L-B's academics, finances stay steady

FINDLAY — Liberty-Benton Local School District recently released its 2022-23 quality profile. Academics, finances, athletics and student achievement were covered in the report. Liberty-Benton reported that they earned 4.5 out of 5 stars on the 2022-23 Ohio School Report Card from the Ohio Department of Education. The district received a 5-star rating in the achievement, gap closing, early literacy and graduation categories, and a 4-star rating on the progress category on the report card. In the 2021-22 school year, Liberty-Benton received a 5-star rating in the achievement, gap closing, progress and graduation categories, and received a 4-star rating on the early literacy category. Twenty-three College Credit Plus courses are offered at Liberty-Benton. The district reported Class of 2023 students completed 2,531 credit hours in CCP classes over the course of four years. Liberty-Benton partners with Rhodes State College in Lima and Bowling Green State University to provide these free college credit courses. Finances As for finances, the district tallied its 2022-23 revenue and expenses in the report. Out of last year's total revenue, 40.58% came from the state, 39.95% came from real estate, 16.10% came from income tax, 2.90% came from other sources, 0.47% came from investments and 0% came from personal property. Liberty-Benton used 50.85% of its expenses were spent on salaries, 20.22% on benefits for employees, 17.03% on purchased services, 5.84% on other expenses, 3.76% on supplies and materials and 2.30% on capital outlay. In their 2021-22 quality profile, the district reported 42.52% of their revenue came from the state, 38.61% came from real estate, 15.10% came from income tax, 3.52% came from other sources, 0.25% came from investments, and 0% came from personal property. That year, 53.23% of Liberty-Benton's expenses were used on salaries, 20.80% for benefits for employees, 14.59% for purchased services, 5.92% for expenses, 3.07% for supplies and materials and 2.39% for capital outlay. "The district continues to prioritize investing in education to ensure that students have access to quality learning experiences despite fluctuations in revenue and expenses," wrote Treasurer Lisa Dobbins in an email. "Given the shifting nature of inflation impacts across different budget components, it's essential for Liberty-Benton to continue monitoring and adjusting budget allocations to maintain fiscal soundness while safeguarding educational quality. This adaptability ensures that resources are effectively positioned to support the district's mission and goals, ultimately providing a culture of lifelong learning and opportunities of academic growth in an environment where students can thrive now and in the future," she wrote. Liberty-Benton opened two new buildings over the course of two years. The 28,000 square-foot Eagle Field House was opened in April 2022. The new elementary/middle school was opened in August of 2023. The full Liberty-Benton 2022-23 quality profile can be viewed online at https://www.Liberty-Benton.org/QualityProfile.