The interim CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District is recommending the closure of seven east side schools in an effort to balance the district’s 2012 budget.
Peter Raskind’s plan to be presented to the school board Tuesday night calls for these schools to close, five of which are under “academic emergency” status:
- Genesis at Margaret Ireland
- Giddings
- Woodland Hills
- Union
- Emile B. deSauze
- Captain Arthur Roth
- Early Childhood Center at Charles Orr
Raskin outlines administrational and operational cost savings of $4,739,793 as a result of closing those schools. There will also be 835 job cuts, which includes 600 teachers.
The school district has to fill a $47.5 million deficit in the budget for 2012. It has already taken care of a $55 million hole in the 2011 budget.
Other cost cutting measures in Raskin’s plan include imposing cuts in salary and benefits, salary freeze, hiring freeze and staff reduction.
Raskin cites reduced funding from the state and declining revenue as reasons for the gap in the budget.
The board is expected to vote on Raskin’s plan at Tuesday night’s meeting, which started at 6:30 p.m. at the CMSD board office in downtown Cleveland.
article courtesy of Newsnet5.com
