Budget Committee
Ohio · IRN 050674 · Wood County

Eastwood Local School District

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

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Eastwood Local School District: one referendum question

Combined levy

Combined levy of 6.49 mills: 0.5% income tax + bonds for constructing school facilities.

Summary of the issue’s terms; the official ballot wording had not been published when this briefing was built. Source: Wood County BOE certified questions and issues list

Enrollment
1,389
2025-26
Performance index
98.2
2025-26
Graduation
97.3%
class of 2025
Spending / pupil
$16,020
2024-25
State share
30%
2024-25
Unreserved balance
53.1%
FY2026
Residential mills
22.1
tax year 2025
Home value
+13%
5-yr avg vs. 12 nearby districts
Enrollment

1,389 students in 2025-26, down from a peak of 1,694 in 2006-07; +3.2% over five years against −5.6% for the regional peer median.

Achievement

Performance index 98.2 of 120 in 2025-26 (Ohio median 88.3); 4.5 stars overall; four-year graduation 97.3%.

Spending

$16,020 per pupil in operating spending (2024-25), above the peer median of $15,023; the state supplies 30% of revenue and local taxes 51%.

Reserves

$11.88 million in general-fund cash at the end of FY2026; the unreserved balance was 53.1% of spending (Ohio median 36.2%).

Property taxes

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

Students

31% economically disadvantaged, 0% English learners, 12.8% with disabilities (2024-25).

Eastwood enrolled 1,389 students in 2025-26. Enrollment peaked at 1,694 in 2006-07. Since 2006-07 it has changed −18.0%, against −15.6% for the regional peer median and −19.5% for the median Ohio district.

EastwoodRegional peers (median)Ohio districts (median)
106989184772006-072010-112014-152018-192025-26

Students

MeasureEastwoodPeers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Economically disadvantaged31%34%47%19th2024-25
English learners0.0%0.1%0.4%11th2021-22
Students with disabilities12.8%13.8%16.1%20th2024-25
Black1.6%1.4%3.4%27th2024-25
Hispanic7.2%5.5%4.2%75th2024-25
White89.1%90.4%88.7%51st2024-25
Multiracial1.8%3.2%4.4%6th2024-25

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 Eastwood’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.

MeasureEastwoodRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Resident students in district schools1,1669711,18049th2025-26
Resident students on EdChoice42476141st2025-26
Resident students in community (charter) schools11323911th2025-26
Resident students open-enrolled elsewhere42859719th2025-26

Community

MeasureEastwoodRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Median household income$85,565$77,396$73,77874th2020–24 ACS
Poverty rate5.6%6.8%9.9%18th2020–24 ACS
Adults with a bachelor's degree26.2%27.0%21.9%66th2020–24 ACS
Median home value$217,200$197,200$196,40063rd2020–24 ACS

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Eastwood averaged $191,460, 13% above the median of the 12 districts within 25 miles ($169,410). That ranks 5th of 13 in the area and at the 67th percentile of Ohio districts (state median $167,900).

ACS 5-year releaseEastwoodNearby medianDifferenceOhio median
2016–20$167,000$147,650+13%$142,600
2017–21$174,500$153,000+14%$149,100
2018–22$198,600$167,650+18%$167,700
2019–23$200,000$181,550+10%$182,500
2020–24$217,200$197,200+10%$196,400
Five-release average$191,460$169,410+13%$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 Eastwood's: Ottawa Hills (20 mi, $307,640); Van Buren (22 mi, $231,680); Otsego (15 mi, $214,300); Bowling Green (10 mi, $196,820); Benton Carroll Salem (17 mi, $172,540); Woodmore (10 mi, $169,980); Hopewell-Loudon (22 mi, $168,840); Lake Local (Wood) (10 mi, $165,220); Rossford (14 mi, $164,460); Genoa Area (11 mi, $159,820); Elmwood (12 mi, $151,040); Lakota Local (Sandusky) (12 mi, $137,700).

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: Lake Local (Wood), Otsego, Woodmore, Hopewell-Loudon, Genoa Area, Benton Carroll Salem, Rossford, Elmwood, Lakota Local (Sandusky), Bowling Green, Ottawa Hills and Van Buren.

Eastwood’s performance index — a weighted average of state test results on a 0–120 scale — was 98.2 in 2025-26, against 93.8 for the peer median and 88.3 for the median Ohio district (84th percentile).

EastwoodPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
103979185782014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232025-26
MeasureEastwoodPeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Performance index (of 120)98.293.8regional 90.988.384th2025-26
Performance index, % of maximum89.1%85.2%regional 82.4%80.1%85th2025-26
Math proficient75.9%72.7%regional 65.8%63.5%80th2025-26
Four-year graduation rate97.3%98.5%regional 98.3%97.2%52ndClass of 2025
Chronically absent8.1%12.9%regional 12.7%16.4%10th2025-26
Overall rating (stars)4.54.0regional 3.84.082nd2025-26
EastwoodPeers (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.

Eastwood spent $16,020 per pupil on operations in 2024-25, against $15,023 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 30% of Eastwood’s revenue. At the end of FY2026 the district held $11.88 million in general-fund cash, an unreserved balance of 53.1% of a year’s spending.

EastwoodPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
$17,620$14,932$12,244$9,556$6,8682010-112014-152018-192024-25
EastwoodPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
73%58%42%27%11%FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026
MeasureEastwoodPeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Operating spending per pupil$16,020$15,023regional $15,910$16,58039th2024-25
Revenue per pupil$18,682$15,971regional $17,431$18,15058th2024-25
State share of revenue30%36%regional 36%43%24th2024-25
Local share of revenue51%51%regional 51%42%71st2024-25
Federal share of revenue5%5%regional 4%6%25th2024-25
General-fund cash, end of year$11.88 million$8 millionregional $7.06 million$8.3 million66thFY2026
Unreserved balance, % of spending53.1%39.8%regional 35.1%36.2%83rdFY2026
Average teacher salary$78,399$69,348regional $70,900$69,16382nd2024-25
Property value per pupil$309,023$337,402regional $324,120$267,19763rd2023-24

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. Eastwood’s effective residential rate was 22.06 mills (Ohio median 24.39). Since January 2026, districts can no longer place new emergency, substitute or replacement levies on the ballot.

MeasureEastwoodRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Effective residential millage, current expenses22.0624.8524.3936thTax year 2025
Effective business millage, current expenses20.0127.8226.5814th2024-25
Total voted operating millage31.9041.6041.8727th2024-25
Median property tax on owner-occupied homes$2,402$2,413$2,22856th2020–24 ACS
As a share of household income2.8%2.9%3.1%39th2020–24 ACS

Past school tax issues

Eastwood has put 5 school tax issues to voters since 2016; 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
Nov 2025Income tax (renewal), 1%Passed65.3%
Nov 2023Permanent improvement (renewal), 2 millsPassed62.62%
May 2021Renewal (renewal), 0.01 millsPassed70.54%
May 2018Permanent improvement (replacement), 2 millsPassed51%
Mar 2016Renewal (renewal), 0.01 millsPassed53.26%

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 Eastwood 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 Eastwood 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
WoodmoreOttawa10859$14,57316.633.9%
Lake Local (Wood)Wood101,478$15,30917.143.9%
Genoa AreaOttawa111,191$12,89616.836.0%
OtsegoWood151,469$14,62619.529.5%
Benton Carroll SalemOttawa171,227$17,14214.936.2%
Hopewell-LoudonSeneca22732$14,15918.237.6%
KeystoneLorain711,315$14,91017.132.1%
West Liberty-SalemChampaign841,091$15,24117.127.0%
GarawayTuscarawas1141,027$15,13517.332.5%
Valley ViewMontgomery1321,693$16,71417.137.5%
WayneWarren1341,442$15,51017.919.1%
St Clairsville-RichlandBelmont1631,532$14,79318.033.4%

Regional peers 12 districts

The 12 districts (city, local and exempted-village districts) within 25 miles of Eastwood, 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
WoodmoreOttawa10859$14,57316.633.9%
Lake Local (Wood)Wood101,478$15,30917.143.9%
Bowling GreenWood102,446$17,31415.943.0%
Genoa AreaOttawa111,191$12,89616.836.0%
Lakota Local (Sandusky)Sandusky12852$16,51115.648.6%
ElmwoodWood121,078$17,18414.638.6%
RossfordWood141,495$20,02517.146.0%
OtsegoWood151,469$14,62619.529.5%
Benton Carroll SalemOttawa171,227$17,14214.936.2%
Ottawa HillsLucas20997$16,90916.13.4%
Van BurenHancock22973$14,37614.421.5%
Hopewell-LoudonSeneca22732$14,15918.237.6%

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