Board adopts unified 2025–26 school calendar, citing $9 million annual savings; students and parents voice opposition

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt the district’s 2025–26 school calendar, moving most schools to a single traditional schedule and eliminating several extended‑time calendar models.

The board approved resolution 6.01, adopting the 2025–26 CMSD calendar. Board member Victor Briggs moved the motion and Ms. Welch Howe seconded it; the roll call recorded nine “yes” votes from Chair Ellicott, Mr. Billups, Mr. Briggs, Ms. Jones, Pastor Jones, Mrs. Lebron, Mrs. Peake, Dr. Sridhar and Ms. Welch Howe.

What the district said

CEO Warren Morgan told the board the unified calendar is one of several measures designed to help the district close a multiyear budget gap. He said independent researchers (work supervised by Cleveland State University and the American Institutes for Research) found “no evidence that there was a substantial, meaningful difference in the academic outcomes” across the district’s different calendar types for CMSD’s context. Morgan cited an estimated $9 million in annual savings from unifying calendars, saying that over three years that amounts to roughly $27 million toward a $150 million target in required savings.

On pay schedules, Morgan said teachers who have been on year‑round or extended calendars have historically received pay on an accelerated schedule (for example, earlier August pay dates). To prevent an immediate pay gap in summer 2025, the district will “front‑load” pay for one year so teachers keep the August 5 first pay date they expect; Morgan said the additional pay associated with extended days and extended years is not being grandfathered and that those higher amounts would no longer be paid if the extended minutes/days are eliminated.

Why it matters: The calendar shift affects a small number of schools that had extended-year or additional-minute schedules and the teachers who received extra pay tied to those minutes. Morgan and board members said the change is necessary to reduce structural costs without cutting instructional staff.

Public comments and community concerns

Multiple students, parents, teachers and community members urged the board to preserve extended calendars and individual school models.

- Students and advisers from Civics 2 at New Tech West asked for permanent funding and stable programming after reporting late approvals and lost opportunities this year; student speakers, including Maria Rivera and Marilia Tsirikos Karapanos, said the program operates year‑to‑year and that uncertainty had led to missed voter‑registration and gun‑violence programming.

- Davis School students and organizer Xavier Avery said Davis’s year‑round calendar supports aviation and maritime internships and hands‑on learning that rely on summer weather; they urged the board not to cut a successful year‑round model that they said helps retain families.

- Parent and public records researcher Polly Carr criticized administrative spending and questioned rehiring and salary levels after 2024 reductions; several speakers pressed the district for clearer budget details.

Board discussion and safeguards

Board members and Dr. Sridhar said they expect the administration to preserve pockets of academic excellence and to monitor effects closely. Dr. Sridhar said he would support the recommendation but asked for “open discussion at board meetings on a regular basis that carefully monitors the impact of unifying calendars on students.” Chair Ellicott said the board will hold the superintendent accountable and that the board has asked staff to provide additional materials and presentations.

Action record

- Motion: Adopt resolution 6.01 adopting the CMSD 2025–26 school calendar. Mover: Mister Briggs. Second: Miss Welch Howe. - Vote: 9 yes, 0 no (Ellicott — yes; Billups — yes; Briggs — yes; Jones — yes; Pastor Jones — yes; Lebron — yes; Peake — yes; Sridhar — yes; Welch Howe — yes).

Ending

The board adopted the calendar and directed continued monitoring of student‑level impacts and program preservation. Morgan and several board members emphasized that the change would be accompanied by additional work on master schedules, professional development for staff and efforts to preserve specific programs where funding or scheduling arrangements allow.

Speakers

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