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School budgets

3 of the 9 school districts based in Richland County forecast running short by FY2030

Fiscal Year 2027 First Required Forecast (Fall)

Filed July–August 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, 3 go below zero by FY2030 if their current levies are renewed and no new one passes, and 1 have already written in a new levy voters have not approved.

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Richland County · the 9 school districts based here, added together

Cash, June 30, 2026
$62.7M

3.3 months of that year’s spending for them together; the typical one held 4.8 months

Runs short
3 of 9

districts by FY2030, if their levies are renewed and no new one passes

New levy in the forecast
1

district counts one voters have not approved

Forecasts that count a new levy in Richland County

1 school district 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.

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Most cash first until a heading is sorted, measured in months of FY2026’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 Richland County

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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.

Richland 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 ActualFY2026 BudgetFY2027 ForecastFY2030
07.020 Cash balance at June 30Everything in the general fund's account at the end of the year. 62,659,208 61,050,626 (758,819)
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 1,303,003 − 767,972 − 762,972
09.080 Set asideReserves the law or the board require, such as a budget reserve. − 223,449 − 20,317 − 20,317
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 61,132,756 60,262,337 (1,542,108)
11.300 Renewal leviesExisting levies the district expects voters to renew, added year by year. + 0 + 1,340,000 + 30,773,482
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 61,132,756 61,602,337 29,231,374
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 208,860 + 9,781,020
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 61,132,756 61,811,197 39,012,394

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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.

Richland County’s forecast: its 9 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 ActualFY2024 ActualFY2025 ActualFY2026 Current year budgetFY2027 Forecast year 1FY2028 Forecast year 2FY2029 Forecast year 3FY2030
01.010 General Property Tax (Real Estate)

Property tax on land and buildings — homes, farms and businesses — from levies voters have already approved.

70,092,207 75,300,230 78,834,133 67,526,665 67,709,097 62,562,753 60,475,315
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

17,681,338 19,104,197 21,069,002 21,322,995 21,251,767 20,865,212 20,781,528
01.030 Income Tax

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

8,434,256 7,957,867 8,229,509 8,430,269 8,630,141 8,835,581 9,045,619
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

96,223,438 96,429,696 94,846,992 95,960,674 96,272,960 96,472,766 96,591,620
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

11,899,744 11,706,163 10,716,665 10,257,062 10,254,932 10,256,083 10,257,246
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.

9,184,740 9,642,995 9,670,256 13,086,566 12,936,650 10,614,875 10,563,114
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

10,550,776 11,892,470 12,110,947 11,159,357 11,114,370 11,080,021 11,091,240
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

224,066,499 232,033,618 235,477,504 227,743,588 228,169,915 220,687,291 218,805,681
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

2,050,598 0 2,092,299 0 0 0 0
02.050 Advances-In

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

37,749 0 1,623,345 0 0 0 0
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

1,414,783 468,630 827,653 401,723 401,723 401,723 401,723
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

3,503,130 468,630 4,543,297 401,723 401,723 401,723 401,723
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

227,569,629 232,502,248 240,020,801 228,145,311 228,571,638 221,089,014 219,207,404
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

110,504,557 117,033,606 114,372,335 114,720,336 118,065,699 121,959,189 124,636,898
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

61,728,519 64,227,406 61,681,608 60,241,443 62,928,543 66,754,172 70,070,089
03.030 Purchased Services

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

29,424,752 32,438,216 34,134,913 35,340,887 35,847,604 36,482,490 37,210,227
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

6,666,558 7,534,842 7,401,507 7,548,622 7,765,748 8,226,892 7,807,409
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

3,136,583 3,611,839 4,753,754 2,484,652 1,971,114 1,806,129 2,035,719
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

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

248,000 250,000 396,745 360,153 265,566 265,982 21,149
04.055 Principal - Other

Repaying other borrowing from the general fund.

843,000 848,274 845,000 798,685 798,685 798,685 798,685
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

375,443 333,444 300,122 223,980 219,135 216,030 214,226
04.300 Other Objects

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

3,485,078 3,353,532 3,693,535 3,798,272 3,793,282 3,834,723 3,935,831
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

216,412,490 229,631,159 227,579,519 225,517,029 231,655,379 240,344,294 246,730,234
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

5,762,340 29,666,733 5,482,054 4,234,365 3,979,365 3,976,365 3,984,365
05.020 Advances-Out

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

355,000 1,452,641 100 2,500 2,500 2,500 2,500
05.040 Total Other Financing Uses

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

6,117,340 31,119,374 5,482,154 4,236,865 3,981,865 3,978,865 3,986,865
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

222,529,830 260,750,533 233,061,673 229,753,894 235,637,244 244,323,159 250,717,099
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.

5,039,799 (28,248,285) 6,959,128 (1,608,583) (7,065,605) (23,234,145) (31,509,696)
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.

78,908,566 83,948,365 55,700,080 62,659,208 61,050,626 53,985,021 30,750,876
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.

83,948,365 55,700,080 62,659,208 61,050,626 53,985,021 30,750,876 (758,819)
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

2,168,375 1,758,918 1,303,003 767,972 767,972 762,972 762,972
09.010 Textbook and Instructional Materials

Money set aside for textbooks and classroom materials.

33,606 20,000 0 0 0 0 0
09.045 Fiscal Stabilization

Money set aside to steady the budget over future years.

223,449 223,449 223,449 20,317 20,317 20,317 20,317
09.080 Subtotal

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

257,055 243,449 223,449 20,317 20,317 20,317 20,317
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.

81,522,935 53,697,713 61,132,756 60,262,337 53,196,732 29,967,587 (1,542,108)
11.010 Income Tax - Renewal

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

0 0 0 1,340,000 2,680,000 2,680,000 2,680,000
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 1,097,673 7,924,529 12,371,280
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

0 0 0 1,340,000 5,117,673 15,722,202 30,773,482
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.

81,522,935 53,697,713 61,132,756 61,602,337 58,314,405 45,689,789 29,231,374
13.010 Income Tax - New

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

0 0 0 208,860 2,492,160 3,540,000 3,540,000
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 0 208,860 2,701,020 6,241,020 9,781,020
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.

81,522,935 53,697,713 61,132,756 61,811,197 61,015,425 51,930,809 39,012,394
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

650 614 629 778 776 779 778
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

8,108 7,851 7,739 9,699 9,711 9,760 9,770

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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.

Richland 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.