Cleveland Metropolitan School District notified 24 school principals that they will be removed from those positions under a far-reaching consolidation plan approved by the school board Tuesday night.
The district will need fewer principals because the plan cuts the number of schools it operates by a third, in a bid to save money after years of enrollment decline. Leaders says merging schools will also improve academic and extracurricular offerings at all schools.
During a press conference Wednesday, CMSD CEO Warren Morgan and Board Chair Sara Elaqad outlined next steps as the district begins to implement the mergers for the 2026-27 school year, including what's next for some employees.
A district spokesperson said the two dozen principals receiving the "displacement" notices are still employed through the end of the school year. CMSD CEO Warren Morgan said they could still be placed in other jobs at the district.
"It's not necessarily a layoff. So we just said, 'you are no longer a principal,' and... we have a road ahead of us to figure out what those options are for our school leaders," Morgan said.
Morgan said the district hopes to save "at least" $30 million annually after the mergers take root, but where those savings will come from is still up in the air. A Nov. 19 presentation to the board suggested $36 million will be cut annually from school budgets, and $1 million to $2 million will be saved from ending leases and utilities at closed buildings. That will be balanced with $7 million in "reinvestments" to move programs, secure closed-up schools and for staff buyouts.
Morgan declined to answer directly if teachers will be laid off to achieve the $30 million in savings. He said final staffing numbers will depend on how many parents register for school starting in January.
Areej Shouman, a teacher at Louisa May Alcott school who has worked at CMSD for 17 years, said teachers with less seniority have told her they are worried about losing their jobs.
"Several good veteran teachers are taking early retirement, even at cost to themselves, so younger teachers don't lose their jobs," she added.
Cleveland Teachers Union President Shari Obrenski said Tuesday night the merger plan could cause a spike in teachers voluntarily leaving the district as they are asked to change schools. Shouman added she does not plan to move with her fellow teachers and students to Joseph M. Gallagher School. Instead, she'll seek a different position in the district or ultimately, one outside the district.
Morgan and board members have acknowledged the short-term pain the decisions could cause. But they've also argued bold action is needed now to create the kinds of savings the district needs, and to address inequal access to high-quality education across the city's neighborhoods. Elaqad said the plan takes into account years of input from the public on what needs to change at a district where many students are not graduating ready for college or a career.
"I've served on the board for nearly seven years now. I've heard the same input from families and community members across that time," Elaqad said at Wednesday's press conference. "It has been, 'you need to educate our kids better. Our kids need to know how to do math, they need to know how to read and write. We need career and college opportunities that are equitable and that meaningfully prepare our students for the future.'"
Morgan added a recent state audit informed the district it was operating too many buildings, and had too many administrators for the number of students it has. He said additional notices about the status of other administrative jobs, specifically "assistant principals, deans, and campus coordinators," could go out after the winter break.
