Budget Committee
Ohio · IRN 048330 · Mahoning County

Lowellville Local School District

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

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Lowellville Local School District: one referendum question

Permanent improvement levy

Permanent improvement levy of 4 mills, 5 years for general permanent improvements.

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
436
2025-26
Performance index
84.6
2025-26
Graduation
97.6%
class of 2025
Spending / pupil
$15,195
2024-25
State share
64%
2024-25
Unreserved balance
53.7%
FY2026
Residential mills
22.0
tax year 2025
Home value
−7%
5-yr avg vs. 12 nearby districts
Enrollment

436 students in 2025-26, down from a peak of 640 in 2006-07; −6.8% over five years against −7.8% for the regional peer median.

Achievement

Performance index 84.6 of 120 in 2025-26 (Ohio median 88.3); 4.0 stars overall; four-year graduation 97.6%.

Spending

$15,195 per pupil in operating spending (2024-25), below the peer median of $15,932; the state supplies 64% of revenue and local taxes 24%.

Reserves

$3.61 million in general-fund cash at the end of FY2026; the unreserved balance was 53.7% of spending (Ohio median 36.2%).

Property taxes

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

Students

56% economically disadvantaged, 0% English learners, 16.6% with disabilities (2024-25).

Lowellville enrolled 436 students in 2025-26. Enrollment peaked at 640 in 2006-07. Since 2006-07 it has changed −31.9%, against −28.9% for the regional peer median and −19.5% for the median Ohio district.

LowellvilleRegional peers (median)Ohio districts (median)
104948474642006-072010-112014-152018-192025-26

Students

MeasureLowellvillePeers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Economically disadvantaged56%49%47%68th2024-25
English learners0.1%0.0%0.4%34th2021-22
Students with disabilities16.6%16.1%16.1%55th2024-25
Black2.2%0.5%1.1%65th2021-22
Hispanic10.7%3.5%4.2%85th2024-25
White81.0%92.3%88.7%29th2024-25
Multiracial7.0%3.7%4.4%74th2024-25

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 Lowellville’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.

MeasureLowellvilleRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Resident students in district schools2286771,1801st2025-26
Resident students on EdChoice23146127th2025-26
Resident students in community (charter) schools928398th2025-26
Resident students open-enrolled elsewhere1588977th2025-26

Community

MeasureLowellvilleRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Median household income$66,250$61,417$73,77835th2020–24 ACS
Poverty rate18.6%11.9%9.9%86th2020–24 ACS
Adults with a bachelor's degree26.2%19.3%21.9%66th2020–24 ACS
Median home value$128,900$138,250$196,40011th2020–24 ACS

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Lowellville averaged $112,620, 7% below the median of the 12 districts within 25 miles ($120,690). That ranks 9th of 13 in the area and at the 12th percentile of Ohio districts (state median $167,900).

ACS 5-year releaseLowellvilleNearby medianDifferenceOhio median
2016–20$99,000$102,850−4%$142,600
2017–21$99,800$108,200−8%$149,100
2018–22$113,800$123,900−8%$167,700
2019–23$121,600$136,250−11%$182,500
2020–24$128,900$138,250−7%$196,400
Five-release average$112,620$120,690−7%$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 Lowellville's: Western Reserve Local (Mahoning) (19 mi, $217,860); Jackson-Milton (19 mi, $178,440); Springfield Local (Mahoning) (6 mi, $174,720); Crestview Local (Columbiana) (15 mi, $171,160); Liberty (9 mi, $135,440); McDonald (12 mi, $120,740); Weathersfield (13 mi, $120,640); Newton Falls (23 mi, $116,540); LaBrae (22 mi, $112,500); Brookfield (13 mi, $110,780); East Palestine (14 mi, $106,280); Girard (11 mi, $97,880).

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: East Palestine, Jackson-Milton, Springfield Local (Mahoning), McDonald, LaBrae, Crestview Local (Columbiana), Western Reserve Local (Mahoning), Newton Falls, Brookfield, Liberty, Girard and Weathersfield.

Lowellville’s performance index — a weighted average of state test results on a 0–120 scale — was 84.6 in 2025-26, against 88.7 for the peer median and 88.3 for the median Ohio district (34th percentile).

LowellvillePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
97918681762014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232025-26
MeasureLowellvillePeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Performance index (of 120)84.688.7regional 88.288.334th2025-26
Performance index, % of maximum76.7%80.4%regional 80.1%80.1%34th2025-26
Math proficient53.2%61.2%regional 59.9%63.5%26th2025-26
Four-year graduation rate97.6%96.6%regional 97.6%97.2%56thClass of 2025
Chronically absent30.4%17.9%regional 19.5%16.4%89th2025-26
Overall rating (stars)4.03.5regional 3.54.062nd2025-26
LowellvillePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
101%99%96%94%91%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.

Lowellville spent $15,195 per pupil on operations in 2024-25, against $15,932 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 64% of Lowellville’s revenue. At the end of FY2026 the district held $3.61 million in general-fund cash, an unreserved balance of 53.7% of a year’s spending.

LowellvillePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
$17,652$14,883$12,113$9,344$6,5752010-112014-152018-192024-25
LowellvillePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
64%53%41%30%18%FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026
MeasureLowellvillePeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Operating spending per pupil$15,195$15,932regional $15,872$16,58025th2024-25
Revenue per pupil$17,488$18,924regional $17,399$18,15040th2024-25
State share of revenue64%57%regional 57%43%94th2024-25
Local share of revenue24%29%regional 28%42%13th2024-25
Federal share of revenue5%8%regional 7%6%27th2024-25
General-fund cash, end of year$3.61 million$4.21 millionregional $4.44 million$8.3 million11thFY2026
Unreserved balance, % of spending53.7%39.9%regional 33.2%36.2%84thFY2026
Average teacher salary$64,938$63,018regional $63,420$69,16330th2024-25
Property value per pupil$145,936$229,964regional $197,992$267,1975th2023-24

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. Lowellville’s effective residential rate was 22.00 mills (Ohio median 24.39). Since January 2026, districts can no longer place new emergency, substitute or replacement levies on the ballot.

MeasureLowellvilleRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Effective residential millage, current expenses22.0024.8324.3932ndTax year 2025
Effective business millage, current expenses30.3026.8026.5864th2024-25
Total voted operating millage55.9040.5741.8774th2024-25
Median property tax on owner-occupied homes$1,685$1,842$2,22828th2020–24 ACS
As a share of household income2.5%3.1%3.1%25th2020–24 ACS

Past school tax issues

Lowellville has put 3 school tax issues to voters since 2021; 1 passed and 2 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 2022Permanent improvement (new), 4 millsPassed51.35%
May 2022Permanent improvement (new), 4 millsFailed48.94%
Nov 2021Permanent improvement (new), 4 millsFailed46.75%

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 Lowellville 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 Lowellville 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
Springfield Local (Mahoning)Mahoning6862$15,61314.542.6%
East PalestineColumbiana14911$16,13114.660.1%
Jackson-MiltonMahoning19735$15,29515.749.2%
MaplewoodTrumbull26596$15,86913.143.8%
SouthingtonTrumbull27417$14,47915.648.8%
RidgedaleMarion140618$17,17512.959.9%
Eastern Local (Meigs)Meigs150678$15,73314.450.4%
LeipsicPutnam179612$14,17213.748.4%
Millcreek-West UnityWilliams206473$17,29413.549.5%
BradfordDarke213491$17,20613.558.1%
Edon NorthwestWilliams222498$15,99514.240.5%
Felicity-FranklinClermont242606$16,77714.159.8%

Regional peers 12 districts

The 12 districts (city, local and exempted-village districts) within 25 miles of Lowellville, 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
Springfield Local (Mahoning)Mahoning6862$15,61314.542.6%
LibertyTrumbull91,046$16,41013.776.4%
GirardTrumbull111,433$16,62514.065.4%
McDonaldTrumbull12661$14,28115.042.0%
BrookfieldTrumbull13923$15,18616.162.9%
WeathersfieldTrumbull13890$16,81815.346.8%
East PalestineColumbiana14911$16,13114.660.1%
Crestview Local (Columbiana)Columbiana151,075$15,17414.642.8%
Western Reserve Local (Mahoning)Mahoning19549$16,46112.032.7%
Jackson-MiltonMahoning19735$15,29515.749.2%
LaBraeTrumbull22942$15,48914.769.6%
Newton FallsTrumbull23797$16,74015.560.9%

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