Lorain City Schools outlines options to cut $18 million after unexpected funding losses

Lorain City Schools leaders told the board and the public that a combination of state budget revisions, federal funding reductions and local property-tax policy changes has produced an unexpected $6.7 million hit and forced the district to plan for roughly $18 million in reductions.

Ross, a district presenter, said the district must demonstrate to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce that it can make $18 million in cuts by the Feb. 23 submission deadline or face further state oversight. He attributed the shortfall to three developments: the June enactment of House Bill 96 (which the district said cut about $4.9 million this year and $6 million next year), a reduction in federal Title I/federal funds that was temporarily frozen and then partially restored, and a county decision to expand property-tax breaks that reduced local revenue by about $1 million for the district.

Why it matters: district leaders said the funding changes are immediate and recurring, affecting programs and staffing at every level. The board was shown two draft elementary models for how to achieve large savings while preserving key services where possible.

Details of the proposals. Ross presented two main elementary options: a paired K–2 / 3–5 model and a K–5 neighborhood model. In the paired model the district would pair nearby schools geographically, repurpose two elementary buildings, increase teachers-per-grade teams (from roughly two to four), provide more services in students’ home schools rather than hub sites, reduce the number of bus routes and produce an estimated first-year savings of roughly $7.3 million (ongoing savings were presented separately). The K–5 neighborhood model would preserve neighborhood identity and more local programming but would be less cost-efficient, with estimated first-year savings of about $5.98 million.

Preschool and special education. The presentation proposed consolidating all preschool to Garfield Elementary as a half‑day program, reducing preschool teaching staff from 20 to nine and shrinking pair‑professional staffing; the district estimated last year’s preschool costs at about $4.63 million and projected consolidation savings of about $2.68 million. Separately, the district proposed repurposing Washington Elementary as a center for students with the most significant autism needs. The administration estimated an upfront cost near $3 million to set up that program and forecast potential annual savings or revenue generation of about $2.9 million by serving those students locally instead of out‑of‑district placements that the presentation said can cost $90,000–$100,000 per student per year.

Secondary and central-office changes. For middle schools the district proposed a move from six to five periods with longer class times to increase instructional minutes, a change that the presentation estimated could generate roughly $3.32 million in savings through staffing adjustments and schedule realignment. The presentation also listed a series of central‑office reductions, hiring freezes, reduced supplementals and lower nonessential purchases; combined with school-level proposals the paired model was shown to reach the district’s target reductions in the first year under the assumptions presented.

Levy, next steps and community engagement. District officials reminded the public that the board has placed an 11-mill levy on the May ballot; presenters said the levy—if passed—would generate about $10.7 million annually in new revenue and could prevent some of the proposed reductions. Officials outlined town halls, staff meetings and community surveys planned before any final board action; they emphasized that contracts will be honored through the school year and that any reduction-in-force (RIF) process will follow negotiated contract language.

Board action and timeline. The board voted earlier in the meeting on routine consent items and scheduled further review and a potential vote on a reduction plan for the next regular meeting. District leaders said the formal plan must be submitted to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce by Feb. 23 and that additional implementation details and individual impact notices will follow required contract processes.

District quote: Ross said, “We have to find a way to be creative to provide better service to our students and families in a much more efficient way,” and emphasized the practical constraints created by the funding changes.

What’s next: The board and administration will hold town halls and staff meetings, continue individual conversations with impacted employees, and seek community input before sending the plan to the state and scheduling any final board vote.