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School budgets

1 of the 9 school districts based in Richland 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, 1 go below zero by FY2029 if their current levies are renewed and no new one passes, and 1 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

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

Cash, June 30, 2025
$56.0M

2.9 months of that year’s spending for them together; the typical one held 4.5 months

Runs short
1 of 9

districts by FY2029, 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 and 1 career center 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
Pioneer Career & Technology career center Income, from FY2026 $0 $28.9M 15.9 $16.6M $16.6M
Madison Local Income, from FY2027 $6.6M $240.1K 0.1 −$2.2M $9.4M

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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 Richland County

District Cash, June 30 FY2025 Months of spending FY2029 before new levies 12.010 Below zero from New levy
Clear Fork Valley Local $7.2M 4.5 $5.9M — —
Crestview Local $6.8M 5.9 $5.1M — —
Lexington Local $7.0M 2.8 $456.4K — —
Lucas Local $4.3M 6.7 $4.5M — —
Madison Local $240.1K 0.1 −$2.2M FY2029 Income
Mansfield City $1.5M 0.3 $8.3M — —
Ontario Local $10.7M 5.5 $7.1M — —
Plymouth-Shiloh Local $4.1M 4.3 $532.1K — —
Shelby City $14.2M 6.5 $883.6K — —
Pioneer Career & Technologycareer center, in no total $28.9M 15.9 $16.6M — Income

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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 ActualFY2025 BudgetFY2026 ForecastFY2029
07.020 Cash balance at June 30Everything in the general fund's account at the end of the year. 56,020,119 55,335,704 17,888,496
08.010 Already committedEncumbrances: purchase orders and contracts signed, not yet paid. − 1,793,978 − 2,997,173 − 690,903
09.080 Set asideReserves the law or the board require, such as a budget reserve. − 311,378 − 20,317 − 20,317
10.010 Unencumbered balanceWhat is free to spend. The state calls it the fund balance for certification of appropriations. 53,914,763 52,318,214 17,177,276
11.300 Renewal leviesExisting levies the district expects voters to renew, added year by year. + 0 + 0 + 13,390,736
12.010 With renewalsThe balance if every renewal passes and nothing new does. 53,914,763 52,318,214 30,568,012
13.030 New leviesLevies the district has written into its forecast. Not yet voted on. + 0 + 0 + 11,630,842
15.010 Unreserved fund balanceThe state's bottom line. In a forecast year it counts any new levy above as if it had passed. 53,914,763 52,318,214 42,198,854

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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 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.

 63,572,133 70,335,068 75,300,230 74,480,317 73,335,768 72,031,200 66,693,131
01.020 Tangible Personal Property Tax

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

 16,658,727 17,921,605 19,130,959 21,587,293 21,956,716 21,963,688 21,625,425
01.030 Income Tax

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

 7,607,171 8,434,256 7,957,867 8,258,073 8,453,353 8,654,170 8,860,553
01.035 Unrestricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 88,509,086 96,223,438 96,429,696 94,712,297 95,660,459 95,862,691 95,983,069
01.040 Restricted Grants-in-Aid

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

 10,605,627 11,899,744 11,706,163 10,570,806 10,337,879 10,339,751 10,342,921
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.

 8,844,014 9,184,740 9,642,995 9,599,686 9,651,495 9,277,327 8,753,840
01.060 All Other Operating Revenue

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

 7,897,971 10,550,776 11,892,470 11,763,110 11,124,561 10,831,051 10,792,966
01.070 Total Revenue

All of the revenue above, added together.

 203,694,729 224,549,627 232,060,380 230,971,582 230,520,232 228,959,876 223,051,905
02.040 Operating Transfers-In

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

 11,137 2,050,598 0 1,785,902 0 0 0
02.050 Advances-In

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

 462,594 37,749 0 1,622,582 0 0 0
02.060 All Other Financing Sources

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

 1,422,285 1,414,783 468,630 592,864 455,257 455,257 455,257
02.070 Total Other Financing Sources

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

 1,896,016 3,503,130 468,630 4,001,348 455,257 455,257 455,257
02.080 Total Revenue and Other Financing Sources

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

 205,590,745 228,052,757 232,529,010 234,972,930 230,975,489 229,415,133 223,507,162
03.010 Personal Services - Employee Salaries & Wages

Salaries and wages for teachers and every other employee.

 108,401,980 110,504,557 117,033,606 115,225,479 116,843,117 120,514,412 123,755,742
03.020 Employees' Retirement and Insurance Benefits

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

 56,639,893 61,728,519 64,227,406 63,579,156 62,957,074 66,001,715 69,967,798
03.030 Purchased Services

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

 24,817,624 29,424,752 32,438,216 32,621,134 32,781,482 33,375,633 34,022,806
03.040 Supplies and Materials

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

 7,396,462 6,666,558 7,534,842 8,701,673 8,287,212 8,451,188 8,602,127
03.050 Capital Outlay

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

 3,106,359 3,136,583 3,611,839 5,774,627 2,229,140 2,720,463 2,283,992
04.050 Principal-HB 264 Loans

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

 375,543 248,000 250,000 396,744 360,153 265,566 265,982
04.055 Principal - Other

Repaying other borrowing from the general fund.

 848,083 843,000 848,274 896,760 798,685 798,685 798,685
04.060 Interest and Fiscal Charges

Interest and fees on the district's borrowing.

 430,966 375,443 333,444 251,569 224,080 219,135 216,030
04.300 Other Objects

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

 2,982,111 3,485,078 3,353,532 3,461,778 3,554,245 3,553,986 3,598,361
04.500 Total Expenditures

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

 204,999,021 216,412,490 229,631,159 230,908,919 228,035,189 235,900,782 243,511,521
05.010 Operational Transfers-Out

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

 5,584,802 5,762,340 29,666,733 4,745,923 4,665,000 4,620,000 4,605,000
05.020 Advances-Out

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

 37,749 355,000 1,452,641 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.

 5,622,551 6,117,340 31,119,374 4,748,423 4,667,500 4,622,500 4,607,500
05.050 Total Expenditures and Other Financing Uses

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

 210,621,572 222,529,830 260,750,533 235,657,342 232,702,689 240,523,282 248,119,021
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.

 (5,030,827) 5,522,927 (28,221,523) (684,415) (1,727,200) (11,108,148) (24,611,860)
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.

 83,749,542 78,718,715 84,241,642 56,020,119 55,335,704 53,608,505 42,500,356
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.

 78,718,715 84,241,642 56,020,119 55,335,704 53,608,505 42,500,356 17,888,496
08.010 Estimated Encumbrances June 30

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

 2,060,670 2,168,375 1,793,978 2,997,173 695,903 690,903 690,903
09.010 Textbook and Instructional Materials

Money set aside for textbooks and classroom materials.

 33,606 20,000 0 0 0 0 0
09.030 Budget Reserve

A rainy-day reserve.

 87,929 87,929 87,929 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.

 344,984 331,378 311,378 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.

 76,313,061 81,741,889 53,914,763 52,318,214 52,892,285 41,789,136 17,177,276
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 1,340,000 3,779,769 8,270,967
11.300 Cumulative Balance of Replacement/Renewal Levies

The renewals above, added up year after year.

 0 0 0 0 1,340,000 5,119,769 13,390,736
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.

 76,313,061 81,741,889 53,914,763 52,318,214 54,232,285 46,908,905 30,568,012
13.010 Income Tax - New

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

 0 0 0 0 389,234 4,644,420 6,597,188
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 0 389,234 5,033,654 11,630,842
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.

 76,313,061 81,741,889 53,914,763 52,318,214 54,621,519 51,942,559 42,198,854
20.010 Kindergarten - October count

Kindergarten pupils enrolled, counted each October.

 633 650 614 629 618 616 619
20.015 Grades 1-12 - October count

Pupils in grades 1 to 12, counted each October.

 8,217 8,108 7,851 7,718 7,769 7,781 7,830

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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.