Columbus City School DistrictBudget & Spending

Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio NCES 3904380

ccsoh.us ↗
Total revenue · FY2024
$1.2B $1,247,119,000
Students enrolled
45,181
Revenue per pupil
$27,603
Local share per pupil
$16,799 90th percentile in OH

Transparency grade C, provisional

Under review

Provisional grade

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NCES F-33 · FY2024

Where the money goes

Operating and capital spending from the federal expenditure survey, rolled up by function.

Aggregate categories only: no individual payees or contracts are shown.

Instruction
$475M 43.2% of spending
Administration
$99.4M 9.0% of spending
Per pupil
$24,338 All functions
Instruction — 43.2%Student Support Services — 10.6%Student Transportation — 8.4%General Administration — 7.8%Capital Outlay — 7.7%Instructional Staff Support — 7.0%Business & Central Services — 6.3%Operations & Maintenance — 4.9%Food Services — 2.7%School Administration — 1.3%Total$1.1BK12 Transparency
Dollars by function
K12 TransparencyInstructionInstruction — $474,534,000$475MStudent Support ServicesStudent Support Services — $116,904,000$117MStudent TransportationStudent Transportation — $92,798,000$92.8MGeneral AdministrationGeneral Administration — $85,282,000$85.3MCapital OutlayCapital Outlay — $85,014,000$85.0MInstructional Staff Suppo…Instructional Staff Support — $77,421,000$77.4MBusiness & Central Servic…Business & Central Services — $69,783,000$69.8MOperations & MaintenanceOperations & Maintenance — $54,345,000$54.3MFood ServicesFood Services — $29,359,000$29.4MSchool AdministrationSchool Administration — $14,164,000$14.2M
  • Instruction 43.2%
  • Student Support Services 10.6%
  • Student Transportation 8.4%
  • General Administration 7.8%
  • Capital Outlay 7.7%
  • Instructional Staff Support 7.0%
  • Business & Central Services 6.3%
  • Operations & Maintenance 4.9%
  • Food Services 2.7%
  • School Administration 1.3%
Reported separately from the chart above Interest on Debt: $5,679,000 Debt service is not operating spending and is not comparable between districts, so it sits outside the chart. In some states, recapture payments are reported in this federal variable as well.
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Columbus City School District expenditures by function
FunctionAmountPer pupilShare
Instruction $474,534,000 $10,503 43.2%
Student Support Services $116,904,000 $2,587 10.6%
Student Transportation $92,798,000 $2,054 8.4%
General Administration $85,282,000 $1,888 7.8%
Capital Outlay $85,014,000 $1,882 7.7%
Instructional Staff Support $77,421,000 $1,714 7.0%
Business & Central Services $69,783,000 $1,545 6.3%
Operations & Maintenance $54,345,000 $1,203 4.9%
Food Services $29,359,000 $650 2.7%
School Administration $14,164,000 $313 1.3%
Total $1,099,604,000 $24,338 100%

NCES F-33 · FY2005–FY2024

How this has changed

Measure FY2005 FY2024 Change Nominal % Real %
Total revenue $794,995,000 $1,247,119,000 +$452,124,000 +56.9% -2.3%
Total expenditure $747,667,000 $1,138,650,000 +$390,983,000 +52.3% -5.2%
Revenue per pupil $13,104 $27,603 +$14,499 +110.6% +31.1%
Students enrolled 60,668 45,181 -15,487 -25.5% —
Change since FY2005, every measure on one scale
-50%0%+50%+100%+150%K12 TransparencyTotal revenue, FY2005: $794,995,000 (+0.0%)Total revenue, FY2006: $792,623,000 (-0.3%)Total revenue, FY2007: $907,767,000 (+14.2%)Total revenue, FY2008: $910,711,000 (+14.6%)Total revenue, FY2009: $894,781,000 (+12.6%)Total revenue, FY2010: $946,466,000 (+19.1%)Total revenue, FY2011: $980,035,000 (+23.3%)Total revenue, FY2012: $949,275,000 (+19.4%)Total revenue, FY2013: $902,057,000 (+13.5%)Total revenue, FY2014: $898,842,000 (+13.1%)Total revenue, FY2015: $816,029,000 (+2.6%)Total revenue, FY2016: $840,528,000 (+5.7%)Total revenue, FY2017: $920,853,000 (+15.8%)Total revenue, FY2018: $939,858,000 (+18.2%)Total revenue, FY2019: $941,998,000 (+18.5%)Total revenue, FY2020: $964,066,000 (+21.3%)Total revenue, FY2021: $1,007,588,000 (+26.7%)Total revenue, FY2022: $1,037,875,000 (+30.6%)Total revenue, FY2023: $1,186,664,000 (+49.3%)Total revenue, FY2024: $1,247,119,000 (+56.9%)Total expenditure, FY2005: $747,667,000 (+0.0%)Total expenditure, FY2006: $830,086,000 (+11.0%)Total expenditure, FY2007: $900,413,000 (+20.4%)Total expenditure, FY2008: $986,576,000 (+32.0%)Total expenditure, FY2009: $928,171,000 (+24.1%)Total expenditure, FY2010: $919,893,000 (+23.0%)Total expenditure, FY2011: $916,172,000 (+22.5%)Total expenditure, FY2012: $936,473,000 (+25.3%)Total expenditure, FY2013: $928,345,000 (+24.2%)Total expenditure, FY2014: $901,080,000 (+20.5%)Total expenditure, FY2015: $916,517,000 (+22.6%)Total expenditure, FY2016: $991,416,000 (+32.6%)Total expenditure, FY2017: $1,017,097,000 (+36.0%)Total expenditure, FY2018: $1,033,987,000 (+38.3%)Total expenditure, FY2019: $1,086,170,000 (+45.3%)Total expenditure, FY2020: $1,104,950,000 (+47.8%)Total expenditure, FY2021: $971,338,000 (+29.9%)Total expenditure, FY2022: $1,021,781,000 (+36.7%)Total expenditure, FY2023: $1,124,915,000 (+50.5%)Total expenditure, FY2024: $1,138,650,000 (+52.3%)Revenue per pupil, FY2005: $13,104 (+0.0%)Revenue per pupil, FY2006: $13,443 (+2.6%)Revenue per pupil, FY2007: $16,209 (+23.7%)Revenue per pupil, FY2008: $16,478 (+25.7%)Revenue per pupil, FY2009: $16,714 (+27.5%)Revenue per pupil, FY2010: $17,922 (+36.8%)Revenue per pupil, FY2011: $19,166 (+46.3%)Revenue per pupil, FY2012: $18,802 (+43.5%)Revenue per pupil, FY2013: $17,904 (+36.6%)Revenue per pupil, FY2014: $17,807 (+35.9%)Revenue per pupil, FY2015: $16,189 (+23.5%)Revenue per pupil, FY2016: $16,801 (+28.2%)Revenue per pupil, FY2017: $18,296 (+39.6%)Revenue per pupil, FY2018: $18,715 (+42.8%)Revenue per pupil, FY2019: $19,254 (+46.9%)Revenue per pupil, FY2020: $19,772 (+50.9%)Revenue per pupil, FY2021: $21,596 (+64.8%)Revenue per pupil, FY2022: $22,787 (+73.9%)Revenue per pupil, FY2023: $26,174 (+99.7%)Revenue per pupil, FY2024: $27,603 (+110.6%)Students enrolled, FY2005: 60,668 (+0.0%)Students enrolled, FY2006: 58,961 (-2.8%)Students enrolled, FY2007: 56,003 (-7.7%)Students enrolled, FY2008: 55,269 (-8.9%)Students enrolled, FY2009: 53,536 (-11.8%)Students enrolled, FY2010: 52,810 (-13.0%)Students enrolled, FY2011: 51,134 (-15.7%)Students enrolled, FY2012: 50,488 (-16.8%)Students enrolled, FY2013: 50,384 (-17.0%)Students enrolled, FY2014: 50,478 (-16.8%)Students enrolled, FY2015: 50,407 (-16.9%)Students enrolled, FY2016: 50,028 (-17.5%)Students enrolled, FY2017: 50,331 (-17.0%)Students enrolled, FY2018: 50,219 (-17.2%)Students enrolled, FY2019: 48,925 (-19.4%)Students enrolled, FY2020: 48,759 (-19.6%)Students enrolled, FY2021: 46,657 (-23.1%)Students enrolled, FY2022: 45,547 (-24.9%)Students enrolled, FY2023: 45,338 (-25.3%)Students enrolled, FY2024: 45,181 (-25.5%)+110.6%+60.6%+56.9%+52.3%-25.5%'05'08'11'14'17'20'23'24Inflation baseline (+60.6% cumulative)Total revenueTotal expenditureRevenue per pupilStudents enrolled

Percent change from each measure's FY2005 level. Dollar figures are nominal as filed; the real column removes inflation using CPI-U, U.S. city average, all items, annual average (BLS). The dashed line is that same inflation curve, so a dollar line above it gained purchasing power and one below it lost. It does not apply to enrollment. Hover any point for the underlying number.

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100-point rubric

What Columbus City School District needs for an A

  • Public check register

    14 pts

    Every disbursement published with payee category, date, amount, and fund, updated at least quarterly.

    A check register records where money actually went, rather than where it was budgeted to go.

  • Annual financial audit

    6 pts

    A current Annual Comprehensive Financial Report with the independent auditor opinion attached.

    A financial audit confirms the statements are accurately presented. Most states require one, so it is a floor rather than a distinction.

  • Performance or efficiency audit

    5 pts

    An independent review of whether spending achieved its stated purpose, published within the last three years.

    A financial audit asks whether the numbers are right. A performance audit asks whether the money did what it was meant to do, which is the question a taxpayer is usually asking.

  • Line-item adopted budget

    11 pts

    The adopted budget broken out by function and object code, not a summary presentation.

    Function and object detail is what allows classroom and central office spending to be compared.

  • Purchasing card transactions

    9 pts

    Purchasing and credit card transaction detail with merchant category, date, and amount.

    Card purchases sit outside the standard purchase-order process, so separate disclosure is what makes them reviewable.

  • Payment history by category

    9 pts

    Cumulative payments grouped by spending category, covering at least one full fiscal year.

    Category totals show concentration and recurring commitments that individual payments do not.

  • Machine-readable data

    9 pts

    Financial data offered as CSV, XLSX, JSON, or an open API rather than scanned images.

    A scanned PDF is technically public and practically difficult to analyse. Open formats make review possible.

  • Compensation schedule

    7 pts

    Current salary schedules and aggregate administrator compensation bands, including stipends.

    Payroll is the largest line in most district budgets, so schedule-level disclosure covers the bulk of spending.

  • Bond and capital disclosure

    7 pts

    Bond program spending reported against the specific projects voters approved, with remaining balances.

    Bond funds are borrowed against future taxes and authorised for a named project list, so reporting against that list closes the loop.

  • Board minutes and agendas

    7 pts

    Minutes and agenda packets posted together with the financial exhibits that were voted on.

    The vote and its attachment are what connect a decision to the money it moved.

  • Contracts posted

    6 pts

    Executed contracts and amendments above the district bid threshold, posted in full.

    A payment shows the amount. The contract shows what was promised in return.

  • Direct download, no request

    6 pts

    Core financial records download directly, with no records request, login, or fee.

    Publishing a record and releasing it on request are different levels of disclosure.

  • Published records process

    4 pts

    A public records page naming the responsible officer, the statutory timeline, and any fees.

    A documented process tells a requester what to expect before they file.

No items have been checked yet. These fill in as each record is located and verified.