The latest five-year forecast for Brookfield Local School District shows the district ending each year in the black, and meeting a benchmark of having 30 to 60 days’ worth of expenses on hand in cash.
“Our 60-day cash balance is just under $2 million,” said district Treasurer Julie Sloan. “The forecast shows that we’re more than able to cover that.”
What Sloan cannot forecast is how the district will function once federal COVID-related rescue funds end, and how the Ohio General Assembly will implement the Fair School Funding Plan in upcoming budgets.
The Fair School Funding Plan, which was created to bring the state into compliance with its constitutional mandate on school funding, could be very good for Brookfield, if it is properly funded, Sloan has said. She noted that the district is reliant on state funds for 61½ percent of its budget.
The forecast estimates school revenues falling from just over $11 million in the school year just ended to $10.8 million in 2026, while expenses will rise from $9.4 million to $10.5 million.
That still means the district is expected to spend less than it brings in throughout the forecast period, and the cash balance will rise from $4 million to $6.5 million.
School board member Jerry Necastro asked if there is a magic number at which time Sloan would be talking about asking for a levy.
“I think that would happen if we started having discussions about growth and possibly building or large capital expenditures,” Sloan said.
