BACKGROUND
The Akron Board of Education has approved an approximately $800,000,000 plan to rebuild, renovate, build new, or close every one of the 58 public school buildings in the Akron system.   This plan was able to move forward with passage of Issue 10 during the May 6, 2003, primary election.   By increasing the Akron city income tax rate by .25% (one-fourth of one per cent), the Akron district would be able to raise its 41% share of the construction funds and secure the other 59% of the funding from the State of Ohio through the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission (O.S.F.C.).

As each renovation / reconstruction is completed, the school building will be called a "community learning center" and will offer facilities that will be open to the public.

ORIGINAL PLANS ARE CHANGED
After the initial proposals were made, some drastic changes in the overall Facilities Master Plan occured (previously reported in the Akron Beacon Journal).

Because enrollment in the Akron Public Schools has been declining and is projected to continue that way, the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission (O.S.F.C.) ruled that Akron could no longer justify maintaining its current 58 school buildings.   Since the O.S.F.C. is the majority funder in this building project, they have the authority to make this ruling.

In January, 2005, Akron Schools Superintendent, Dr. Sylvester Small, appointed a task force of school and city officials to recommend how to scale back the original building project.   The task force reported to the Akron Board of Education on April 25, 2005.   Three possible scenarios were offered regarding the East Cluster:

1. Close East High School, period.
2. Discontinue East High School, move the students of Goodyear Middle School to the East building, and close the existing Goodyear building (thus creating the new Goodyear Middle School in the current East building).
3. Move the 7th and 8th grades from Goodyear to East to be combined with the existing grades 9-12 (the combined East and Goodyear building would then house grades 7-12), move the 6th grade from Goodyear back to the Cluster elementary schools, and close the existing Goodyear building.

Regardless which of these options was chosen, Hotchkiss Elementary was scheduled for closure.

The task force met on April 29, 2005; and, in matters regarding the East High Cluster, recommended option 3 of the above-listed options.

This and other recommendations of the task force were then approved by the Akron School Board and the Joint Board of Review (a group of school and city leaders overseeing the project) on June 27, 2005.   Further approval was given for these revisions (including option 3) by the O.S.F.C.   This means that the revised building plan would move forward as proposed.

PLANS FOR THE EAST CLUSTER (THEN AND NOW)
Plans originally called for East High School to be renovated while the other five Cluster schools would receive new buildings.   Under the revised Facilities Master Plan, Hotchkiss was closed at the end of the 2005-2006 school year, and the building now houses the programs formerly in the Betty Jane School annex.   The Goodyear building will be used as swing space for other schools being rebuilt until the Facilities Master Plan is completed.

Below is a summary of the current plans for the East Cluster schools: