The Westerville City Schools Board of Education on March 17 approved an updated five-year forecast that restores $30 million previously moved into a capital projects fund, adopts $4.8 million in current-year budget reductions and identifies more than 30 position eliminations planned for the next school year.

Treasurer Nicole Marshall told the board the optional spring forecast update was necessary so the district can certify the unreserved fund balance that allows it to sign multiyear contracts. "We would have still had a negative unreserved fund balance in '29 even with that $30,000,000 being moved back into the general operating fund," Marshall said during her presentation. She said the forecast now shows a roughly $14 million unreserved balance in 2029, which restores the district's ability to sign longer contracts.

The nut of the board's decision is a combination of one-time and recurring adjustments. Marshall said building and department leaders found $4.8 million in current-year reductions and that changes to curriculum and technology five-year plans produce about $2.4 million in savings across the forecast period. Staffing reductions, which she said are unavoidable because staff account for more than 80% of operating expenditures, are estimated to save over $3 million.

Superintendent Hamburg emphasized the role of state and federal funding in the district's outlook and urged continued advocacy. "Tomorrow is a big day. It is lobby day down at the State House," Hamburg said, noting board members, staff and community advocates planned to meet legislators. Board members repeatedly cited uncertainty in the biennial state budget and the governor's proposal, which Marshall and others said could lower the district's state share of funding and reduce operating revenue.

Board members pressed staff on specific items in the forecast. Marshall said the district eliminated a $65,000 annual transfer to build turf replacement savings, deferred or scaled back technology and curriculum updates, and eliminated a separate capital projects fund that had been seeded with $30 million when a bond measure failed last year. She said those steps helped avoid a forecasted negative balance but do not remove the need to identify additional structural savings.

Public commenters and several board members urged the district to continue scrutinizing line items before seeking new levies from voters. Resident Doug Krinsky questioned recent contract provisions for district executives and urged greater transparency about cash on hand. In response, Marshall explained how the district calculates 90 days cash-on-hand and why the unreserved line on the five-year forecast is used to certify long-term contracts.

The board voted unanimously to adopt the optional spring five-year forecast. Board members and staff said they will return with a full forecast in May, and that the district will continue advocacy at the Statehouse and monitor potential changes to federal programs that currently support special education and reading instruction positions.

Clarifying details discussed at the meeting include: $30,000,000 moved back from the now-rescinded capital projects fund into the general operating fund; $4,800,000 in current-year reductions identified by buildings/departments; over 30 staffing positions proposed for reduction next year; approximately $2,400,000 in reductions from curriculum and technology five-year plans across the forecast period; elimination of a $65,000 annual transfer for turf replacement; and an estimated unreserved fund balance of a little under $14,000,000 projected in 2029 (all figures given by Treasurer Nicole Marshall during the meeting). The board's adoption of the forecast allows staff to certify and sign multiyear contracts.

The board intends to bring the full forecast back at its regular May meeting for a more complete review and will continue local advocacy for state funding decisions that could materially change the district's revenue outlook.