Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 31, 2019	Jul. 31, 2018
Current assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 13,344	$ 13,496
Investment securities available for sale	1,577	1,497
Contract receivables, net of allowance for doubtful accounts and contract adjustments of $1,004 and $1,284, respectively	25,087	25,615
Income tax receivable	912	1,230
Other current assets	2,078	1,752
Total current assets	42,998	43,590
Property, buildings and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation of $17,066 and $16,799, respectively	3,253	3,870
Deferred income taxes	2,130	789
Equity method investment	1,658	2,058
Other assets	1,771	2,522
Total assets	51,810	52,829
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable	6,099	5,635
Lines of credit	284	0
Accrued payroll costs	6,661	6,066
Current portion of long-term debt and capital lease obligations	41	54
Customer deposits	3,551	3,191
Other accrued liabilities	1,386	1,382
Total current liabilities	18,022	16,328
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations	13	54
Commitments and contingencies (Note 20)
Shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock, par value $.01 per share (2,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued)	0	0
Capital in excess of par value	16,964	17,558
Retained earnings	18,687	20,973
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(2,098)	(1,885)
Treasury stock, at cost (Class A common: 64,823 and 15,789 shares, respectively; Class B common: 0 and 64,801 shares, respectively)	(729)	(907)
Total Ecology and Environment Inc. shareholders' equity	32,868	35,783
Noncontrolling interests	907	664
Total shareholders' equity	33,775	36,447
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	51,810	52,829
Class A [Member]
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock	32	30
Class B [Member]
Shareholders' equity:
Common stock	$ 12	$ 14