Overview
- The school board approved eliminating 111 positions, including more than 80 central office roles, 12 social workers, eight counselors and 10 assistant principals, as part of steps to reduce the roughly $58.6 million deficit.
- Approved reductions also include a 10 percent cut to non-personnel spending, elimination of the International Baccalaureate program and a requirement that staff take five unpaid furlough days.
- The Cincinnati Federation of Teachers says the unpaid furloughs violate a contract that guarantees pay for 191 days and has raised legal objections to the district’s plan.
- Board members and district leaders say recent state law changes cost the district an estimated $6 million to $12 million this year and that rising costs and pay-equity efforts worsened the shortfall, so they have moved several levy options forward for possible certification for the November ballot.
- The board’s vote is not the final budget action: the district must finalize its budget by the July 13 meeting, and community pushback and potential legal challenges could alter how cuts and any levy campaign proceed.