PHOTO BY JESSE DAVIS / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
HARD TIMES AHEAD … The Pike-Delta-York Local School District, whose administrative offices are seen here, is coping with growing deficit spending and the potential for going into the red overall due to a variety of factors including the loss of its substitute levy, declining state funding, and declining enrollment.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
Financial struggles largely driven by reductions in state funding and new rules regarding how other funds can be raised have the Pike-Delta-York Local School District staring down the barrel of deficit spending.
The news was delivered by Treasurer/CFO Leland Hays at the most recent meeting of the district’s board of education as part of his five-year forecast.
According to Hays’ report, actions by the district to cut costs both in the past as well as in coming years are deferring a much worse outcome.
Under the district’s precaution plan, it is estimated that the district will spend more than $1 million more than it takes in during fiscal year 2028, and more than $1.6 million more than its projected revenue in fiscal year 2029.
In fiscal year 2026 — which ends June 30 — the district was already deficit spending in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, with that spending expected to stop somewhere shy of $1 million in fiscal year 2027.
Despite that deficit spending, the district’s fund balance is projected to stay positive at roughly $1.8 million in fiscal year 2028 and just over $218,000 in fiscal year 2029.
Their estimates that don’t include the savings measures show projected deficit spending reaching $2.8 million by fiscal year 2029, with a fund balance of roughly negative $3.2 million.
Outside the savings plan, there are also some expected future retirements that will also defray costs, but they cannot be included in the forecast since they have not been officially submitted.
“Really what it comes down to is how the different house bills will impact us going forward,” Hays said after the meeting.
He said multiple factors are affecting the district’s revenue, including changes in the house bills, the loss of their substitute levy, and falling enrollment.
Declining state funding has also been an issue. Hays said the state share of funding dropped by 14 percent this year and will drop a further 14 percent next year.
Compounding the problem is that, as Hays reported to the board in May, real estate taxes collected by the district were down roughly 11 percent from last year.
The district did expect the swing, however, with their estimates falling within 1 percent of that amount.
“It’s not going to be fun. It’s a very challenging time right now for all school districts across the state,” Hays said.
Hays said the district has been trying to use retirements for some time now in order to find cost savings by either not filling the positions or staffing them with existing personnel.
“Going forward, depending on what revenue looks like for us, it could be involuntary termination for teachers to get the deficit under control.
“Fingers crossed everything works out, but we don’t know and that’s the hard part,” he said.
Hays said the district’s position could be further hampered if the statewide fight against property taxes — which was unsuccessful in getting on the ballot this year — makes it through next year. He said another factor is who wins the gubernatorial election in November.
“Right now we’re pretty stable. Our estimated revenue is within a half percent of where we estimated it would be at the end of the year,” Hays said.
According to Hays, the district is continuing to look for further cost savings options, including an upcoming meeting with administrators of Four County Career Center about the possibility of partnering on the district’s agricultural program.
OTHER BUSINESS
Board members approved a large slate of personnel items, including a contract for a high school district aide and a variety of athletic and non-athletic supplementals and stipends, as well as an $11,000 outside contract for an athletic trainer.
Board members approved increases to substitute rates for teachers, aides, custodians, food service workers, secretaries, and bus drivers.
Board members approved its annual agreement with the Northwest Ohio Juvenile Detention, Training and Rehabilitation Center for the 2026-2027 school year to provide educational services to any students housed there at a rate of $91 per student per day.
Board members approved its annual agreement with the Wood County Educational Service Center for the 2026-2027 school year to provide educational services to any students housed at the Wood County Juvenile Detention Center at a rate of $88 per student per day and to those housed at the Juvenile Residential Center of Northwest Ohio at a rate of $96 per student per day.
Board members approved student course fees for the 2026-2027 school year.
Board members approved updates to the athletic department, staff, and student/parent handbooks for the 2026-2027 school year.
Board members approved the Fulton County attendance policy, which lays out requirements for attendance as well as levels of intervention tied to differing amounts of missed days.
Board members approved a high school volleyball team trip to a competition in Sandusky from July 20 through 21 and to a competition in Columbus from July 24 through 26.
Board members approved a high school boys soccer team trip to a competition in Cincinnati from July 24 through 26.
Board members approved a high school girls soccer team trip to a competition in Westerville from July 24 through 26.
The next regular meeting of the Pike-Delta-York Local School District Board of Education will be held at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15, at the board’s offices, located at 504 Fernwood Street in Delta.