Akron Public Schools Facing Budget Cuts
And a new operating levy?
Over the September 9 weekend, members of the Akron Board of Education, the president of the teachers' union,
and new Superintendent, Michael Robinson, took part in a
retreat
at a hotel in Columbus. The main topic of discussion was the school district's budget.
Another retreat attendee, Chief Financial Officer, Steven Thompson, presented some urgent financial news to the group:
Beginning with the new fiscal year (which begins July, 2024), a cut of $15,000,000 in expenditures and the passage of a
new permanent improvement
levy
will be needed in order to keep the school system on sound financial footing.
Said Superintendent Robinson, "I will be making several proposals on where we will be recommending cuts, closures, mergers over the next year."
The District has already committed to building a new building in Kenmore to house elementary students from Pfeiffer and become the new home
for the performing arts middle school currently at Miller South.
In addition, a new building for North High School is sorely
needed
but not currently budgeted for. Closure of the Essex and Firestone
Park buildings has already been approved by the Board.
Here
is a summary of the retreat.
9/25 UPDATE:
At its September 25 meeting, the Board of Education announced that it intends to approve $15,000,000 in budget cuts
and will implement them before the new fiscal year which begins July 1, 2024.
The Board also discussed the possibility of placing a new operating levy on the March, 2024, primary ballot but
did not vote on the proposal.
Here
is a summary of the Board meeting.
10/9 UPDATE:
Although no formal vote was taken on the matter at the October 9 Board meeting, the
inclination
of Board members is to wait until the November, 2024, general election before placing a levy on the ballot. There had been
previous discussion about placing the levy on the earlier March, 2024, primary ballot.
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