The Cleveland Metropolitan School District announced plans for a merger on Wednesday that would involve every corner of the district and city.
If the board of education approves the plan when it votes in early December, the district will move forward with the closure of 18 buildings and the ending of five leases, as there will be 29 fewer schools that will operate in the 2026-27 school year.
Cleveland School District's Plan for a Merger
Additionally, if the plan is approved, the district will have 45 elementary schools, which is a decrease from the 61 schools at 62 buildings, and 14 high schools, which is down from 27 schools at 23 buildings.
The plan comes as the district has observed its enrollment drop by around half since the 2000s, which equates to about a loss of roughly 34,000 students as of 2024. Officials also said that the district is facing budget challenges because of rising costs and a decline in state and federal funding, according to Ideastream.
In a statement, CMSD CEO Warren Morgan said that the consolidation plan will result in the district saving roughly $30 million annually. He added that the situation demands action that would be beneficial.
Furthermore, Morgan and the district noted that there is a need to consolidate so they can provide a better education experience for all students. This would be done by focusing resources on a smaller number of schools, which would hopefully increase quality.
Affecting Roughly 30,000 Students
Between the schools that are planned to be merged, moved, or given students from a closed building, there are roughly 30,000 students who will be affected. Board Chair Sara Elaqad noted that the board expects to vote on the plan on Dec. 9. They would then expand opportunities for public comment at that meeting and two others, which are scheduled for Nov. 19 and Dec. 2, Signal Cleveland reported.
She acknowledged the difficulty the situation brings for everyone involved, as it takes schools offline and makes major changes to how things are done. However, she argued that every dollar they spend to heat, clean, and maintain some of the buildings in the district is money that is not being used to educate children.
Warren said that the district is in a "perfect storm of challenges," noting that another factor in the decline in enrollment is a result of a decline in birth rates. He argued that if the district does not save $150 million immediately, it would be at risk of being placed on fiscal precautionary status and a state takeover, as per Fox8.
