Budget Committee
Ohio · IRN 043497 · Stark County

Alliance City School District

District briefing, fall 2026: enrollment, achievement, finances, property taxes and the levy record.

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Alliance City School District: one referendum question

Issue 8 · Permanent improvement levy

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of the Alliance City School District for the purpose of constructing, adding to, renovating, remodeling, rehabilitating, improving, furnishing and equipping buildings for school purposes and acquiring, improving, and equipping school sites, that the county auditor estimates will collect $317,547 annually, at a rate not exceeding 2 mills for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $17 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s market value, for 5 years, commencing in 2027, first due in calendar year 2028.

Ballot wording. Source: Stark County BOE legal notice of election (Published in The Alliance Review on October 14 and 21, 2026)

Enrollment
2,866
2025-26
Performance index
73.1
2025-26
Graduation
94.3%
class of 2025
Spending / pupil
$19,077
2024-25
State share
62%
2024-25
Unreserved balance
29.7%
FY2026
Residential mills
24.8
tax year 2025
Home value
−15%
5-yr avg vs. 7 nearby districts
Enrollment

2,866 students in 2025-26, down from a peak of 3,068 in 2006-07; −1.3% over five years against −6.4% for the regional peer median (within 35 miles).

Achievement

Performance index 73.1 of 120 in 2025-26 (Ohio median 88.3); 3.0 stars overall; four-year graduation 94.3%.

Spending

$19,077 per pupil in operating spending (2024-25), above the peer median of $18,451; the state supplies 62% of revenue and local taxes 18%.

Reserves

$13.24 million in general-fund cash at the end of FY2026; the unreserved balance was 29.7% of spending (Ohio median 36.2%).

Property taxes

24.80 effective residential mills for current expenses in 2026 (Ohio median 24.39).

Students

100% economically disadvantaged, 0% English learners, 21.6% with disabilities (2024-25).

Alliance enrolled 2,866 students in 2025-26. Enrollment peaked at 3,068 in 2006-07. Since 2006-07 it has changed −6.6%, against −18.2% for the regional peer median (within 35 miles) and −19.5% for the median Ohio district.

AllianceRegional peers (median)Ohio districts (median)
102969084782006-072010-112014-152018-192025-26

Students

MeasureAlliancePeers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Economically disadvantaged100%100%47%98th2024-25
English learners0.2%0.6%0.4%37th2021-22
Students with disabilities21.6%19.1%16.1%91st2024-25
Black9.9%8.8%3.4%74th2024-25
Hispanic5.0%4.5%4.2%61st2024-25
White66.2%67.5%88.7%15th2024-25
Multiracial18.4%9.3%4.4%99th2024-25

Districts that serve free meals to every student report every student as economically disadvantaged. For the 123 Ohio districts where that raised the share by 25 points or more to 95% or above in one year, this briefing uses the district’s last share before the rise.

Where resident students go

Since 2021-22 the state pays community schools, EdChoice private schools and open-enrollment districts directly, so these students no longer appear as deductions in Alliance’s budget, but the district still receives no state aid for them and, for most private and charter students in grades K–8, must provide or pay for transportation.

MeasureAllianceRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Resident students in district schools2,3252,3871,18076th2025-26
Resident students on EdChoice651286151st2025-26
Resident students in community (charter) schools1211253982nd2025-26
Resident students open-enrolled elsewhere3282789793rd2025-26

Community

MeasureAllianceRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Median household income$59,278$53,653$73,77820th2020–24 ACS
Poverty rate22.6%15.4%9.9%92nd2020–24 ACS
Adults with a bachelor's degree15.1%16.1%21.9%18th2020–24 ACS
Median home value$120,800$141,700$196,4009th2020–24 ACS

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Alliance averaged $101,640, 15% below the median of the 7 districts within 35 miles ($119,140). That ranks 7th of 8 in the area and at the 7th percentile of Ohio districts (state median $167,900).

ACS 5-year releaseAllianceNearby medianDifferenceOhio median
2016–20$83,900$98,700−15%$142,600
2017–21$87,400$104,300−16%$149,100
2018–22$105,400$120,800−13%$167,700
2019–23$110,700$130,200−15%$182,500
2020–24$120,800$141,700−15%$196,400
Five-release average$101,640$119,140−15%$167,900

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, median value of owner-occupied homes (table B25077), in nominal dollars. Consecutive releases share four of their five survey years, so the average is a smoothed level rather than five independent years. Nearby districts are those whose NCES office address lies within 35 miles of Alliance's: New Philadelphia (34 mi, $161,780); Carrollton (24 mi, $161,380); Canton Local (18 mi, $135,120); Salem (14 mi, $119,140); Massillon (22 mi, $117,060); Barberton (27 mi, $108,520); Warren City (27 mi, $71,060).

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Report Card and District Profile (Cupp) Report; U.S. Census ACS 5-year. Student characteristics compare with the peers; enrollment, school choice and community figures with the regional peers (within 35 miles): Canton Local, Warren City, New Philadelphia, Massillon, Barberton, Carrollton and Salem.

Alliance’s performance index — a weighted average of state test results on a 0–120 scale — was 73.1 in 2025-26, against 75.2 for the peer median and 88.3 for the median Ohio district (8th percentile).

AlliancePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
95867768592014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232025-26
MeasureAlliancePeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Performance index (of 120)73.175.2regional 82.488.38th2025-26
Performance index, % of maximum66.3%68.2%regional 74.8%80.1%8th2025-26
Math proficient38.7%44.8%regional 57.8%63.5%8th2025-26
Four-year graduation rate94.3%92.7%regional 92.6%97.2%22ndClass of 2025
Chronically absent26.7%29.3%regional 23.3%16.4%84th2025-26
Overall rating (stars)3.03.0regional 3.04.015th2025-26
AlliancePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
99%94%89%84%79%2013-142015-162017-182019-202021-222024-25

Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Report Card. No state tests in 2019-20; star ratings began in 2022-23.

Alliance spent $19,077 per pupil on operations in 2024-25, against $18,451 for the peer median and $16,580 for the median Ohio district. Ohio’s formula assumes each district can raise a local share based on its property values and residents’ incomes; the state supplied 62% of Alliance’s revenue. At the end of FY2026 the district held $13.24 million in general-fund cash, an unreserved balance of 29.7% of a year’s spending.

AlliancePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
$20,233$17,248$14,264$11,280$8,2962010-112014-152018-192024-25
AlliancePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
53%42%31%20%9%FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026
MeasureAlliancePeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Operating spending per pupil$19,077$18,451regional $16,466$16,58078th2024-25
Revenue per pupil$18,297$18,438regional $18,693$18,15053rd2024-25
State share of revenue62%48%regional 46%43%91st2024-25
Local share of revenue18%32%regional 37%42%7th2024-25
Federal share of revenue14%11%regional 10%6%89th2024-25
General-fund cash, end of year$13.24 million$11.64 millionregional $10.41 million$8.3 million70thFY2026
Unreserved balance, % of spending29.7%30.3%regional 37.6%36.2%34thFY2026
Average teacher salary$69,148$73,656regional $73,964$69,16350th2024-25
Property value per pupil$163,432$234,777regional $218,458$267,1978th2023-24

ODEW District Profile (Cupp) Report; five-year forecast actuals (general operating funds, cash basis) as filed with ODEW.

Ohio’s H.B. 920 reduction factors cut the effective rate of voted levies as property values rise, so most levies raise a fixed number of dollars and districts must return to voters to keep pace; no district’s effective current-expense rate can fall below 20 mills. Alliance’s effective residential rate was 24.80 mills (Ohio median 24.39). Since January 2026, districts can no longer place new emergency, substitute or replacement levies on the ballot.

MeasureAllianceRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Effective residential millage, current expenses24.8030.0024.3953rdTax year 2025
Effective business millage, current expenses24.9031.4726.5843rd2024-25
Total voted operating millage51.8048.2041.8768th2024-25
Median property tax on owner-occupied homes$1,269$1,780$2,2287th2020–24 ACS
As a share of household income2.1%3.1%3.1%7th2020–24 ACS

Past school tax issues

Alliance has put 4 school tax issues to voters since 2017; all passed. Statewide, the Ohio School Boards Association records 2,342 school tax issues from 2016 through May 2026; 66% passed, and 39% of new-money issues.

ElectionIssueResultYes vote
May 2022Permanent improvement (new), 2.7 millsPassed52.09%
Nov 2021Permanent improvement (renewal), 2 millsPassed65.18%
May 2018Emergency (renewal), 7.7 millsPassed63.24%
May 2017Permanent improvement (renewal), 2 millsPassed73.84%

Ohio School Boards Association school election results (unofficial), 2016–2026.

Ohio Department of Taxation and ODEW District Profile Report (effective millage); U.S. Census ACS 5-year; Ohio School Boards Association election results.

Wherever this briefing sets Alliance beside other districts, it uses the groups below. A group figure is the middle value across its members, each counted equally, so one large member cannot dominate it.

Peers 12 districts

The 12 Ohio districts (city, local and exempted-village districts) most like Alliance on four equally weighted factors: total enrollment (compared as a ratio), operating spending per pupil, students per teacher and the share of economically disadvantaged students, each difference scaled by how much the factor varies across districts, and none more than two standard deviations away on any one. The group starts with nearby districts that match closely (within half a standard deviation on average) and fills the rest from anywhere in the state. Peers carry the achievement, spending and staffing comparisons.

DistrictCountyMilesEnrollmentOperating spending per pupilStudents per teacherEcon. disadvantaged
Canton LocalStark181,733$19,57619.2100.0%
Painesville CityLake572,567$17,81016.9100.0%
Ashtabula AreaAshtabula662,448$19,09219.599.9%
ZanesvilleMuskingum832,863$20,44918.299.5%
MaysvilleMuskingum872,016$15,99619.798.8%
SanduskyErie912,969$19,38216.399.3%
TiffinSeneca1092,176$16,66019.194.4%
Groveport MadisonFranklin1186,218$16,50519.999.8%
CirclevillePickaway1311,988$16,67018.9100.0%
ChillicotheRoss1472,535$17,04717.3100.0%
Xenia CommunityGreene1733,516$19,22417.492.6%
Trotwood-MadisonMontgomery1862,385$20,65218.699.0%

Regional peers 7 districts

The 7 districts (city, local and exempted-village districts) within 35 miles of Alliance, straight line between district offices, whose profile on the same four factors is comparable: on average within one standard deviation. Fewer than five comparable districts lie within 25 miles, so the radius was widened. They carry enrollment, property taxes and home values, and their median sits beneath the peer median elsewhere. A district in both groups appears in both lists.

DistrictCountyMilesEnrollmentOperating spending per pupilStudents per teacherEcon. disadvantaged
SalemColumbiana141,882$13,22916.5100.0%
Canton LocalStark181,733$19,57619.2100.0%
MassillonStark224,031$14,63517.2100.0%
CarrolltonCarroll241,618$16,46618.958.3%
BarbertonSummit273,244$20,34616.376.7%
Warren CityTrumbull274,568$20,63117.099.3%
New PhiladelphiaTuscarawas342,744$14,29717.994.2%

“Ohio median” is the middle value across Ohio’s city, local and exempted-village school districts; career centers and community schools are left out.