Bedford City
School District
Five Year Forecast
A forecast is somewhat like a future painting based on a snapshot of today. That snapshot, however, will be adjusted because the further into the future the forecast extends the more likely it is that the projections will deviate from experience. A variety of events will ultimately impact the latter years of the forecast such as state budgets (adopted every two years), tax levies (new/renewal/replacement), salary increases, or businesses moving in or out of the district. The five-year forecast is a crucial management tool and must be updated periodically. The five-year forecast enables district management teams to examine future years’ projections and identify when challenges will arise. This then helps district management to be proactive in meeting those challenges. School districts are encouraged to update their forecasts with ODE when events take place that will significantly change their forecast or, at a minimum, when required under the statute.
In a financial forecast, the numbers only tell a small part of the story. For the numbers to be meaningful, the reader must review and consider the Assumptions of the Financial Forecast before drawing conclusions or using the data as a basis for other calculations. The assumptions are fundamental to understanding the rationale of the numbers, particularly when a significant increase or decrease is reflected.
Since the preparation of a meaningful five-year forecast is as much an art as it is a science and entails many intricacies, it is recommended that you contact the Treasurer/Chief Fiscal Officer of the school district with any questions you may have. The Treasurer/CFO submits the forecast, but the Board of Education is recognized as the official owner of the forecast.
Here are three essential purposes or objectives of the five-year forecast:
(1) To engage the local board of education and the community in long-range planning and discussions of financial issues facing the school district
(2) To serve as a basis for determining the school district’s ability to sign the certificate required by O.R.C. §5705.412, commonly known as the “412 certificate”
(3) To provide a method for the Department of Education and Auditor of State to identify school districts with potential financial problems
O.R.C. §5705.391 and O.A.C. 3301-92-04 require a Board of Education (BOE) to file a five (5) year financial forecast by November 30th and May 31st each fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th). The five-year forecast includes three years of actual and five-years of projected general fund revenues and expenditures.