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School budgets

Northwest Local forecasts no shortfall through FY2029

Northwest Local – 047365 (Hamilton) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/25/2026

Northwest Local’s own notes and assumptions for this forecast (PDF) →

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 its own forecast, Northwest Local stays above zero through FY2029 if its current levies are renewed and no new one passes.

FY2027 fallfiled July–August 2026 FY2026 spring updatefiled February 2026
Cash, June 30, 2025
$34.6M

3.8 months of that year’s spending

Runs short
Not by FY2029

on its own forecast, if its levies are renewed and no new one passes

New levy in the forecast
None

it counts no levy voters have not approved

Northwest Local Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Income tax, 1.5%

    New Schools

    Current expenses · Continuing · from Jan 1, 2027

    $150 a year for every $10,000 of income it taxes

    Paid by the people who live in the district, on their income; the ballot says whether on all of it or on earnings only.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 2 Northwest Local Schools tax issues — 0 passed and 2 failed. Of the issues asking for new money, 0 of 2 passed.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Hamilton County →

Northwest Local: 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. 34,639,738 34,007,475 15,813,857
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 2,426,864 − 0 − 0
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 32,212,874 34,007,475 15,813,857
11.300 Renewal leviesExisting levies the district expects voters to renew, added year by year. + 0 + 0 + 11,141,164
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 32,212,874 34,007,475 26,955,021
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 32,212,874 34,007,475 26,955,021

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.

Northwest Local’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Northwest Local filed it with the state, in the state’s own format. 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.

 52,587,135 56,067,044 59,203,065 59,439,889 59,912,054 57,126,980 54,009,556
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 4,220,356 4,493,390 4,751,745 5,028,890 5,480,002 5,470,527 5,345,558
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 23,254,620 26,638,199 23,613,422 23,598,472 24,678,110 24,428,147 24,480,729
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 4,945,757 6,462,848 6,939,716 5,949,835 5,182,807 5,362,286 5,262,568
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.

 5,459,567 5,904,699 6,329,727 6,328,361 6,369,895 6,055,161 5,701,571
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 9,805,710 11,832,751 12,130,749 13,075,457 13,081,930 13,120,272 13,188,420
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 100,273,145 111,398,931 112,968,423 113,420,904 114,704,798 111,563,373 107,988,402
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 20,000 20,000 21,168 21,416 20,000 20,000 20,000
02.050 Advances-In

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

 385,370 37,444 56,383 22,628 30,741 30,895 31,049
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 1,629,170 1,515,815 1,642,294 356,970 358,755 360,549 362,352
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 2,034,540 1,573,259 1,719,845 401,014 409,496 411,444 413,401
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 102,307,685 112,972,189 114,688,268 113,821,919 115,114,295 111,974,817 108,401,803
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 55,364,429 58,525,799 62,224,703 64,303,963 65,173,650 66,904,619 68,912,580
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 19,192,911 19,541,061 23,660,564 23,028,799 23,535,063 24,571,245 25,597,595
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 14,636,567 16,968,594 18,639,701 19,697,689 20,193,337 20,838,450 21,627,029
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 3,099,385 3,690,527 2,864,596 3,654,386 3,550,327 3,550,327 3,550,327
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 309,186 440,686 1,107,722 2,012,493 156,533 115,798 135,798
04.300 Other Objects

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

 1,150,217 1,387,412 1,316,265 1,556,241 1,646,241 1,556,241 1,516,241
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 93,752,695 100,554,079 109,813,551 114,253,571 114,255,151 117,536,679 121,339,571
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 154,533 30,169,664 136,936 170,000 153,000 153,765 154,534
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 37,444 56,383 22,628 30,611 30,611 30,611 30,611
05.030 All Other Financing Uses

Other one-off money going out.

 2,418 43,750 6,000 0 0 0 0
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

 194,395 30,269,797 165,564 200,611 183,611 184,376 185,145
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 93,947,090 130,823,876 109,979,116 114,454,182 114,438,762 117,721,055 121,524,716
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.

 8,360,595 (17,851,687) 4,709,152 (632,263) 675,533 (5,746,239) (13,122,912)
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.

 39,421,678 47,782,273 29,930,586 34,639,738 34,007,475 34,683,008 28,936,769
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.

 47,782,273 29,930,586 34,639,738 34,007,475 34,683,008 28,936,769 15,813,857
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 1,430,714 1,673,374 2,426,864 0 0 0 0
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 0 0 0 1 2 3 4
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.

 46,351,559 28,257,212 32,212,874 34,007,475 34,683,008 28,936,769 15,813,857
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 3,713,717 7,427,447
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 3,713,717 11,141,164
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.

 46,351,559 28,257,212 32,212,874 34,007,475 34,683,008 32,650,486 26,955,021
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 0
13.030 Cumulative Balance of New Levies

The new levies above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
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.

 46,351,559 28,257,212 32,212,874 34,007,475 34,683,008 32,650,486 26,955,021
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 879 890 875 508 503 502 496
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 7,135 6,850 6,612 6,979 6,730 6,655 6,406

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.

Northwest Local’s levies, spending and test scores →

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.