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School budgets

Oberlin City Schools forecasts no shortfall through FY2029

Oberlin City Schools – 044594 (Lorain) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/24/2026

Oberlin City Schools’ 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, Oberlin City Schools 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
$14.7M

10.3 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

Oberlin City Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Property tax, 1.3 mills

    Renewal Schools

    Education technology · 5 years · from 2027

    Continues a levy already on the bill. If it passes, the levy keeps going as it is today; if it fails, it ends when its current term runs out. When homes are revalued, the state cuts its rate so it collects the same total — so a home whose value rose more than most pays a little more of it.

  2. Income tax, 0.75%

    Renewal Schools

    Current expenses · 5 years · from Jan 1, 2028

    No change: it continues a tax already collected.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 6 Oberlin City Schools tax issues — 6 passed and 0 failed. Renewals passed 6 of 6.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Lorain County →

Oberlin City Schools: 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. 14,668,691 14,353,839 6,819,233
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 214,124 − 105,000 − 105,000
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 14,454,567 14,248,839 6,714,233
11.300 Renewal leviesExisting levies the district expects voters to renew, added year by year. + 0 + 0 + 2,583,805
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 14,454,567 14,248,839 9,298,038
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 14,454,567 14,248,839 9,298,038

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.

Oberlin City Schools’ forecast, line by line

Each line as Oberlin City Schools 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.

 5,172,151 5,115,135 5,817,168 6,448,681 6,424,913 6,502,916 6,567,230
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 1,221,980 1,232,213 1,663,688 1,990,442 1,243,576 1,235,323 1,225,829
01.030 Income Tax

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

 6,337,628 5,946,329 7,052,336 6,837,369 6,933,095 6,704,988 5,096,398
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 3,073,208 3,089,295 3,076,246 3,279,666 3,354,831 3,334,529 3,317,567
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 432,573 423,349 422,765 317,741 267,940 277,833 288,431
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.

 601,937 602,789 677,166 742,257 748,460 751,591 774,615
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 744,640 762,040 1,717,000 1,037,730 1,037,730 937,730 837,730
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 17,584,117 17,171,151 20,426,369 20,653,886 20,010,545 19,744,910 18,107,799
02.050 Advances-In

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

 0 2,100,000 1,700,000 0 0 0 0
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 38,840 73,993 34,147 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 38,840 2,173,993 1,734,147 50,000 50,000 50,000 50,000
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 17,622,957 19,345,144 22,160,516 20,703,886 20,060,545 19,794,910 18,157,799
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 8,460,213 8,478,971 9,635,598 10,159,302 10,572,515 11,005,387 11,523,404
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 3,288,472 3,331,522 3,992,160 4,305,935 4,600,761 4,892,430 5,216,778
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 1,825,569 1,930,331 2,667,882 2,768,359 2,855,546 2,899,076 2,944,208
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 475,097 319,957 322,236 411,658 414,318 417,005 419,718
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 142,447 14,440 13,612 420,154 220,154 420,154 420,154
04.020 Principal-Notes

Repaying short-term notes.

 0 0 0 305,000 520,000 545,000 575,000
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

 0 0 0 1,110,125 1,050,000 1,020,000 970,000
04.300 Other Objects

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

 415,344 368,746 479,811 506,205 511,112 516,069 521,075
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 14,607,142 14,443,966 17,111,299 19,986,737 20,744,406 21,715,120 22,590,336
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 2,632,471 779,335 1,991,521 1,032,000 166,000 166,000 166,000
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 2,100,000 1,700,000 0 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.

 4,732,471 2,479,335 1,991,521 1,032,000 166,000 166,000 166,000
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 19,339,613 16,923,301 19,102,820 21,018,737 20,910,406 21,881,120 22,756,336
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.

 (1,716,656) 2,421,843 3,057,696 (314,851) (849,860) (2,086,210) (4,598,537)
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.

 10,905,807 9,189,151 11,610,994 14,668,691 14,353,839 13,503,979 11,417,769
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.

 9,189,151 11,610,994 14,668,691 14,353,839 13,503,979 11,417,769 6,819,233
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 50,720 136,118 214,124 105,000 105,000 105,000 105,000
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.

 9,138,431 11,474,877 14,454,567 14,248,839 13,398,979 11,312,769 6,714,233
11.010 Income Tax - Renewal

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

 0 0 0 0 0 399,635 2,184,170
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 0 399,635 2,583,805
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.

 9,138,431 11,474,877 14,454,567 14,248,839 13,398,979 11,712,404 9,298,038
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.

 9,138,431 11,474,877 14,454,567 14,248,839 13,398,979 11,712,404 9,298,038
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 57 48 52 50 57 62 47
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 723 695 668 670 664 642 639

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.

Oberlin City Schools’ 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.