your house is raised 15%, the value of the house becomes $172,500 and the tax base becomes $60,375.  4.8 mills of $60,375 is $289.80.  The increase is $37.80.  The outside millage received by the schools will remain constant at approximately $1145. 

While your total tax bill increased by 15%, the increase to the schools was 2.7%.  The rest of the increase goes to county, city and other entities, but not to the schools.