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School budgets

Northwest Local forecasts no shortfall through FY2029

Northwest Local – 049908 (Stark) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/24/2026

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.

Cash, June 30, 2025
$7.1M

3.4 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

Northwest Local Schools has no tax issue on this ballot, on the Ohio Secretary of State’s list of local questions and issues as of September 18, 2026.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 1 Northwest Local Schools tax issue — 1 passed and 0 failed. Renewals passed 1 of 1.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Stark 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. 7,136,668 9,287,080 4,097,059
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 892,089 − 714,770 − 714,770
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 6,244,579 8,572,310 3,382,289
11.300 Renewal leviesExisting levies the district expects voters to renew, added year by year. + 0 + 0 + 2,268,547
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 6,244,579 8,572,310 5,650,836
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 6,244,579 8,572,310 5,650,836

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.

7,689,510 8,053,749 9,041,577 9,749,898 9,866,690 9,127,544 8,339,971
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

1,305,693 1,277,755 1,472,304 1,537,804 1,392,881 1,349,908 1,305,458
01.030 Income Tax

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

3,792,698 3,776,679 4,056,605 4,182,310 4,279,798 4,380,210 4,483,635
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

8,625,667 8,679,426 8,756,639 9,121,949 9,328,020 9,377,938 9,377,101
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

448,643 466,182 505,807 313,086 210,120 152,942 152,600
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.

1,163,319 1,199,414 1,335,734 1,403,868 1,419,428 1,348,157 1,269,985
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

1,145,628 1,643,296 1,969,686 1,771,053 1,709,989 1,456,309 1,186,349
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

24,171,159 25,096,502 27,138,353 28,079,968 28,206,926 27,193,008 26,115,099
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

0 142,124 0 0 0 0 0
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

16,756 4,814 2,525 0 0 0 0
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

16,756 146,938 2,525 0 0 0 0
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

24,187,915 25,243,440 27,140,878 28,079,968 28,206,926 27,193,008 26,115,099
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

11,637,176 11,806,079 12,623,500 13,462,428 14,360,912 15,042,394 15,649,060
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

5,170,924 5,326,155 5,578,382 6,014,929 6,882,990 7,447,533 8,045,084
03.030 Purchased Services

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

3,030,749 3,250,303 3,703,691 4,286,099 4,416,860 4,551,663 4,690,634
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

1,140,036 995,710 1,533,436 893,876 919,284 945,456 972,412
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

1,371,100 465,781 894,108 277,318 100,000 100,000 100,000
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

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

115,000 115,000 115,000 115,000 0 0 0
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

86,608 86,608 86,608 86,608 0 0 0
04.300 Other Objects

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

526,846 539,747 426,380 543,297 557,412 576,682 596,679
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

23,078,438 22,585,382 24,961,105 25,679,555 27,237,458 28,663,728 30,053,869
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

142,573 5,104,259 11,000,000 250,000 250,000 250,000 250,000
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

142,573 5,104,259 11,000,000 250,000 250,000 250,000 250,000
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

23,221,011 27,689,641 35,961,105 25,929,555 27,487,458 28,913,728 30,303,869
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.

966,903 (2,446,201) (8,820,227) 2,150,413 719,467 (1,720,720) (4,188,769)
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.

17,436,193 18,403,096 15,956,895 7,136,668 9,287,080 10,006,548 8,285,828
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.

18,403,096 15,956,895 7,136,668 9,287,080 10,006,548 8,285,828 4,097,059
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

536,895 821,447 892,089 714,770 714,770 714,770 714,770
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.

17,866,201 15,135,448 6,244,579 8,572,310 9,291,778 7,571,058 3,382,289
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 0 756,196 1,512,351
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

0 0 0 0 0 756,196 2,268,547
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.

17,866,201 15,135,448 6,244,579 8,572,310 9,291,778 8,327,254 5,650,836
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.

17,866,201 15,135,448 6,244,579 8,572,310 9,291,778 8,327,254 5,650,836
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

91 110 113 100 117 115 124
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

1,648 1,553 1,515 1,528 1,481 1,453 1,415

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.