Budget Committee
Ohio · IRN 048314 · Mahoning County

Canfield Local School District

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

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Canfield Local School District: one referendum question

New operating levy

New operating levy of 5.9 mills, 5 years for current expenses.

Summary of the issue’s terms; the official ballot wording had not been published when this briefing was built. Source: OSBA levy database (pre-election list)

Enrollment
2,399
2025-26
Performance index
104.5
2025-26
Graduation
95.9%
class of 2025
Spending / pupil
$13,420
2024-25
State share
24%
2024-25
Unreserved balance
35.3%
FY2026
Residential mills
26.0
tax year 2025
Home value
+60%
5-yr avg vs. 12 nearby districts
Enrollment

2,399 students in 2025-26, down from a peak of 3,029 in 2007-08; −3.7% over five years against −7.8% for the regional peer median.

Achievement

Performance index 104.5 of 120 in 2025-26 (Ohio median 88.3); 4.5 stars overall; four-year graduation 95.9%.

Spending

$13,420 per pupil in operating spending (2024-25), below the peer median of $13,971; the state supplies 24% of revenue and local taxes 65%.

Reserves

$11.86 million in general-fund cash at the end of FY2026; the unreserved balance was 35.3% of spending (Ohio median 36.2%).

Property taxes

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

Students

18% economically disadvantaged, 1% English learners, 10.9% with disabilities (2024-25).

Canfield enrolled 2,399 students in 2025-26. Enrollment peaked at 3,029 in 2007-08. Since 2006-07 it has changed −20.6%, against −28.8% for the regional peer median and −19.5% for the median Ohio district.

CanfieldRegional peers (median)Ohio districts (median)
104958677682006-072010-112014-152018-192025-26

Students

MeasureCanfieldPeers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Economically disadvantaged18%25%47%8th2024-25
English learners0.6%1.1%2.4%3rd2024-25
Students with disabilities10.9%12.8%16.1%9th2024-25
Black1.3%2.0%3.4%20th2024-25
Hispanic4.7%2.7%4.2%59th2024-25
White87.8%90.2%88.7%46th2024-25
Multiracial2.4%3.2%4.4%16th2024-25

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 Canfield’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.

MeasureCanfieldRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Resident students in district schools2,3711,3171,18077th2025-26
Resident students on EdChoice218586175th2025-26
Resident students in community (charter) schools19423922nd2025-26
Resident students open-enrolled elsewhere1701169776th2025-26

Community

MeasureCanfieldRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Median household income$97,625$71,615$73,77887th2020–24 ACS
Poverty rate5.3%9.0%9.9%15th2020–24 ACS
Adults with a bachelor's degree51.9%26.8%21.9%92nd2020–24 ACS
Median home value$306,200$185,500$196,40088th2020–24 ACS

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Canfield averaged $260,040, 60% above the median of the 12 districts within 25 miles ($162,570). That ranks highest of 13 in the area and at the 88th percentile of Ohio districts (state median $167,900).

ACS 5-year releaseCanfieldNearby medianDifferenceOhio median
2016–20$220,100$142,750+54%$142,600
2017–21$238,600$146,500+63%$149,100
2018–22$260,600$163,650+59%$167,700
2019–23$274,700$174,000+58%$182,500
2020–24$306,200$185,500+65%$196,400
Five-release average$260,040$162,570+60%$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 25 miles of Canfield's: South Range (5 mi, $237,720); Poland (9 mi, $200,540); Marlington (23 mi, $182,240); Columbiana (11 mi, $181,360); James A Garfield (25 mi, $180,040); Lakeview (21 mi, $168,200); Howland (15 mi, $156,940); Beaver (23 mi, $154,840); Boardman (5 mi, $148,500); West Branch (14 mi, $147,860); Champion (21 mi, $142,700); Hubbard (14 mi, $115,080).

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: Poland, Lakeview, West Branch, Howland, South Range, Boardman, Beaver, Columbiana, Hubbard, Marlington, Champion and James A Garfield.

Canfield’s performance index — a weighted average of state test results on a 0–120 scale — was 104.5 in 2025-26, against 98.5 for the peer median and 88.3 for the median Ohio district (94th percentile).

CanfieldPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
1071009385782014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232025-26
MeasureCanfieldPeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Performance index (of 120)104.598.5regional 94.688.394th2025-26
Performance index, % of maximum94.8%89.3%regional 85.8%80.1%94th2025-26
Math proficient86.9%78.0%regional 73.6%63.5%95th2025-26
Four-year graduation rate95.9%98.2%regional 98.5%97.2%33rdClass of 2025
Chronically absent13.2%13.6%regional 17.3%16.4%33rd2025-26
Overall rating (stars)4.54.2regional 4.24.082nd2025-26
CanfieldPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
101%99%97%95%93%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.

Canfield spent $13,420 per pupil on operations in 2024-25, against $13,971 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 24% of Canfield’s revenue. At the end of FY2026 the district held $11.86 million in general-fund cash, an unreserved balance of 35.3% of a year’s spending.

CanfieldPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
$17,560$15,028$12,497$9,965$7,4342010-112014-152018-192024-25
CanfieldPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
70%56%42%28%14%FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026
MeasureCanfieldPeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Operating spending per pupil$13,420$13,971regional $14,858$16,5806th2024-25
Revenue per pupil$14,162$15,657regional $15,748$18,1504th2024-25
State share of revenue24%33%regional 41%43%15th2024-25
Local share of revenue65%55%regional 45%42%88th2024-25
Federal share of revenue4%5%regional 7%6%16th2024-25
General-fund cash, end of year$11.86 million$7.98 millionregional $5.55 million$8.3 million66thFY2026
Unreserved balance, % of spending35.3%35.2%regional 27.5%36.2%48thFY2026
Average teacher salary$76,942$70,842regional $67,827$69,16377th2024-25
Property value per pupil$398,596$277,107regional $275,524$267,19785th2023-24

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. Canfield’s effective residential rate was 26.04 mills (Ohio median 24.39). Since January 2026, districts can no longer place new emergency, substitute or replacement levies on the ballot.

MeasureCanfieldRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Effective residential millage, current expenses26.0428.1724.3961stTax year 2025
Effective business millage, current expenses30.1026.1326.5864th2024-25
Total voted operating millage58.0243.9541.8777th2024-25
Median property tax on owner-occupied homes$3,773$2,274$2,22885th2020–24 ACS
As a share of household income3.9%3.4%3.1%75th2020–24 ACS

Past school tax issues

Canfield has put 6 school tax issues to voters since 2017; 3 passed and 3 failed. 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
Nov 2024BondFailed44.83%
Nov 2023Bond (new)Failed39.31%
Nov 2022Renewal (renewal), 5.9 millsPassed56.45%
May 2022BondFailed28.22%
Nov 2020Emergency (renewal), 1.4 millsPassed61.55%
Nov 2017Renewal (renewal), 5.9 millsPassed66.07%

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 Canfield 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 Canfield 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
PolandMahoning91,666$13,51818.124.3%
West BranchMahoning141,699$14,51916.143.0%
LakeviewTrumbull211,405$13,48517.329.1%
FieldPortage301,913$13,50717.140.5%
Green Local (Summit)Summit373,785$14,22017.725.0%
Johnstown-MonroeLicking1171,512$15,44216.724.3%
Ottawa-GlandorfPutnam1711,332$14,07716.525.2%
ShawneeAllen1792,067$14,36617.234.7%
Miami EastMiami1871,277$14,83816.423.4%
MinsterAuglaize194878$13,19716.012.8%
Tipp CityMiami1942,226$13,86418.419.9%
ColdwaterMercer2061,464$12,20316.019.0%

Regional peers 12 districts

The 12 districts (city, local and exempted-village districts) within 25 miles of Canfield, straight line between district offices, whose profile on the same four factors is comparable: on average within one standard deviation. 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
South RangeMahoning51,200$12,41718.027.6%
BoardmanMahoning53,403$15,56316.248.7%
PolandMahoning91,666$13,51818.124.3%
ColumbianaColumbiana11924$15,19717.037.6%
HubbardTrumbull141,652$12,52814.752.6%
West BranchMahoning141,699$14,51916.143.0%
HowlandTrumbull152,170$16,58716.344.9%
LakeviewTrumbull211,405$13,48517.329.1%
ChampionTrumbull211,116$16,16116.242.8%
BeaverColumbiana231,644$13,18518.055.1%
MarlingtonStark231,740$16,45517.444.6%
James A GarfieldPortage251,190$16,01616.942.8%

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