Budget Committee
Ohio · IRN 050708 · Wood County

North Baltimore Local School District

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

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

North Baltimore Local School District: one referendum question

School district income tax

Renewal of a 1% school district income tax on earned income, 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: Wood County BOE certified questions and issues list

Enrollment
581
2025-26
Performance index
80.5
2025-26
Graduation
100.0%
class of 2025
Spending / pupil
$20,822
2024-25
State share
43%
2024-25
Unreserved balance
35.9%
FY2026
Residential mills
23.1
tax year 2025
Home value
−26%
5-yr avg vs. 11 nearby districts
Enrollment

581 students in 2025-26, down from a peak of 750 in 2006-07; −1.2% over five years against −7.9% for the regional peer median.

Achievement

Performance index 80.5 of 120 in 2025-26 (Ohio median 88.3); 3.5 stars overall; four-year graduation 100.0%.

Spending

$20,822 per pupil in operating spending (2024-25), above the peer median of $20,009; the state supplies 43% of revenue and local taxes 38%.

Reserves

$5.99 million in general-fund cash at the end of FY2026; the unreserved balance was 35.9% of spending (Ohio median 36.2%).

Property taxes

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

Students

56% economically disadvantaged, 0% English learners, 21.1% with disabilities (2024-25).

North Baltimore enrolled 581 students in 2025-26. Enrollment peaked at 750 in 2006-07. Since 2006-07 it has changed −22.5%, against −19.3% for the regional peer median and −19.5% for the median Ohio district.

North BaltimoreRegional peers (median)Ohio districts (median)
104968981732006-072010-112014-152018-192025-26

Students

MeasureNorth BaltimorePeers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Economically disadvantaged56%55%47%67th2024-25
English learners0.3%0.0%0.4%47th2021-22
Students with disabilities21.1%18.0%16.1%89th2024-25
Black1.8%2.2%3.4%31st2024-25
Hispanic16.1%7.9%4.2%94th2024-25
White78.3%91.4%88.7%25th2024-25
Multiracial2.9%5.4%4.4%25th2024-25

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 (for North Baltimore, 56% from 2023-24).

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 North Baltimore’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.

MeasureNorth BaltimoreRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Resident students in district schools5065181,18014th2025-26
Resident students on EdChoice320617th2025-26
Resident students in community (charter) schools32143940th2025-26
Resident students open-enrolled elsewhere39739717th2025-26

Community

MeasureNorth BaltimoreRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Median household income$64,276$77,831$73,77831st2020–24 ACS
Poverty rate12.4%7.9%9.9%65th2020–24 ACS
Adults with a bachelor's degree12.5%21.5%21.9%8th2020–24 ACS
Median home value$122,200$163,600$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 North Baltimore averaged $111,680, 26% below the median of the 11 districts within 25 miles ($151,040). That ranks 12th of 12 in the area and at the 11th percentile of Ohio districts (state median $167,900).

ACS 5-year releaseNorth BaltimoreNearby medianDifferenceOhio median
2016–20$105,300$131,000−20%$142,600
2017–21$106,800$131,000−18%$149,100
2018–22$113,400$151,200−25%$167,700
2019–23$110,700$158,200−30%$182,500
2020–24$122,200$163,600−25%$196,400
Five-release average$111,680$151,040−26%$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 North Baltimore's: Arcadia (10 mi, $194,320); New Riegel (21 mi, $166,460); Pandora-Gilboa (22 mi, $159,680); Cory-Rawson (18 mi, $158,140); McComb (8 mi, $151,700); Elmwood (8 mi, $151,040); Patrick Henry (17 mi, $142,520); Gibsonburg (23 mi, $141,640); Lakota Local (Sandusky) (19 mi, $137,700); Leipsic (17 mi, $135,300); Holgate (23 mi, $126,360).

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: McComb, Cory-Rawson, Holgate, Patrick Henry, Leipsic, Gibsonburg, Pandora-Gilboa, Arcadia, New Riegel, Lakota Local (Sandusky) and Elmwood.

North Baltimore’s performance index — a weighted average of state test results on a 0–120 scale — was 80.5 in 2025-26, against 86.5 for the peer median and 88.3 for the median Ohio district (21st percentile).

North BaltimorePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
95908580742014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232025-26
MeasureNorth BaltimorePeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Performance index (of 120)80.586.5regional 86.788.321st2025-26
Performance index, % of maximum73.0%78.3%regional 78.6%80.1%21st2025-26
Math proficient46.8%56.0%regional 62.5%63.5%15th2025-26
Four-year graduation rate100.0%95.4%regional 98.2%97.2%93rdClass of 2025
Chronically absent13.1%16.3%regional 9.4%16.4%32nd2025-26
Overall rating (stars)3.53.5regional 3.54.037th2025-26
North BaltimorePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
102%98%94%89%85%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.

North Baltimore spent $20,822 per pupil on operations in 2024-25, against $20,009 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 43% of North Baltimore’s revenue. At the end of FY2026 the district held $5.99 million in general-fund cash, an unreserved balance of 35.9% of a year’s spending.

North BaltimorePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
$22,223$18,603$14,984$11,365$7,7452010-112014-152018-192024-25
North BaltimorePeers (median)Ohio districts (median)
70%57%44%31%18%FY2014FY2016FY2018FY2020FY2022FY2024FY2026
MeasureNorth BaltimorePeer medianregional beneathOhio (median)PercentileYear
Operating spending per pupil$20,822$20,009regional $17,666$16,58088th2024-25
Revenue per pupil$24,290$21,992regional $20,191$18,15093rd2024-25
State share of revenue43%48%regional 43%43%49th2024-25
Local share of revenue38%34%regional 46%42%40th2024-25
Federal share of revenue6%8%regional 5%6%50th2024-25
General-fund cash, end of year$5.99 million$4.71 millionregional $5.91 million$8.3 million33rdFY2026
Unreserved balance, % of spending35.9%35.0%regional 50.7%36.2%50thFY2026
Average teacher salary$70,973$60,778regional $65,772$69,16357th2024-25
Property value per pupil$310,767$286,171regional $297,449$267,19764th2023-24

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. North Baltimore’s effective residential rate was 23.14 mills (Ohio median 24.39). Since January 2026, districts can no longer place new emergency, substitute or replacement levies on the ballot.

MeasureNorth BaltimoreRegional peers (median)Ohio (median)PercentileYear
Effective residential millage, current expenses23.1421.6024.3945thTax year 2025
Effective business millage, current expenses33.1223.1926.5871st2024-25
Total voted operating millage45.2132.8041.8758th2024-25
Median property tax on owner-occupied homes$1,448$1,786$2,22814th2020–24 ACS
As a share of household income2.3%2.4%3.1%13th2020–24 ACS

Past school tax issues

North Baltimore has put 2 school tax issues to voters since 2020; 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 2021Renewal (renewal), 0.01 millsPassed61.9%
Nov 2020Emergency (renewal), 1.45 millsPassed55.78%

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 North Baltimore 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 North Baltimore 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
McCombHancock8578$19,15912.144.9%
StrykerWilliams44359$21,39412.054.8%
Plymouth-ShilohHuron54587$20,24613.062.9%
North CentralWilliams57488$19,67311.739.8%
RittmanWayne99735$18,15011.648.8%
BrownCarroll136546$19,60611.654.5%
Conotton Valley UnionCarroll138538$21,77213.657.0%
Nelsonville-YorkAthens142956$20,32912.063.2%
BristolTrumbull147397$17,57411.355.0%
CaldwellNoble150774$19,77312.752.9%
LeetoniaColumbiana153460$21,07711.662.3%
Federal HockingAthens160757$20,88012.653.8%

Regional peers 11 districts

The 11 districts (city, local and exempted-village districts) within 25 miles of North Baltimore, 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
McCombHancock8578$19,15912.144.9%
ElmwoodWood81,078$17,18414.638.6%
ArcadiaHancock10547$16,10515.246.3%
Patrick HenryHenry17828$17,92914.844.5%
LeipsicPutnam17612$14,17213.748.4%
Cory-RawsonHancock18466$21,24015.247.6%
Lakota Local (Sandusky)Sandusky19852$16,51115.648.6%
New RiegelSeneca21355$18,04713.021.6%
Pandora-GilboaPutnam22455$17,66614.533.9%
GibsonburgSandusky23656$17,15315.645.1%
HolgateHenry23363$18,72910.830.0%

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