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School budgets

4 of the 10 school districts based in Butler County forecast running short by FY2029

Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Filed February 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, 4 go below zero by FY2029 if their current levies are renewed and no new one passes, and 1 have already written in a new levy voters have not approved.

Or find your school district ↓
FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026

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

Cash, June 30, 2025
$266.5M

4.5 months of that year’s spending for them together; the typical one held 4.8 months

Runs short
4 of 10

districts by FY2029, if their levies are renewed and no new one passes

New levy in the forecast
1

district counts one voters have not approved

Forecasts that count a new levy in Butler County

1 school district 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 FY2029 Cash, June 30 FY2025 Months of spending FY2029 without it 12.010 FY2029 with it 15.010
Lakota Local Property, from FY2029 $11.3M $63.5M 3.5 $5.8M $17.1M

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Most cash first until a heading is sorted, measured in months of FY2025’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 FY2025 Months of spending FY2029 before new levies 12.010 Below zero from New levy
Edgewood City School District $11.4M 3.2 −$8.4M FY2029 —
Fairfield City $44.5M 4.8 −$26.2M FY2028 —
Hamilton City $48.4M 5.0 −$12.2M FY2029 —
Lakota Local $63.5M 3.5 $5.8M — Property
Madison Local $8.4M 5.1 $314.0K — —
Middletown City $34.9M 4.8 $20.9M — —
Monroe Local $24.5M 8.1 $25.4M — —
New Miami Local $3.5M 3.6 $4.1M — —
Ross Local $8.7M 3.3 −$309.7K FY2029 —
Talawanda City $18.5M 5.5 $25.2M — —
Butler Technology & Career Development Schoolscareer center, in no total $24.1M 5.0 $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 ActualFY2025 BudgetFY2026 ForecastFY2029
07.020 Cash balance at June 30Everything in the general fund's account at the end of the year. 266,462,230 248,117,234 38,741,270
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 4,026,616 − 4,118,517 − 4,118,517
09.080 Set asideReserves the law or the board require, such as a budget reserve. − 10,413,109 − 0 − 0
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 252,022,505 243,998,717 34,622,754
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 252,022,505 243,998,717 34,622,754
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 0 + 11,315,559
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 252,022,505 243,998,717 45,938,313

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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 ActualFY2023 ActualFY2024 ActualFY2025 Current year budgetFY2026 Forecast year 1FY2027 Forecast year 2FY2028 Forecast year 3FY2029
01.010 General Property Tax (Real Estate)

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

 241,058,248 259,574,827 277,631,681 277,515,663 269,898,862 282,274,173 284,784,481
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 29,669,729 30,656,911 36,789,726 34,073,179 35,694,282 36,499,622 37,408,481
01.030 Income Tax

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

 18,160,814 18,000,436 19,235,210 20,378,525 20,867,221 21,367,881 21,880,804
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 243,579,990 264,857,601 271,738,609 280,867,998 283,366,789 281,263,544 278,972,941
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 28,448,194 33,892,070 31,518,969 28,537,964 27,729,339 27,526,345 27,206,665
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.

 28,752,673 30,889,616 33,509,696 33,185,025 41,510,428 34,993,718 35,324,254
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 50,894,680 67,958,448 67,708,173 66,098,342 64,284,379 63,811,566 62,868,230
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 640,564,328 705,829,911 738,132,067 740,656,697 743,351,301 747,736,849 748,445,855
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 2,372,753 518,966 2,432,577 1,702,405 1,027,205 1,034,355 354,305
02.050 Advances-In

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

 10,991,384 5,717,370 8,375,962 4,989,780 4,938,501 4,938,501 4,938,501
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 1,114,815 890,339 2,079,908 1,437,144 966,581 989,441 974,201
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 14,478,952 7,126,677 12,888,449 8,129,329 6,932,287 6,962,297 6,267,007
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 655,043,280 712,956,588 751,020,515 748,786,027 750,283,587 754,699,146 754,712,862
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 361,640,271 370,525,075 395,983,660 409,419,325 424,259,707 439,512,790 454,831,303
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 128,948,143 140,292,215 151,633,807 162,392,979 170,819,414 180,556,922 190,950,358
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 113,243,502 121,618,242 131,194,071 140,235,464 140,977,692 145,106,145 149,701,507
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 20,018,493 19,693,533 24,598,044 21,049,204 22,063,775 22,684,196 23,240,427
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 7,614,423 4,395,576 2,509,322 4,281,722 5,441,639 5,716,706 5,566,688
04.010 All Principal (Historical)

Borrowed money repaid in past years.

 550,000 570,000 600,000 620,000 640,000 670,000 0
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

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

 1,020,975 1,095,120 1,420,723 978,562 309,781 316,006 322,238
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

 250,813 243,115 81,838 82,410 52,895 25,622 10,897
04.300 Other Objects

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

 6,707,673 6,866,906 7,193,344 7,488,724 7,868,265 8,045,303 8,207,117
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 639,994,293 665,299,780 715,214,808 746,548,390 772,433,168 802,633,689 832,830,532
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 5,501,777 5,584,692 105,020,489 15,599,133 14,939,175 15,687,758 15,547,150
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 5,673,619 8,339,050 4,989,780 4,948,501 4,958,501 4,968,501 4,968,501
05.030 All Other Financing Uses

Other one-off money going out.

 0 1,337,494 0 35,000 35,000 35,950 33,632
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

 11,175,396 15,261,234 110,010,269 20,582,634 19,932,676 20,692,209 20,549,283
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 651,169,689 680,561,015 825,225,080 767,131,024 792,365,844 823,325,898 853,379,815
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.

 3,873,591 32,395,573 (74,204,564) (18,344,997) (42,082,257) (68,626,751) (98,666,952)
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.

 304,397,630 308,271,221 340,666,794 266,462,230 248,117,234 206,034,973 137,408,222
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.

 308,271,221 340,666,794 266,462,230 248,117,234 206,034,973 137,408,222 38,741,270
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 8,935,866 7,918,957 4,026,616 4,118,517 4,118,517 4,118,517 4,118,517
09.030 Budget Reserve

A rainy-day reserve.

 14,156,521 15,487,501 10,413,109 0 0 0 0
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 7,913,380 7,983,035 0 5 10 15 20
09.080 Subtotal

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

 22,069,901 23,470,536 10,413,109 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.

 277,265,453 309,277,303 252,022,505 243,998,717 201,916,457 133,289,706 34,622,754
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.

 277,265,453 309,277,303 252,022,505 243,998,717 201,916,457 133,289,706 34,622,754
13.010 Income Tax - New

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

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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 0 11,315,559
13.030 Cumulative Balance of New Levies

The new levies above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 11,315,559
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.

 277,265,453 309,277,303 252,022,505 243,998,717 201,916,457 133,289,706 45,938,313
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 2,805 2,811 2,852 1,928 2,151 2,232 2,186
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 28,935 28,428 27,951 28,875 28,252 27,866 27,605

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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.