Cleveland City Schools asks city to partner on land and funding for two new elementary schools; board approves resolution

The Cleveland City Schools Board of Education voted unanimously June 2 to ask the City of Cleveland to partner with the district in acquiring land and securing funding to build two new elementary schools to address growing enrollment and capacity limits.

Director of Schools Dr. Jeff Elliott presented a resolution that affirms the board’s intent to move forward with planning for the two schools and to request collaboration with the Cleveland City Council on land acquisition and a funding mechanism “including consideration of a property tax increase.” The board discussed and revised the title of the resolution during the meeting to emphasize partnership with the city for acquiring funding.

Board members said the effort should include clear deliverables and public communication. Board member Renee Diamond urged the board to define what “partnership” will mean operationally and to prepare actionable steps the district will take—such as collaborative planning, transparent communication with constituents, and materials that help the public visualize projects. "I think it would be important for us to, proactively reach out to our constituents as a body or as individual members," Diamond said.

Dr. Elliott told the board the district previously voted on April 11, 2025 to plan for construction of two elementary schools and said timely construction will require substantial investment. He emphasized collaboration with city officials on identifying sites, noting the city’s expertise on growth patterns and land availability. "We want to continue working together in a timely fashion," Elliott said.

As part of the facilities work, the board approved using its facilities committee—members Andy Lay, Matthew Coleman and Peggy Pesterfield—to serve on an ad hoc joint committee alongside two at-large city council members, the mayor, and district staff to review property and recommend suitable locations.

The board also approved recommending a realtor to assist the joint effort. The transcript shows the district proposed approaching Brian (name appears in the record as both 'Wertman' and 'Workman') to serve as a realtor partner for land acquisition; the motion to appoint the realtor passed unanimously. The board discussion noted the recommendation will be taken to the ad hoc committee and city partners as work continues over the summer.

The resolution explicitly recognizes capacity pressures across district sites—shared classroom space, multi-teacher rooms and off-campus pre-K—as motivating the plan. The board acknowledged funding the construction of two elementary schools may necessitate a municipal tax increase and said it will work with the city to explore funding options and communicate the implications to the public.

The board adopted the resolution after a brief question-and-answer period and a roll-call vote in which all present members voted in favor.