How to use this site
This tool lets you look up your estimated 2026 school tax bill by searching your property address, owner name, or parcel ID. Here is how to get started:
- Go to the main page and type your street address, last name, or tax map parcel ID into the search box.
- Select your property from the results list.
- Your report card shows your estimated 2025 and 2026 school tax bill and how much it changed.
- Scroll down on the report card to see a full breakdown, comparison with your neighbors, and what you can do.
This tool covers properties in the Red Jacket Central School District and the Phelps-Clifton Springs / Midlakes Central School District only. If your property is not found, it may be in a different district not yet covered by this tool.
How your school tax is calculated
Your school tax bill is calculated using three things: your school taxable value, the district tax levy, and the equalized tax rate.
Step 1: Find your school taxable value
Your school taxable value is your assessed value minus any exemptions that apply to school taxes (such as the STAR exemption). You can find both values on your assessment roll or on this site's report card.
Step 2: Find the tax rate
The district divides its total tax levy by the total taxable value of all properties in the district (adjusted for equalization) to get a rate expressed in dollars per $1,000 of taxable value.
Step 3: Calculate your bill
Your school tax = (your school taxable value ÷ 1,000) × tax rate
For example: if your school taxable value is $150,000 and the rate is $16.8112 per $1,000, your school tax is approximately $2,521.68.
The rates shown on this site are derived from the proposed levy and the current taxable base. Small differences from your final bill (<$1 in most cases) may occur because the final adopted levy can differ slightly from the proposed levy.
About the 2026 school budget vote
Red Jacket Central School District
[Voting date, time, and location — to be filled in by Christopher]
[Summary of ballot items — budget amount, proposed levy, any propositions — to be filled in]
Red Jacket CSD official website →
Phelps-Clifton Springs / Midlakes Central School District
[Voting date, time, and location — to be filled in by Christopher]
[Summary of ballot items — budget amount, proposed levy, any propositions — to be filled in]
Midlakes CSD official website →
Remaining budget meetings
Red Jacket Central School District
[Dates, times, and locations of remaining public budget meetings — to be filled in by Christopher]
Phelps-Clifton Springs / Midlakes Central School District
[Dates, times, and locations of remaining public budget meetings — to be filled in by Christopher]
Assessor contact information
Red Jacket District assessing units
[Assessor name, office address, phone, email, and link for each assessing unit (Farmington, Manchester, etc.) — to be filled in by Christopher]
Phelps-Clifton Springs / Midlakes District assessing units
[Assessor name, office address, phone, email, and link for each assessing unit (Arcadia, Gorham, Phelps, etc.) — to be filled in by Christopher]
Grieving your assessment
If you believe your assessed value is higher than the fair market value of your property, you have the right to file a grievance with your local assessor. This is called an assessment grievance.
Key facts about grievances
- Grievance Day is a specific date each year set by your town. You must file before that deadline.
- Filing is free. You do not need to hire a lawyer or a tax reduction firm to file.
- You will need to provide evidence that your assessment is too high — typically comparable sales of similar properties in your area.
- If the Board of Assessment Review disagrees, you can appeal further to Small Claims Assessment Review (SCAR) court for a modest filing fee.
How to file
Contact your local assessor (see contact information above) to get the grievance form (RP-524) and learn your specific Grievance Day deadline. You can also find forms and guidance at:
Grieving your assessment affects your property taxes broadly — not just school taxes. A successful grievance reduces your assessed value, which lowers all your property tax bills.
Common questions about school taxes
What is the difference between assessed value and market value?
Market value (also called full market value or FMV) is the assessor's estimate of what your property would sell for on the open market. Assessed value (AV) is the value actually used for tax purposes. In many towns, assessed value is a fraction of market value based on a uniform percentage. Your tax bill is calculated from assessed value, not market value.
What is a STAR exemption?
STAR (School Tax Relief) is a New York State program that reduces the school taxable value for eligible homeowners. If you receive STAR, your school taxable value is lower than your assessed value, which means a lower school tax bill. Basic STAR is available to most homeowners who use the property as their primary residence. Enhanced STAR is available to qualifying seniors. Contact your assessor if you think you may qualify but are not currently receiving STAR.
Why does my school taxable value differ from my assessed value?
The difference is usually exemptions. STAR is the most common school exemption. Other exemptions (veterans, agricultural, senior citizen, etc.) may also reduce your school taxable value. You can see what exemptions are applied to your property on your assessment roll.
What if I recently bought my house?
Your assessment may not yet reflect your purchase price, depending on when the sale occurred relative to the assessment roll date. Your new assessment will be reflected in the next roll. If you believe your current assessment is higher than your property's fair market value, you can grieve it.
Why are these estimates, not final numbers?
The 2026 school tax bills have not been issued yet. This site uses the 2026 tentative assessment rolls (which may still change before the final roll is certified) and proposed district budgets (which voters approve in May). The final tax rate is set after the budget vote, after the final assessment roll is certified, and after equalization rates are finalized. Small differences from the final bill are expected.
What is the library tax?
Many school districts include a separate library levy on the same school tax bill. The library tax is voted on separately from the main school budget. Your total school tax bill on this site includes both the school operating tax and the library tax where source data is available.
Data sources and methodology
This site uses publicly available source data only:
- Parcel values: 2025 final and 2026 tentative assessment rolls (PDF format) published by Ontario County assessing units.
- 2025 actual rates: County tax schedules and sample bills where available.
- 2026 estimated rates: Calculated from proposed district levy and total equalized taxable base from tentative rolls.
- District budgets and levies: Official NYSED Property Tax Report Card filings and district budget presentations.
All values on this site are estimates or reconstructions from public source documents. This is not an official tax bill. Implied exemption changes are arithmetic comparisons between roll years and are not legal determinations about your exemption status.
If you spot an error or have a question about a specific value, contact us at admin@schooltaximpact.com.
About this site
[Christopher to fill in: who built this, why, what the goal is, nonpartisan statement, not affiliated with either school district, contact information]
Suggested content: A brief paragraph explaining that this is a community-built tool created to help local residents understand their school tax bills before the annual budget vote. Nonpartisan — we take no position on whether you should vote yes or no on any budget. We just want people to have the information they need to make their own decision.
← Back to the tax lookup tool