Budget Committee
Ohio · IRN 048942 · Ottawa County

Genoa Area Local School District

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

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Genoa Area Local School District: 2 referendum questions

Renewal levy

Renewal levy of 4.75 mills, 5 years for current operating 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)

Renewal levy

Renewal levy of 0.5 mills, 5 years for educational technology.

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
1,191
2025-26
Performance index
93.4
2025-26
Graduation
95.5%
class of 2025
Spending / pupil
$12,896
2024-25
State share
44%
2024-25
Unreserved balance
50.6%
FY2026
Residential mills
31.1
tax year 2025
Home value
−8%
5-yr avg vs. 12 nearby districts
Enrollment

1,191 students in 2025-26, down from a peak of 1,531 in 2008-09; −4.8% over five years against −5.3% for the regional peer median.

Achievement

Performance index 93.4 of 120 in 2025-26 (Ohio median 88.3); 3.5 stars overall; four-year graduation 95.5%.

Spending

$12,896 per pupil in operating spending (2024-25), below the peer median of $14,295; the state supplies 44% of revenue and local taxes 43%.

Reserves

$7.86 million in general-fund cash at the end of FY2026; the unreserved balance was 50.6% of spending (Ohio median 36.2%).

Property taxes

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

Students

36% economically disadvantaged, 0% English learners, 10.3% with disabilities (2024-25).

Genoa Area enrolled 1,191 students in 2025-26. Enrollment peaked at 1,531 in 2008-09. Since 2006-07 it has changed −21.9%, against −16.7% for the regional peer median and −19.5% for the median Ohio district.

Genoa AreaRegional peers (median)Ohio districts (median)
104979083752006-072010-112014-152018-192025-26

Students

MeasureGenoa AreaPeers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Economically disadvantaged36%37%47%25th2024-25
English learners0.0%0.3%0.4%23rd2021-22
Students with disabilities10.3%12.8%16.1%6th2024-25
Black0.5%0.6%1.1%25th2021-22
Hispanic7.3%4.1%4.2%76th2024-25
White90.1%90.7%88.7%57th2024-25
Multiracial1.9%3.8%4.4%7th2024-25

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 Genoa Area’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.

MeasureGenoa AreaRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Resident students in district schools9521,1051,18040th2025-26
Resident students on EdChoice48446145th2025-26
Resident students in community (charter) schools32363940th2025-26
Resident students open-enrolled elsewhere63909731st2025-26

Community

MeasureGenoa AreaRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Median household income$93,627$81,131$73,77884th2020–24 ACS
Poverty rate6.9%7.3%9.9%26th2020–24 ACS
Adults with a bachelor's degree24.7%25.6%21.9%60th2020–24 ACS
Median home value$179,900$201,500$196,40041st2020–24 ACS

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Genoa Area averaged $159,820, 8% below the median of the 12 districts within 25 miles ($173,980). That ranks 10th of 13 in the area and at the 43rd percentile of Ohio districts (state median $167,900).

ACS 5-year releaseGenoa AreaNearby medianDifferenceOhio median
2016–20$137,800$151,900−9%$142,600
2017–21$145,400$155,550−7%$149,100
2018–22$163,300$174,650−6%$167,700
2019–23$172,700$187,100−8%$182,500
2020–24$179,900$201,500−11%$196,400
Five-release average$159,820$173,980−8%$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 Genoa Area's: Ottawa Hills (17 mi, $307,640); Perrysburg (14 mi, $276,380); Otsego (22 mi, $214,300); Bowling Green (20 mi, $196,820); Eastwood (11 mi, $191,460); Oregon (7 mi, $175,420); Benton Carroll Salem (11 mi, $172,540); Woodmore (7 mi, $169,980); Lake Local (Wood) (6 mi, $165,220); Elmwood (23 mi, $151,040); Gibsonburg (12 mi, $141,640); Lakota Local (Sandusky) (20 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: Woodmore, Lake Local (Wood), Eastwood, Benton Carroll Salem, Otsego, Elmwood, Lakota Local (Sandusky), Bowling Green, Gibsonburg, Ottawa Hills, Oregon and Perrysburg.

Genoa Area’s performance index — a weighted average of state test results on a 0–120 scale — was 93.4 in 2025-26, against 91.8 for the peer median and 88.3 for the median Ohio district (68th percentile).

Genoa AreaPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
101959084792014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232025-26
MeasureGenoa AreaPeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Performance index (of 120)93.491.8regional 89.588.368th2025-26
Performance index, % of maximum84.7%83.2%regional 81.1%80.1%68th2025-26
Math proficient73.5%70.0%regional 63.9%63.5%75th2025-26
Four-year graduation rate95.5%99.2%regional 98.2%97.2%29thClass of 2025
Chronically absent13.9%12.2%regional 11.8%16.4%36th2025-26
Overall rating (stars)3.54.0regional 3.84.037th2025-26
Genoa AreaPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
100%98%96%94%92%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.

Genoa Area spent $12,896 per pupil on operations in 2024-25, against $14,295 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 44% of Genoa Area’s revenue. At the end of FY2026 the district held $7.86 million in general-fund cash, an unreserved balance of 50.6% of a year’s spending.

Genoa AreaPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
$17,664$14,863$12,063$9,263$6,4622010-112014-152018-192024-25
Genoa AreaPeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
55%44%33%22%11%FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026
MeasureGenoa AreaPeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Operating spending per pupil$12,896$14,295regional $16,518$16,5804th2024-25
Revenue per pupil$14,952$16,248regional $17,234$18,15010th2024-25
State share of revenue44%37%regional 37%43%53rd2024-25
Local share of revenue43%47%regional 50%42%53rd2024-25
Federal share of revenue5%5%regional 4%6%29th2024-25
General-fund cash, end of year$7.86 million$6.7 millionregional $8.03 million$8.3 million48thFY2026
Unreserved balance, % of spending50.6%40.5%regional 35.5%36.2%80thFY2026
Average teacher salary$66,374$63,797regional $71,319$69,16336th2024-25
Property value per pupil$241,983$276,589regional $290,971$267,19739th2023-24

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. Genoa Area’s effective residential rate was 31.07 mills (Ohio median 24.39). Since January 2026, districts can no longer place new emergency, substitute or replacement levies on the ballot.

MeasureGenoa AreaRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Effective residential millage, current expenses31.0724.6324.3982ndTax year 2025
Effective business millage, current expenses34.6728.1426.5875th2024-25
Total voted operating millage66.9543.6041.8785th2024-25
Median property tax on owner-occupied homes$2,382$2,497$2,22855th2020–24 ACS
As a share of household income2.5%3.1%3.1%26th2020–24 ACS

Past school tax issues

Genoa Area has put 13 school tax issues to voters since 2016; 8 passed and 5 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 2025Substitute (substitute), 4.3 millsPassed51.43%
May 2025Substitute (substitute), 4.5 millsFailed45.18%
Nov 2024Substitute (substitute - renewal), 5.4 millsFailed45.2%
May 2022Emergency (new), 6 millsPassed52.12%
May 2022Replacement (replacement), 0.5 millsPassed60.45%
Nov 2021Operating (new), 5.25 millsFailed43.97%
May 2021Operating (new), 5.9 millsFailed38.08%
Nov 2020Operating (new), 4.9 millsFailed41.95%
Nov 2020Renewal (renewal), 3.9 millsPassed60.65%
Mar 2020Renewal (renewal), 5 millsPassed63.28%
Nov 2019Substitute (substitute), 5.4 millsPassed54.21%
Nov 2017Operating (new), 0.5 millsPassed50.87%
Nov 2016Permanent improvement (renewal), 1.6 millsPassed60.75%

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 Genoa Area 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 Genoa Area 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
Lake Local (Wood)Wood61,478$15,30917.143.9%
WoodmoreOttawa7859$14,57316.633.9%
EastwoodWood111,389$16,02017.931.1%
HuronErie431,101$15,19217.135.2%
PleasantMarion731,215$12,13317.643.0%
Benjamin LoganLogan811,529$13,85216.740.4%
FredericktownKnox861,069$12,96916.038.5%
NorwayneWayne861,237$13,44917.833.5%
Green Local (Wayne)Wayne92987$14,45816.836.7%
Tuscarawas ValleyTuscarawas1211,208$14,85916.637.7%
GreeneviewGreene1321,198$14,13316.841.5%
LakeviewTrumbull1371,405$13,48517.329.1%

Regional peers 12 districts

The 12 districts (city, local and exempted-village districts) within 25 miles of Genoa Area, 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
Lake Local (Wood)Wood61,478$15,30917.143.9%
WoodmoreOttawa7859$14,57316.633.9%
OregonLucas73,308$16,52615.650.7%
Benton Carroll SalemOttawa111,227$17,14214.936.2%
EastwoodWood111,389$16,02017.931.1%
GibsonburgSandusky12656$17,15315.645.1%
PerrysburgWood145,304$15,03017.613.8%
Ottawa HillsLucas17997$16,90916.13.4%
Bowling GreenWood202,446$17,31415.943.0%
Lakota Local (Sandusky)Sandusky20852$16,51115.648.6%
OtsegoWood221,469$14,62619.529.5%
ElmwoodWood231,078$17,18414.638.6%

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