Cleveland Metropolitan School District board adopts multiple resolutions, launches long-term facilities planning

At its January business meeting, the Board of Education of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District approved a series of resolutions authorizing long-term facilities planning, accepting gifts and grants, approving contracts for transportation and fueling-site work, adopting CEO performance goals and taking personnel actions including a teacher termination.

The board voted to formally authorize the CEO to implement a long-term facilities planning process designed to center students, use data, drive equity and engage the community. CEO Dr. Warren Morgan told the board his team will begin community and stakeholder engagement “very soon.” Chair Ellicott thanked Morgan and staff for the planning work and the time the board spent in retreat preparing for the process.

On finances and gifts, the board accepted grants and gifts totaling several amounts the CEO listed: $750,000 from the Cleveland Foundation to support long-term planning work, $217,058 from the Cleveland School of the Arts Board of Trustees, $207,866.71 from Cuyahoga County, $50,000 from the George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation for a civics program, $247,000 from the Chef Ann Foundation for meal service improvements, and additional smaller contributions and gifts to specific schools and programs.

Operations motions included: a purchase order to Collins Equipment Corporation not to exceed $240,008.02 to complete an above-ground fueling site at the Lake Center bus depot; and amendments adding not-to-exceed funding to previously authorized transportation contracts to address driver shortages and increased use of community providers and cabs for special education, foster and McKinney-Vento (homeless) students. The transportation amendments described an additional combined amount in the millions to complete the 2024–25 school year, with the CEO noting drivers shortages and route reassignments as causes.

Talent and equity resolutions approved routine personnel actions and program purchases: authorization of dozens of hires and reclassifications (the CEO noted 81 new hires, 50 reclassifications and 53 separations), payment of differential compensation for staff, and purchase of digital licenses and materials for the Second Step social-emotional learning curriculum for grades K–8 in an amount not to exceed $165,528 after removing high school implementation from the purchase.

Separately, the board adopted a resolution authorizing the termination of a teaching employee “for violation of district policies, procedures, and rules,” and it adopted a set of mutually agreed CEO goals for the 2024–25 school year that the board will use in Dr. Morgan’s annual evaluation. The goals include targets such as 65% of classrooms implementing the new ELA curriculum by June 2025, a goal of 1% growth in student proficiency, a 1% increase in students on track for graduation in grade 9 and a 0.5% increase in average student attendance by June 30, 2025.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 6.01 — Reappoint and appoint district representatives to the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) board of trustees; motion passed on roll call (ayes recorded; motion recorded as passing with eight votes). Referenced by board discussion about OSBA travel reimbursement and trustee terms. - Resolution 6.02 — Authorize and direct the CEO to implement a long-term facilities planning process guided by equity, data and community engagement; motion passed on roll call (eight ayes). - Resolution 7.01 — Accept gifts and grants (listed amounts from Cleveland Foundation and others) and authorize CEO to spend funds per terms/conditions; motion passed on roll call (eight ayes). - Resolution 8.01 — Issue purchase order to Collins Equipment Corporation for Lake Center above-ground fueling site, amount not to exceed $240,008.02 (amendment to prior funding); motion passed on roll call (eight ayes). - Resolution 8.02 — Amend prior transportation resolutions to authorize additional funds to pay community bus and cab/van suppliers for nonpublic, special education, foster and McKinney-Vento student transportation for 2024–25; motion passed on roll call (eight ayes). CEO cited driver shortages and reassignments of 24 schools/29 routes as reasons for expanded community provider usage. - Resolutions 9.01–9.05 — Monthly talent/equity package authorizing hires, reclassifications, separations, differential pay and the purchase of Second Step K–8 digital licenses (amount not to exceed $165,528 after removing high school); motion passed on roll call (eight ayes). - Resolution (teaching termination) — Authorize termination of a teaching employee for violations of district policy; motion passed on roll call (eight ayes). - Resolution (CEO goals) — Adopted mutually agreed CEO goals for 2024–25 to be used in the CEO evaluation; motion passed on roll call (eight ayes).

No board member requested additional recorded debate on the motions during the meeting; several motions were introduced and then put to roll call after staff explanation. The board then moved into executive session for personnel, labor negotiation preparation and pending litigation matters.

The board’s next scheduled work session was announced for Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at Garrett Morgan High School.