Original Research by School Decision on Milford Academy
Milford Academy is a small grades 11-12 public school located in Milford, a walkable historic river city in the Cincinnati metropolitan area. The school sits on a campus outside downtown, separate from the community's restored 19th-century Main Street core, where civic life and local employers like Siemens Digital Industries Software, Penn Station headquarters, and major automotive dealers anchor the local economy.
The school currently serves a very small enrollment for a high school, with roughly twice as many seniors as juniors. The student population is predominantly white, with smaller populations of multiracial, Hispanic, and other students represented. Data on family income levels, English learner status, and students with IEPs was not available.
In the most recent testing period, students showed proficiency in social studies at a rate that falls below the midpoint among Clermont County's school districts. Graduation rate data was not available. State testing results for other subjects, four-year graduation rates, and attendance metrics are not reported for the school, which may reflect the nature of its small size and enrollment scope as a late-stage high school program.
Families considering Milford Academy should be aware of substantial recent changes affecting the district. In November 2024, voters rejected a proposed earned income tax levy, triggering district-wide budget reductions: transportation has been cut to Ohio's state minimum, meaning high school students living within a certain distance lose busing; a tiered pay-to-play fee structure now applies to sports and extracurricular activities; and roughly thirty to forty staff positions were reduced. The district warned that without passage of a future levy, it will enter fiscal emergency by the 2027 fiscal year.
The district had also planned to restructure its six neighborhood elementary schools into grade-banded sister schools, which would have shifted every elementary student to a new building based on grade level. The Board of Education unanimously paused this transition in December 2024, but it remains on the table as a future option, leaving ongoing uncertainty for families about school placement.
On the positive side, voters approved a bond issue in November 2021 to build a new grades 6-8 middle school, a significant facility upgrade that serves all district middle schoolers and represents a multi-decade capital investment.
The Milford housing market shows modest home values relative to both state and national benchmarks. Rental costs are relatively stable, though renters pay a meaningful share of income for housing. The local economy remains relatively stable with moderate unemployment, and the city is pursuing controlled downtown redevelopment with planned residential and mixed-use projects while preserving its historic character.
A parent should weigh this school against the district's near-term budget pressures and the loss of busing and extracurricular funding, both of which directly affect student access and family logistics. The school's small size may appeal to families seeking close relationships with teachers and staff, but the recent contraction in district resources and ongoing restructuring uncertainty are material factors worth discussing directly with the school's administration.
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