In order to make financial management of Ohio schools simpler and more understandable to the public, this Citizens' Council report recommends structural changes in school district budgeting that would necessitate changes in state law. The major problem areas identified are the districts' use of the calendar year as fiscal year, the requirement that districts file both a tax budget and an appropriation measure, and the difficulty of accurately projecting annual revenues. So that the schools' program year will fall within one fiscal year, the council recommends that the Ohio General Assembly establish a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year for public schools. Because district tax budgets tend to be inflated and confusing, they recommend that the assembly abolish the requirement for an annual tax budget. Recommended for improving revenue projections is the collection and allocation of intercounty tangible personal property tax at the state level and the shifting of these funds from the county to state general revenue fund, in addition to requiring that county auditors complete final certification of property values by September 1 and convey tax reduction factors to school district treasurers immediately after verification. Appendixes include data from 63 school districts' cash flow reports and a methodological note. (MJL)