Closures, Consolidation And New Buildings Recommended For Cleveland Public Schools

By Darrielle Snipes

Published May 15, 2019 at 7:14 PM EDT

Willow Elementary School is one of the recommended schools to close as a part of CMSD's updated building facility plan. The Board of Education will consider the plan next month. [Cleveland Metropolitan School District] — Willow Elementary School is one of the recommended schools to close as a part of CMSD's updated building facility plan. The Board of Education will consider the plan next month.

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District plans to close or consolidate nine K-through-eighth-grade schools and build new ones. The community is invited to give feedback starting tonight.

The proposal includes plans to close four K-8 schools and relocate five others. Most of the affected schools are in older buildings with low enrollment and very low ratings from the state, according to a press release.

The new K-8 proposal includes:

Closing four schools: Willow, Iowa-Maple, Michael R. White and Case.

Relocating five schools: Kenneth W. Clement Boys’ Leadership Academy, Valley View Boys’ Leadership Academy, Tremont Montessori, Bolton and Dike School of the Arts. The two all-boys schools would be consolidated into one school, as would Bolton and Dike.

Renovating or constructing five new buildings for seven schools: Clark, Walton, Denison, Charles A. Mooney, Joseph M. Gallagher, Marion C. Seltzer and Douglas MacArthur Girls’ Leadership Academy. Clark would be consolidated with Walton; Denison would be consolidated with Mooney. The projects are part of a continuing modernization program funded by the state and a local bond issue.

“We have some difficult decisions to make. But we believe these are the most responsible things to do," CEO Eric Gordon said in a Wedensday statement. "We are trying to do what’s best for the District.”

CMSD analyzed data for local charter schools as well as the district itself, measuring academic quality, enrollment and school choice, building use and condition, and CMSD program viability. There were also seven community meetings, collectively drawing more than 500 people. Online comments and feedback from the meetings were taken into consideration in developing the proposal, CMSD said.

There will be another six regional meetingswhere the community can offer additional input before the Board of Education makes its decision in June.

A similar process will take place this fall for high school buildings.