Euclid - As Ohio's and the country's first ever mail-in election wraps up, one Northeast Ohio school district's future remains in doubt.
After the election results were posted by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, Issue 27, the levy for Euclid City Schools, trails by 216 votes (3,400 for to 3,616 against). However, there are still 800 ballot requests that are unaccounted.
The community is expected to know the final results of Issue 27 in mid-May, once the Board of Elections completes its count of late-arriving ballots.
School district Superintendent Christopher Papouras released a statement:
We are thankful to all the volunteers that made phone calls, walked door-to-door, posted on social media, and organized activities to share the message about the importance of Issue 27. Our volunteers helped educate citizens on how to cast their vote by mail; thus helping to protect voting rights.
As for now, we will continue to be patient with this unprecedented process, and will wait for the official results from the Board of Elections. No matter what happens when the count on Issue 27 is final, we are committed to ensuring our schools can provide the educational opportunities Euclid’s children need for future success. However, the District has already taken action on identifying cuts to match the district’s financial position for the 2020-2021 school year.
In addition to the previously announced cuts, at the May 4th board meeting the district will consider other administrative changes, including restructuring due to financial conditions impacting the schools.
Cuts that were already implemented at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year included:
- Reducing supplementals throughout the District by roughly a quarter-million dollars
- Decreasing transportation services to the state minimum levels
- Reducing 10 teaching positions, 5 administrative positions, and 8 classified positions
- Implementing a wage freeze for all employees
- Cutting other programs including elementary music, middle school art, and some district-wide athletic programs.
Now, a new round of cuts are expected They include:
Elementary Schools
- Reduction of eight teaching positions (One in Gr.1; One in Gr.2; Two in Gr.3; Two in Gr.4; One in Gr.5; and One in Art
- Reduction of 14 Elementary School Tutor Positions
Central Middle School
- Reduction of five teaching positions (One in Grade 6; One in Math; Two in Language Arts; and One in Science)
Euclid High School
- Reducing four teaching positions (One in Intervention Reading/Math; One in Music; One in English; and One in Physical Education)
Administration and Non-Teaching Employees
- Reducing one Elementary Dean of Students position
- Other administrative changes, including restructuring due to financial conditions impacting the District.
District-wide
- In an effort to improve the District’s financial situation the Board shall offer a one-time retirement incentive contingent upon ten full-time equivalent teacher retirements. If the retirement incentive is realized, it would result in approximately $300,000 savings to the District’s General Fund for each of the next five years, thus demonstrating our continued focus on fiscal responsibility.
These reductions will go into effect for the 2020-2021 school year.
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