Original Research by School Decision on Felicity-franklin Local High School
Felicity-Franklin Local High School is a small, rural public high school serving grades nine through twelve in Felicity, a close-knit village in southeastern Clermont County, about a half hour from Cincinnati. The school draws students almost entirely from the immediate area, where the community is anchored around farming heritage, small-scale civic landmarks like the Clermont County Public Library branch, and outdoor recreation at Washington Township Park and the Ohio River nearby.
The student body of roughly that size is predominantly white, with about half of enrolled students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. The district as a whole qualified for the federal Community Eligibility Provision, meaning all students in the school receive breakfast and lunch at no charge without families submitting applications, a tangible household-budget benefit for families in this economically modest region. The enrollment leans heavily toward ninth grade, which is typical for the transition into high school.
On state testing in 2024-25, the school's proficiency results break down sharply by subject. Students performed well in social studies, where the proficiency rate was above the midpoint among Clermont County districts. Science proficiency sat roughly around the midpoint for the county. English language arts proficiency was notably lower, substantially below the midpoint for the county. These are the most recent state results available; the school tested only those three subjects and grade band, as is standard for high school. No graduation rate data was available in the provided records, a gap that may reflect delays in state reporting or data submission and is worth asking the school directly about.
The district faces persistent fiscal headwinds that color the environment in which the high school operates. A levy attempt in November 2022 failed, the district's first operating levy push since well before that date. With no new local revenue approved and enrollment in slow decline, the district entered deficit spending beginning in fiscal 2024 and has already cut roughly that amount through staff attrition and reductions over prior years. The district is classified as a guarantee district under Ohio's Fair School Funding Plan adopted in FY 2022, meaning state dollars form the bulk of its budget, but declining enrollment dampens the growth in state funding the district might otherwise receive. Parents considering this school should be aware that future levy campaigns are likely, and program or staffing cuts remain a real possibility as the district manages ongoing structural revenue constraints.
Housing in the Felicity zip code is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks, with home values and mortgage estimates both considerably lower than statewide medians, reflecting the rural and modest character of the area. The regional economy shows a stable unemployment rate in line with national levels, and the village itself is compact and walkable in its core but car-dependent for most daily needs, with a drive to the nearest grocery store and substantially longer drives to hospitals or major shopping.
Program and course offerings for the high school were not detailed in available data; a parent may want to contact the school directly about AP course availability, career pathways, dual-credit partnerships with colleges, and extracurricular breadth. The school's website and a conversation with counselors would clarify what academic tracks and support services are available to students in this small district setting.
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