Skip to content
Open Government

School District

Forest Hills Public Schools

School districtKent County

Forest Hills Public Schools is a school district in Kent County, Michigan. In 2025, primary homes here pay a total of 28.66–40.72 mills in property tax, depending on the city or township; rentals, second homes and businesses pay 46.66–58.72 mills. It levied property tax in 6 tax areas in 2025. In the 2024–25 school year it reported $133.6 million in general fund spending, or $15,127 per pupil.

Total property tax rate, primary homes

28.66–40.72

mills in 2025 · 6 tax areas · about $4,662–$6,626 a year on a median home (estimate)

Total property tax rate, rentals, second homes and businesses

46.66–58.72

mills in 2025 · includes the school operating tax

Levies, 2025

3

in 6 tax areas

Total property tax rates here, 2025

What property pays to every taxing body (the State, county, schools, local government and others), by tax area. A mill is $1 of tax per $1,000 of taxable value.

Compare with every tax area in Kent County →

City or township Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
City of Kentwood 40.7246 $6,626 58.7246
City of Grand Rapids 36.3132 $5,908 54.3132
Ada Township 31.4954 $5,124 49.4954
Cascade Charter Township 31.1340 $5,066 49.1340
Cannon Township 29.7572 $4,841 47.7572
Grand Rapids Charter Township 28.6560 $4,662 46.6560

Rates differ across Forest Hills Public Schools because it covers parts of 6 local governments, each with its own levies: Ada Township, Cannon Township, Cascade Charter Township, the City of Grand Rapids, the City of Kentwood and Grand Rapids Charter Township.

Kent County's certified rates split each area's total between a summer and a winter tax bill; open an area below to see its split.

Primary homes, which their owners live in, pay the homestead rate; so do qualified farmland and a few other kinds of property exempt from the school operating tax. Rentals, second homes and most businesses pay the non-homestead rate, which includes it. What these terms mean

Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works

Every levy, by tax area

City of Kentwood · 40.7246 primary homes, 58.7246 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 34.1791, winter 6.5455; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 43.1791, winter 15.5455.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
Voted Operating City of Kentwood 9.2948 $1,512 9.2948
School Debt Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0500 $984 6.0500
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
ISD Voted Special Education Kent ISD 4.3364 $706 4.3364
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
Allocated or Charter Operating City of Kentwood 2.8921 $471 2.8921
Community College Grand Rapids Community College 1.6793 $273 1.6793
Interurban Transit Partnership Interurban Transit Partnership 1.3817 $225 1.3817
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
Extra Voted Millage Forest Hills Public Schools 0.9883 $161 0.9883
ISD Voted Vocational Education Kent ISD 0.9310 $151 0.9310
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Kent ISD 0.0841 $14 0.0841
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Forest Hills Public Schools 0.0000 $0 18.0000
City of Grand Rapids · 36.3132 primary homes, 54.3132 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 34.3700, winter 1.9432; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 52.3700, winter 1.9432.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
School Debt Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0500 $984 6.0500
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
Allocated or Charter Operating City of Grand Rapids 5.5503 $903 5.5503
ISD Voted Special Education Kent ISD 4.3364 $706 4.3364
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
Voted Operating City of Grand Rapids 3.3084 $538 3.3084
Community College Grand Rapids Community College 1.6793 $273 1.6793
Interurban Transit Partnership Interurban Transit Partnership 1.3817 $225 1.3817
Extra Voted Millage Forest Hills Public Schools 0.9883 $161 0.9883
ISD Voted Vocational Education Kent ISD 0.9310 $151 0.9310
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Kent ISD 0.0841 $14 0.0841
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Forest Hills Public Schools 0.0000 $0 18.0000
Ada Township · 31.4954 primary homes, 49.4954 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 20.6105, winter 10.8849; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 29.6105, winter 19.8849.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
School Debt Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0500 $984 6.0500
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
ISD Voted Special Education Kent ISD 4.3364 $706 4.3364
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
Voted Operating Ada Township 3.4669 $564 3.4669
Community College Grand Rapids Community College 1.6793 $273 1.6793
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
Extra Voted Millage Forest Hills Public Schools 0.9883 $161 0.9883
ISD Voted Vocational Education Kent ISD 0.9310 $151 0.9310
Allocated or Charter Operating Ada Township 0.8725 $142 0.8725
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Kent ISD 0.0841 $14 0.0841
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Forest Hills Public Schools 0.0000 $0 18.0000
Cascade Charter Township · 31.1340 primary homes, 49.1340 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 20.6105, winter 10.5235; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 29.6105, winter 19.5235.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
School Debt Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0500 $984 6.0500
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
ISD Voted Special Education Kent ISD 4.3364 $706 4.3364
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
Voted Operating Cascade Charter Township 3.0274 $493 3.0274
Community College Grand Rapids Community College 1.6793 $273 1.6793
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
Extra Voted Millage Forest Hills Public Schools 0.9883 $161 0.9883
Allocated or Charter Operating Cascade Charter Township 0.9506 $155 0.9506
ISD Voted Vocational Education Kent ISD 0.9310 $151 0.9310
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Kent ISD 0.0841 $14 0.0841
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Forest Hills Public Schools 0.0000 $0 18.0000
Cannon Township · 29.7572 primary homes, 47.7572 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 17.0913, winter 12.6659; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 17.0913, winter 30.6659.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
School Debt Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0500 $984 6.0500
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
ISD Voted Special Education Kent ISD 4.3364 $706 4.3364
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
Voted Operating Cannon Township 1.8783 $306 1.8783
Community College Grand Rapids Community College 1.6793 $273 1.6793
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
Extra Voted Millage Forest Hills Public Schools 0.9883 $161 0.9883
ISD Voted Vocational Education Kent ISD 0.9310 $151 0.9310
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Allocated or Charter Operating Cannon Township 0.7229 $118 0.7229
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Kent ISD 0.0841 $14 0.0841
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Forest Hills Public Schools 0.0000 $0 18.0000
Grand Rapids Charter Township · 28.6560 primary homes, 46.6560 other

Billed in 2 parts, in mills: primary homes summer 20.6105, winter 8.0455; rentals, second homes and businesses summer 29.6105, winter 17.0455.

Levy Levied by Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills
School Debt Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0500 $984 6.0500
State Education Tax State of Michigan 6.0000 $976 6.0000
ISD Voted Special Education Kent ISD 4.3364 $706 4.3364
County Allocated Operating Kent County 4.0605 $661 4.0605
Community College Grand Rapids Community College 1.6793 $273 1.6793
Library Kent District Library 1.0832 $176 1.0832
Extra Voted Millage Forest Hills Public Schools 0.9883 $161 0.9883
ISD Voted Vocational Education Kent ISD 0.9310 $151 0.9310
Allocated or Charter Operating Grand Rapids Charter Township 0.7500 $122 0.7500
Voted Operating Grand Rapids Charter Township 0.7500 $122 0.7500
Jail Kent County 0.7417 $121 0.7417
Senior Citizens Kent County 0.4914 $80 0.4914
Zoo and Museum Kent County 0.4134 $67 0.4134
Ready by Five Kent County 0.2476 $40 0.2476
ISD Allocated Operating Kent ISD 0.0841 $14 0.0841
Veterans Kent County 0.0491 $8 0.0491
School Operating (Non-Homestead) Forest Hills Public Schools 0.0000 $0 18.0000

Where the property tax goes here

Each tax area's total for primary homes, split by who levies it.

Of the $4,662–$6,626 a year a new buyer of a median primary home here would pay (an estimate), about $1,145 goes to Forest Hills Public Schools (17–25%). The rest goes to the other bodies that levy here: the State, the county, the schools and others.

Forest Hills Public Schools's 6 tax areas rank between 13th and 79th highest of Kent County's 94 for primary homes. See every area

  • State
  • County
  • ISD and college
  • School district
  • City, township or village
  • Library, transit and other
  • City of Kentwood with Forest Hills Public Schools: 40.7246 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0383, City, township or village 12.1869, Library, transit and other 2.4649), estimated $6,626 a year for a new buyer

  • City of Grand Rapids with Forest Hills Public Schools: 36.3132 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0383, City, township or village 8.8587, Library, transit and other 1.3817), estimated $5,908 a year for a new buyer

  • Ada Township with Forest Hills Public Schools: 31.4954 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0383, City, township or village 4.3394, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $5,124 a year for a new buyer

  • Cascade Charter Township with Forest Hills Public Schools: 31.1340 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0383, City, township or village 3.9780, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $5,066 a year for a new buyer

  • Cannon Township with Forest Hills Public Schools: 29.7572 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0383, City, township or village 2.6012, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $4,841 a year for a new buyer

  • Grand Rapids Charter Township with Forest Hills Public Schools: 28.6560 mills in total (State 6.0000, County 6.0037, ISD and college 7.0308, School district 7.0383, City, township or village 1.5000, Library, transit and other 1.0832), estimated $4,662 a year for a new buyer

The figures as a table
Tax area State County ISD and college School district City, township or village Library, transit and other Total Estimated tax
City of Kentwood, Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 7.0308 7.0383 12.1869 2.4649 40.7246 $6,626
City of Grand Rapids, Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 7.0308 7.0383 8.8587 1.3817 36.3132 $5,908
Ada Township, Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 7.0308 7.0383 4.3394 1.0832 31.4954 $5,124
Cascade Charter Township, Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 7.0308 7.0383 3.9780 1.0832 31.1340 $5,066
Cannon Township, Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 7.0308 7.0383 2.6012 1.0832 29.7572 $4,841
Grand Rapids Charter Township, Forest Hills Public Schools 6.0000 6.0037 7.0308 7.0383 1.5000 1.0832 28.6560 $4,662

Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works

What Forest Hills Public Schools levies, 2025

Only its own millages, part of the totals above, and how many tax areas each is levied in.

Levy Primary homes mills Median home est. yearly tax Rentals, second homes and businesses mills Tax areas
School Debt 6.0500 $984 6.0500 6
Extra Voted Millage 0.9883 $161 0.9883 6
School Operating (Non-Homestead) 0.0000 $0 18.0000 6

Median home, estimated: the yearly tax a new buyer would pay on a primary home at Kent County's median value, $325,400 (Census Bureau, 2024): half the value times the mills, divided by 1,000. An estimate, not a bill. How the estimate works

School finances, 2024–25 school year

General fund figures, as published by the Michigan Department of Education.

Pupils

8,829

full-time equivalent

General fund spending

$133.6M

the main operating fund

Spending per pupil

$15,127

general fund

Average teacher salary

$81,365

448 teachers (full-time equivalent)

Spending

Item Total Per pupil
Basic instruction $71,172,044 $8,061
Added needs instruction $8,985,487 $1,018
Adult education instruction $0
Total instruction $80,157,531 $9,078
Instructional staff support $16,852,800 $1,909
Administration $14,617,957 $1,656
Operations and maintenance $12,681,862 $1,436
Transportation $5,749,611 $651
Total support services $49,902,230 $5,652
Current operating spending $130,059,761 $14,730
Facilities acquisition $0 $0
Total general fund spending $133,558,884 $15,127

Revenue

Item Total Per pupil
Local $43,042,115 $4,875
State $90,453,848 $10,245
Federal $2,830,538 $321
Total general fund revenue $137,152,348 $15,534

Salaries

Item Total Per pupil
Instructional salaries $75,101,112 $8,506
Support service salaries $36,762,953 $4,164
Teacher salaries, basic instruction $36,456,572

Taxable value in the district

Item Total Per pupil
Primary homes (homestead) $3,311,680,561 $375,073
Rentals, second homes and businesses (non-homestead) $1,259,982,979 $142,703

Every figure, including each per-pupil figure, is the publisher's own. Total instruction is the three instruction lines above it, and current operating spending is total instruction plus total support services. Total support services and total revenue can also include amounts the bulletin does not list separately. Adult education and teacher salaries have no per-pupil figure here, because the bulletin does not divide them by the pupil count. Pupils per teacher: 20.

Source: Bulletin 1014: Michigan Public Schools Ranked by Select Financial Information, data export, Michigan Department of Education, retrieved September 26, 2026.

Transparency checks

What this body files with the State and posts online, checked against the law and good practice.

Grade pending

A grade appears once every check below has been read and the site has set its grading scale. Every check counts the same.

Required by law

9 found · 1 not found

  • Found: Audit for the latest fiscal year filed (posted on its website)

    Posts its audit for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2025: "2025 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report" (fhps-annual-comprehensive-financial-report-year-ended-june-30-2025.pdf). Posted on the district's site, which the publisher's rule of 2026-09-27 counts as filed: MDE's receipt dates are not public. Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403), and the publisher extended the Chrome exception to it on 2026-09-27.

    MCL 388.1618 · FY2025 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Audit for the latest fiscal year filed (posted on its website)

  • Not found: FOIA procedures and written public summary posted

    Posts only the summary: the Human Resources page's FOIA section answers how to request, deposits, fees and appeals, and links Board Policy 3501 (one page, opened in the browser), which says the superintendent "will establish" procedures and guidelines. The district's BoardBook policies have 3501 and its request form but no 3501-AG. The site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge, so it was read in the built-in browser.

    MCL 15.234(4) · Read October 3, 2026 on its website · Evidence for FOIA procedures and written public summary posted

  • Found: Transparency page: operating budget and budget revisions

    2026-2027 General Fund Budget Adoption and "2026-2027 Special Revenue Fund Budget Adoption", with the 2025-2026 adoptions and amendments. Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(a) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: operating budget and budget revisions

  • Found: Transparency page: personnel cost and spending-by-function charts

    Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Personnel Expenditures and "Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Expenditures". Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(b) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: personnel cost and spending-by-function charts

  • Found: Transparency page: labor agreements, health plans, audit, benefit bids, policies and check register

    Seven agreements (administrative support, administrators, bus drivers, child care and preschool, custodial and food service, FHEA, supervisors); MESSA and WMHIP health plans, dental and vision; "2026 Rate Comparison" under Public Employee Health Benefits Bids; the 2025 annual comprehensive financial report; purchasing and reimbursement expense policies; the 2024-2025 accounts payable check register. Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(c) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: labor agreements, health plans, audit, benefit bids, policies and check register

  • Found: Transparency page: superintendent's pay, and pay of everyone paid over $100,000

    2025 W-2 Medicare Wages Greater Than $100,000. Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(d) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: superintendent's pay, and pay of everyone paid over $100,000

  • Found: Transparency page: association dues

    2024-2025 Association Dues Paid with District Funds. Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(e) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: association dues

  • Found: Transparency page: lobbying spending

    States "The district did not incur any district-paid lobbying costs for the fiscal year ending June 2025." Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(f) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: lobbying spending

  • Found: Transparency page: district credit cards

    District Purchase Card Information. Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(h) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: district credit cards

  • Found: Transparency page: administrators' out-of-state trips

    Out-of-State Travel 2024-25. Read page by page in the publisher's Chrome: the site answers the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403).

    MCL 388.1618(2)(i) · 2026-09 · Read September 27, 2026 on its website, page by page · Evidence for Transparency page: administrators' out-of-state trips

Good practice

0 found · 0 not found · 11 not read yet

11 checks not read yet
  • Current budget posted

  • Budgets for the past three years posted

  • Latest audit posted

  • Budget posted as a spreadsheet or data file

  • Regular meeting schedule for the year posted

  • Agendas posted for the past 12 months

  • Minutes posted for the past 12 months

  • Members' names and a way to contact them posted

  • Check register (payments) posted

  • Employee pay or salary schedule posted

  • Current contracts posted

About

Type
School District
Website
fhps.net
Notes
The address on record (fhps.k12.mi.us) no longer answers; fhps.net is from the NCES Common Core of Data district directory. On 2026-09-27 it answered the project's user agent with a bot challenge (HTTP 403), so it was not read.

Codes

Census of Governments ID
179895
Census GEOID (school district)
2614610
Michigan CEPI code
41110
Michigan Treasury unit code
414110
NCES district ID
2614610

Sources

Where this page's facts come from.

Open Government Project · a nonpartisan, nonprofit project

Every figure comes from a public record, cited on its page.