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School budgets

3 of the 10 school districts based in Butler County forecast running short by FY2030

Fiscal Year 2027 First Required Forecast (Fall)

Filed July–August 2026

Every Ohio school district files a budget forecast with the state: three years of actual figures, this year’s budget and the years ahead. On their own forecasts, 3 go below zero by FY2030 if their current levies are renewed and no new one passes, and 2 have already written in a new levy voters have not approved.

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FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026

Butler County · the 10 school districts based here, added together

Cash, June 30, 2026
$271.5M

4.4 months of that year’s spending for them together; the typical one held 4.4 months

Runs short
3 of 10

districts by FY2030, if their levies are renewed and no new one passes

New levy in the forecast
2

districts count one voters have not approved

Forecasts that count a new levy in Butler County

2 school districts have written money from a new levy into this forecast, on the state’s lines for a new income tax (13.010) or property tax (13.020). Voters have not approved it. The unreserved balance counts it as if they had; the balance before it does not.

District New levy New-levy money in FY2030 Cash, June 30 FY2026 Months of spending FY2030 without it 12.010 FY2030 with it 15.010
Fairfield City Income, from FY2027 $26.2M $39.9M 4.2 −$20.3M $48.1M
Lakota Local Property, from FY2029 $21.8M $51.7M 2.7 −$12.5M $20.5M

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Most cash first until a heading is sorted, measured in months of FY2026’s spending (line 4.500), so a large district and a small one can be compared. A forecast only shows a levy its district chose to write in; a levy on a ballot can be missing from it, and one written in may never reach a ballot. What is on the November 3 ballot →

Districts based in Butler County

District Cash, June 30 FY2026 Months of spending FY2030 before new levies 12.010 Below zero from New levy
Edgewood City School District $11.6M 3.3 −$9.4M FY2029 —
Fairfield City $39.9M 4.2 −$20.3M FY2030 Income
Hamilton City $46.6M 4.6 $113.8K — —
Lakota Local $51.7M 2.7 −$12.5M FY2030 Property
Madison Local $9.0M 5.6 $790.2K — —
Middletown City $44.3M 6.0 $19.7M — —
Monroe Local $31.0M 10.0 $32.1M — —
New Miami Local $3.0M 2.8 $388.7K — —
Ross Local $10.2M 3.7 $1.7M — —
Talawanda City $24.3M 6.9 $27.9M — —
Butler Technology & Career Development Schoolscareer center, in no total $28.0M 5.4 $18.1M — —

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“Below zero” is the balance with renewals counted and new levies not (line 12.010) — the year a district’s own forecast says it runs short unless something new is approved or spending changes.

Butler County’s total: cash, unencumbered, unreserved — four different balances

The forecast has four balance lines, and each is the one before it with something taken away or added. They are easy to mix up, and they are not the same number.

Line ActualFY2026 BudgetFY2027 ForecastFY2030
07.020 Cash balance at June 30Everything in the general fund's account at the end of the year. 271,531,194 260,896,521 45,255,514
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 7,955,472 − 4,746,904 − 4,746,904
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 263,575,722 256,149,617 40,508,610
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 263,575,722 256,149,617 40,508,610
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 1,363,209 + 101,421,543
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 263,575,722 257,512,826 141,930,153

Swipe sideways for more columns.

For past years the state asks for no renewal or new-levy money, so the unencumbered and unreserved balances are the same; cash is larger by what is already committed and set aside. In a forecast year the unreserved balance counts any new levy as if it had passed.

Butler County’s forecast: its 10 districts added together, line by line

Each line added up across the districts, as they filed them with the state. Tap or hover over a line to see what it means.

Forecast line and description ActualFY2024 ActualFY2025 ActualFY2026 Current year budgetFY2027 Forecast year 1FY2028 Forecast year 2FY2029 Forecast year 3FY2030
01.010 General Property Tax (Real Estate)

Property tax on land and buildings — homes, farms and businesses — from levies voters have already approved.

 259,574,827 277,631,681 278,124,377 271,991,042 283,036,723 285,259,494 291,652,333
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

Property tax on the equipment of utilities, such as power lines, pipelines and power plants.

 30,656,911 36,789,726 33,414,833 36,396,082 36,910,692 37,652,411 38,241,699
01.030 Income Tax

The school district income tax its residents pay on their earnings, where voters have approved one.

 18,000,436 19,235,210 20,557,761 21,304,700 21,907,693 22,528,880 23,168,844
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

State aid the district may spend on anything — mostly Ohio's school funding formula.

 264,857,601 271,738,609 280,885,622 285,427,948 279,333,577 275,609,698 271,803,676
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

State aid that must be spent on set purposes, such as help for pupils from low-income families.

 33,892,070 31,518,969 28,963,275 27,848,475 27,992,849 27,624,004 27,509,034
01.050 State Reimbursement for Property Tax Credits

The part of homeowners' property tax the state pays for them: the 10% and 2.5% rollbacks and the homestead exemption.

 30,889,616 33,509,696 33,172,952 41,460,584 37,251,357 37,664,689 39,806,074
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

Everything else that comes in: fees, tuition from other districts, interest, rentals and gifts.

 67,958,448 67,708,173 78,320,481 77,888,559 72,893,856 71,582,790 70,292,761
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 705,829,911 738,132,067 753,439,298 762,317,391 759,326,747 757,921,967 762,474,420
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

Money moved into the general fund from the district's other funds.

 518,966 2,432,577 3,228,129 1,027,836 1,034,355 354,305 354,305
02.050 Advances-In

Money the general fund lent to the district's other funds, coming back.

 5,717,370 8,375,962 5,273,103 3,500,887 4,985,877 4,985,877 4,985,877
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

One-off money, such as refunds of past spending or the sale of property.

 890,339 2,079,908 1,251,545 847,754 854,880 818,661 860,330
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

All of the other money coming in, lines 2.010 to 2.060, added together.

 7,126,677 12,888,449 9,752,777 5,376,477 6,875,112 6,158,843 6,200,512
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

Everything coming in for the year: revenue plus other money coming in.

 712,956,588 751,020,515 763,192,077 767,693,868 766,201,859 764,080,812 768,674,933
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 370,525,075 395,983,660 405,895,330 409,750,454 423,220,611 436,881,938 451,225,754
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

The district's share of staff pensions (STRS and SERS), health insurance, Medicare and workers' compensation.

 140,292,215 151,633,807 159,660,601 164,952,775 174,659,720 185,063,443 195,975,741
03.030 Purchased Services

Services bought from outside: utilities, repairs, contracted services and tuition paid for pupils taught elsewhere.

 121,618,242 131,194,071 139,498,698 150,095,038 151,652,138 156,794,515 162,282,230
03.040 Supplies and Materials

Textbooks, classroom supplies, fuel, food and other things the district buys.

 19,693,533 24,598,044 21,232,193 22,636,519 23,191,592 23,771,073 24,415,041
03.050 Capital Outlay

Equipment, buses and building improvements paid for from the general fund.

 4,395,575 2,509,322 2,070,640 4,940,383 5,977,788 7,050,651 7,081,782
04.010 All Principal (Historical)

Borrowed money repaid in past years.

 570,000 600,000 620,000 640,000 670,000 0 0
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

Repaying loans for energy-saving building work (House Bill 264).

 1,095,120 1,420,723 856,781 220,682 259,835 190,785 191,740
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

 243,115 81,838 90,874 48,567 25,198 8,974 8,019
04.300 Other Objects

Other costs, such as the county's fees for collecting its taxes, audits, elections, insurance and memberships.

 6,866,906 7,193,344 8,405,035 7,735,550 7,821,469 8,311,147 8,479,753
04.500 Total Expenditures

Everything the district spends in the year, lines 3.010 to 4.300, added together.

 665,299,781 715,214,809 738,330,152 761,019,967 787,478,350 818,072,525 849,660,059
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

Money moved out of the general fund to the district's other funds, such as food service or athletics.

 5,584,692 105,020,489 16,294,527 12,322,697 15,015,245 14,883,065 14,530,633
05.020 Advances-Out

Money the general fund lends to the district's other funds for a while.

 8,339,050 4,989,780 3,500,887 4,985,877 4,985,877 4,985,877 4,985,877
05.030 All Other Financing Uses

Other one-off money going out.

 1,337,494 0 0 0 367 367 367
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

All of the other money going out, lines 5.010 to 5.030, added together.

 15,261,236 110,010,269 19,795,414 17,308,574 20,001,489 19,869,309 19,516,877
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

Everything going out for the year: spending plus other money going out.

 680,561,017 825,225,078 758,125,566 778,328,541 807,479,839 837,941,834 869,176,936
06.010 Excess Of Revenues and Other Financing Sources over (under) Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

The year's result: money in minus money out. A number in brackets means the district spent more than it took in.

 32,395,571 (74,204,563) 5,066,511 (10,634,673) (41,277,981) (73,861,022) (100,502,003)
07.010 Beginning Cash Balance July 1 - Excluding Proposed Renewal/Replacement and New Levies

Cash in the general fund on July 1, the start of the school year — last year's ending cash.

 308,273,678 340,669,248 266,464,685 271,531,194 260,896,521 219,618,541 145,757,517
07.020 Ending Cash Balance June 30 - Excluding Proposed Renewal/Replacement and New Levies

Cash on June 30, the end of the year: the starting cash plus the year's result, before any renewal or new levy.

 340,669,248 266,464,685 271,531,194 260,896,521 219,618,541 145,757,517 45,255,514
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

Money already committed: purchase orders and contracts signed but not yet paid.

 7,918,957 7,689,710 7,955,472 4,746,904 4,746,904 4,746,904 4,746,904
09.030 Budget Reserve

A rainy-day reserve.

 15,487,501 10,413,109 0 0 0 0 0
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 7,983,035 0 0 0 0 0 0
09.080 Subtotal

All of the money set aside, lines 9.010 to 9.070, added together.

 23,470,536 10,413,109 0 0 0 0 0
10.010 Fund Balance June 30 For Certification of Appropriations

What is free to spend: the ending cash less money already committed and money set aside — often called the unencumbered balance.

 309,279,755 248,361,866 263,575,722 256,149,617 214,871,637 141,010,613 40,508,610
11.010 Income Tax - Renewal

An existing income tax the district expects voters to renew. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11.020 Property Tax - Renewal or Replacement

Existing property tax levies the district expects voters to renew or replace. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12.010 Fund Balance June 30 For Certificates of Contracts Salary Schedules, and Other Obligations

The balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does.

 309,279,755 248,361,866 263,575,722 256,149,617 214,871,637 141,010,613 40,508,610
13.010 Income Tax - New

A new income tax the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 1,363,209 16,266,088 24,560,868 26,155,129
13.020 Property Tax - New

A new property tax levy the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on.

 0 0 0 0 0 11,315,559 21,760,690
13.030 Cumulative Balance of New Levies

The new levies above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 1,363,209 17,629,297 53,505,724 101,421,543
15.010 Unreserved Fund Balance June 30

The state's bottom line: the balance with renewals and new levies counted as if voters approve them.

 309,279,755 248,361,866 263,575,722 257,512,826 232,500,934 194,516,337 141,930,153
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 2,234 2,189 2,192 2,105 2,209 2,141 2,673
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 29,005 28,614 28,223 28,069 27,734 27,639 26,865

Swipe sideways for more columns.

Dollars, except the two enrolment lines (20.010 and 20.015), which are pupils. A line that is zero in every year is left out, as the state’s report leaves it out — except the renewal and new-levy lines (11 and 13), which are always shown, because a zero there is the answer.

Butler County’s schools: what their levies cost a home, test scores and spending →

Another county or district

From the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s bulk forecast files — the filings its Forecast Submissions report shows one district at a time, to the dollar. A county’s figures are the traditional districts the state files under it, added together; Ohio’s are all of them. Each district writes its own forecast, and nothing here is estimated. The 49 career centers file their own forecasts and are listed under their home county, but are in no total: each serves several counties.