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School budgets

Plain Local forecasts running short in FY2029

Plain Local – 049932 (Stark) · Fiscal Year 2026 Required Update to Forecast

Submission date: 02/23/2026

Plain 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, Plain Local goes below zero in 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
$21.9M

3.6 months of that year’s spending

Runs short
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

Plain Local Schools on the November 3, 2026 ballot

  1. Bond, $116.8 million

    New School buildings

    Construct, furnish, equip, renovate, rehab, remodel, add to & improve school district buildings & facilities · 37 years · from 2026

    $123 a year for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s value

    The county auditor’s estimate, as the ballot states it: 3.5 mills a year on average over the life of the bond. Source: the Stark County Board of Elections’ notice of election.

    For a home the county values at $150,000: $184.50 a year $200,000: $246 a year $250,000: $307.50 a year

    Borrows $116.8 million over 37 years, repaid by a property tax levy. Its rate is set each year to meet that year’s payments, so it moves around the estimate, and like any levy approved now it carries none of the state’s rollback credits. Your home’s county value is on your tax bill.

    Plain Local Schools says its GlenOak High School bond, about 2.2 mills today, is paid off in 2031. Source: Plain Local Schools.

    Building money: kept outside the general fund, so a budget forecast never shows it.

How its earlier votes went: since March 17, 2020, voters have decided 1 Plain Local Schools tax issue — 0 passed and 1 failed. Of the issues asking for new money, 0 of 1 passed.

Every tax issue on the ballot in Stark County →

Plain 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. 21,854,239 20,172,408 (280,416)
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 3,257,029 − 3,000,000 − 3,000,000
09.080 Set asideReserves the law or the board require, such as a budget reserve. − 2,219,159 − 2,219,159 − 2,219,159
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 16,378,050 14,953,249 (5,499,575)
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 16,378,050 14,953,249 (5,499,575)
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 16,378,050 14,953,249 (5,499,575)

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.

Plain Local’s forecast, line by line

Each line as Plain 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.

 28,285,018 28,934,152 30,589,214 31,209,884 31,022,348 31,921,459 32,609,577
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 3,966,422 4,211,282 4,358,453 4,378,472 4,446,630 4,505,766 4,531,674
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 21,667,107 23,267,968 23,591,412 22,101,001 22,272,436 22,502,726 22,654,468
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 2,382,321 2,817,337 2,939,827 2,453,406 2,068,352 1,801,429 1,622,428
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.

 3,953,572 3,986,349 4,081,971 4,160,752 4,171,743 4,416,849 4,664,348
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 5,411,210 6,547,320 5,385,245 5,775,087 5,658,269 5,322,455 5,324,663
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 65,665,650 69,764,409 70,946,121 70,078,602 69,639,778 70,470,684 71,407,158
02.050 Advances-In

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

 12,806 20,742 3,552 501,140 205,000 205,000 205,000
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 28,312 14,585 46,100 261,527 40,000 40,000 40,000
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 41,118 35,326 49,652 762,667 245,000 245,000 245,000
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 65,706,768 69,799,735 70,995,773 70,841,269 69,884,778 70,715,684 71,652,158
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 34,213,214 35,571,581 37,081,268 37,570,603 38,025,038 38,500,288 39,096,657
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 14,602,675 15,576,918 16,011,399 16,549,595 18,077,678 19,748,684 21,469,096
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 11,459,645 13,526,616 14,109,076 14,345,679 14,816,847 14,981,076 15,178,785
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 2,546,081 2,779,260 2,670,375 2,059,574 2,471,361 2,163,788 2,185,426
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 1,886,016 2,384,402 2,930,199 851,512 656,425 1,151,713 723,708
04.300 Other Objects

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

 647,014 653,961 736,002 731,137 734,536 737,952 741,385
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 65,354,645 70,492,737 73,538,319 72,108,099 74,781,884 77,283,501 79,395,056
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 0 10,000 15,502,829 210,000 210,000 210,000 210,000
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 9,652 15,453 501,140 205,000 205,000 205,000 205,000
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

 9,652 25,453 16,003,968 415,000 415,000 415,000 415,000
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 65,364,297 70,518,190 89,542,288 72,523,099 75,196,884 77,698,502 79,810,057
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.

 342,471 (718,455) (18,546,515) (1,681,831) (5,312,107) (6,982,818) (8,157,899)
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.

 40,776,738 41,119,209 40,400,753 21,854,239 20,172,408 14,860,301 7,877,483
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.

 41,119,209 40,400,753 21,854,239 20,172,408 14,860,301 7,877,483 (280,416)
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 4,518,773 3,781,962 3,257,029 3,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000
09.030 Budget Reserve

A rainy-day reserve.

 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 0 0 0 1 2 3 4
09.080 Subtotal

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

 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159 2,219,159
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.

 34,381,276 34,399,632 16,378,050 14,953,249 9,641,142 2,658,324 (5,499,575)
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.

 34,381,276 34,399,632 16,378,050 14,953,249 9,641,142 2,658,324 (5,499,575)
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.

 34,381,276 34,399,632 16,378,050 14,953,249 9,641,142 2,658,324 (5,499,575)
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 452 477 476 402 465 402 404
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 5,399 5,284 5,196 5,270 5,048 5,055 4,966

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.

Plain 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.