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School budgets

4 of the 22 school districts based in Hamilton 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 3 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

Hamilton County · the 22 school districts based here, added together

Cash, June 30, 2025
$416.2M

3.0 months of that year’s spending for them together; the typical one held 4.2 months

Runs short
4 of 22

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

New levy in the forecast
3

districts count one voters have not approved

Forecasts that count a new levy in Hamilton County

3 school districts 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
Winton Woods City Property, from FY2027 $4.6M $19.9M 3.9 −$4.9M $6.6M
North College Hill City Income, from FY2027 $2.1M $6.1M 3.6 −$3.0M $581.2K
Mt Healthy City Income, from FY2027 $6.0M $3.3M 0.9 −$1.2M $7.5M

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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 Hamilton County

District Cash, June 30 FY2025 Months of spending FY2029 before new levies 12.010 Below zero from New levy
Cincinnati Public Schools $59.7M 1.2 $39.1M — —
Deer Park Community City $9.9M 5.9 $9.0M — —
Finneytown Local $10.0M 5.9 $5.7M — —
Forest Hills Local $31.2M 3.8 $31.4M — —
Indian Hill Exempted Village $14.3M 3.6 $7.1M — —
Lockland Local $8.6M 10.8 $3.4M — —
Loveland City $20.4M 4.2 $10.1M — —
Madeira City $11.5M 4.8 $7.9M — —
Mariemont City $11.4M 4.7 $6.0M — —
Mt Healthy City $3.3M 0.9 −$1.2M FY2029 Income
North College Hill City $6.1M 3.6 −$3.0M FY2029 Income
Northwest Local $34.6M 3.8 $27.0M — —
Norwood City $14.1M 5.4 $8.7M — —
Oak Hills Local $33.5M 4.4 −$15.9M FY2029 —
Princeton City $32.6M 3.9 $24.0M — —
Reading Community City $8.3M 5.2 $9.4M — —
Southwest Local $10.4M 2.2 $4.2M — —
St Bernard-Elmwood Place City $21.5M 19.7 $29.2M — —
Sycamore Community City $36.1M 4.3 $4.3M — —
Three Rivers Local $9.7M 4.2 $206.8K — —
Winton Woods City $19.9M 3.9 −$4.9M FY2029 Property
Wyoming City $9.0M 3.5 $3.7M — —
Great Oaks Career Campusescareer center, in no total $29.5M 4.7 $29.3M — —

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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.

Hamilton 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. 416,184,970 393,830,390 216,939,693
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 27,437,440 − 23,229,144 − 22,998,487
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 388,747,531 370,601,246 193,941,206
11.300 Renewal leviesExisting levies the district expects voters to renew, added year by year. + 0 + 0 + 11,368,343
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 388,747,531 370,601,246 205,309,549
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 0 + 23,848,443
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 388,747,531 370,601,246 229,157,992

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.

Hamilton County’s forecast: its 22 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.

 755,400,704 795,448,551 840,420,628 851,618,917 866,137,657 871,482,820 871,680,166
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 82,998,477 87,855,018 91,258,234 95,234,597 100,848,956 102,551,096 103,974,666
01.030 Income Tax

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

 16,204,510 15,958,452 16,858,746 18,034,389 18,607,921 19,191,158 19,784,393
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 324,954,431 358,917,444 358,505,381 361,950,600 369,745,170 369,260,101 368,166,709
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 59,431,508 69,786,820 68,655,166 64,314,270 59,794,401 58,297,577 57,710,715
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.

 79,233,392 81,682,149 84,826,671 84,659,011 85,005,817 84,327,644 83,284,896
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 152,415,329 168,764,747 176,990,391 186,034,260 179,386,449 179,816,008 179,748,313
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 1,470,638,351 1,578,413,177 1,637,515,211 1,661,846,042 1,679,526,371 1,684,926,404 1,684,349,858
02.010 Proceeds From Sale of Notes

Short-term borrowing (notes) brought into the general fund.

 0 75,000,000 0 0 0 0 0
02.020 State Emergency Loans & Advancements (Approved)

Loans from the state to a district in financial trouble.

 0 10,758,000 0 0 0 0 0
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 1,465,362 267,250 4,504,429 196,416 195,000 195,000 195,000
02.050 Advances-In

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

 22,701,966 19,847,967 15,084,911 12,743,270 12,940,494 11,862,244 9,317,049
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 9,844,107 7,777,013 17,451,992 11,579,459 9,867,825 9,912,199 9,973,284
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 34,011,437 113,650,231 37,041,332 24,519,145 23,003,319 21,969,443 19,485,333
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 1,504,649,786 1,692,063,405 1,674,556,541 1,686,365,190 1,702,529,689 1,706,895,844 1,703,835,191
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 838,237,018 889,867,325 943,023,352 969,902,671 988,443,688 1,010,408,387 1,031,444,294
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 286,159,144 301,464,334 322,753,259 334,067,103 343,542,448 355,009,528 366,765,513
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 274,113,464 266,294,410 296,526,141 292,495,416 283,867,492 288,247,430 294,138,520
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 46,801,139 43,337,727 48,736,242 46,534,171 45,052,042 45,665,477 47,083,007
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 10,837,630 8,883,814 10,754,826 6,499,098 6,208,072 5,515,881 5,689,340
04.010 All Principal (Historical)

Borrowed money repaid in past years.

 1,349,940 1,365,406 1,975,992 260,000 275,000 285,000 300,000
04.020 Principal-Notes

Repaying short-term notes.

 468,400 75,489,000 505,077 526,300 425,000 435,000 445,000
04.040 Principal-State Advancements

Repaying money the state advanced.

 0 0 485,000 750,000 1,250,000 1,654,600 1,654,600
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

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

 214,662 217,812 211,990 917,315 373,533 379,493 284,584
04.055 Principal - Other

Repaying other borrowing from the general fund.

 550,010 915,000 976,500 1,197,670 836,589 861,170 885,750
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

 1,009,734 1,949,273 845,343 1,631,676 1,553,280 1,491,706 1,432,361
04.300 Other Objects

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

 16,777,168 18,962,058 17,623,677 18,678,668 18,845,941 19,114,862 19,382,130
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 1,476,518,308 1,608,746,154 1,644,417,395 1,673,460,093 1,690,673,084 1,729,068,537 1,769,505,100
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 42,422,999 63,177,886 70,078,152 25,943,064 23,416,917 24,743,582 24,794,370
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 25,075,076 15,154,902 14,040,201 9,316,611 9,316,611 9,316,611 9,316,611
05.030 All Other Financing Uses

Other one-off money going out.

 6,572 962,212 911,836 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.

 67,504,648 79,295,000 85,030,190 35,259,675 32,733,528 34,060,193 34,110,981
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 1,544,022,955 1,688,041,153 1,729,447,585 1,708,719,768 1,723,406,613 1,763,128,730 1,803,616,081
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.

 (39,373,168) 4,022,250 (54,891,045) (22,354,580) (20,876,924) (56,232,886) (99,780,892)
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.

 506,426,933 467,053,765 471,076,017 416,184,970 393,830,390 372,953,468 316,720,582
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.

 467,053,765 471,076,017 416,184,970 393,830,390 372,953,468 316,720,582 216,939,693
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 24,612,601 26,320,769 27,437,440 23,229,144 23,251,744 23,274,855 22,998,487
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

 0 0 0 16 32 48 64
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.

 442,441,164 444,755,248 388,747,531 370,601,246 349,701,724 293,445,727 193,941,206
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 42,453 3,803,472 7,522,418
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 42,453 3,845,925 11,368,343
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.

 442,441,164 444,755,248 388,747,531 370,601,246 349,744,177 297,291,652 205,309,549
13.010 Income Tax - New

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

 0 0 0 0 309,668 3,889,925 8,099,690
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 2,302,837 4,614,418 4,631,905
13.030 Cumulative Balance of New Levies

The new levies above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 2,612,505 11,116,848 23,848,443
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.

 442,441,164 444,755,248 388,747,531 370,601,246 352,356,682 308,408,500 229,157,992
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 3,921 3,902 3,933 2,915 3,038 3,157 3,069
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 38,118 37,856 37,304 38,322 37,645 37,347 37,112

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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.

Hamilton 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.