4/5/2011 10:50:00 PMCleveland School Board Votes on Staff Layoffs and School Closures to Offset Budget Deficit

Cleveland, Ohio – The board of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District voted tonight to close seven schools and layoff 702 Cleveland Teachers Union employees, including 643 classroom teachers. (See lists below)

The board will consider additional layoffs at its April 26 meeting, when Interim CEO Peter Raskind will recommend laying off central office union and at-will employees in addition to cuts in salaries and benefits, for a savings of nearly $3.9 million. The staff reductions and the decision to close seven schools were required to offset a projected $74 million deficit over the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 school years.

Schools to be closed are Captain Arthur Roth, Emile B. deSauze, Giddings, Union and Woodland Hills, all elementary schools; the Early Childhood Center at Charles Orr for K-3; and Genesis School at Margaret Ireland, an alternative school for seventh through 11th grade.

The successful Early Childhood Development program will be continued at a location to be determined. The Genesis program will be discontinued.

An earlier proposal to cut $2.1 million out of the District’s textbook budget and $500,000 in extracurricular activities was dropped due to what Raskind said were larger cuts in the central office than originally proposed.

Effective, June 30, 2011, the District will stop the practice of paying employees' portion of pension contributions, also known as a pension pickup.  This will save CMSD $350,000, Raskind said.  Auto allowances for central office staff will also be eliminated.

By addressing the budget for two school years, Raskind said the District will be on a more stable financial course that will allow staff to focus on educating students.“We fully appreciate the serious impact of these decisions on people’s lives and on their livelihoods, but such difficult decisions are necessary for putting the Cleveland Metropolitan School District on a sustainable financial course,” he said.

Click here for the teacher layoff list

Click here for the paraprofessional layoff list

Click here for the substitute teacher layoff list

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