Superintendent outlines $3.5 million Phase 2 reduction plan, asks board to set target

Superintendent Dr. Ryba told the Strongsville City Board of Education that the district received 613 responses to its funding survey — 403 parents, 153 staff and 57 community members — and the top stakeholder priorities were protecting class size, student mental‑health staffing and maintaining course offerings. "We had 613 people respond to the survey," Dr. Ryba said, and she used that feedback to shape a Phase 2 reductions proposal for the 2027–28 school year.

Dr. Ryba outlined specific line items and estimated savings: keeping the cash‑balance policy at 90 days would require roughly $3.0 million in reductions; trimming that target to 75 days lowers needed reductions to about $1.75 million, and a 60‑day target would reduce the required cuts to about $500,000. She provided examples: elimination of one administrative position (~$100,000); reducing one district social worker (~$94,000); removing two intervention specialists that support coteaching (~$145,000); setting a 15‑student minimum to run elective classes (projected to reduce six teaching positions, ~$384,000); changes to middle‑school double blocks and elementary specials (projected savings of ~$500,000); and operational and hourly changes across custodial, transportation and food service. "If you keep it at 90 days cash on hand, the policy the same, and the board goes forward with the property tax levy, that's gonna equate to $3,000,000 in reductions," she said.

Dr. Ryba emphasized that Phase 1 ($1.8 million) is already in place and that the combined Phase 1 and Phase 2 proposals reach roughly $3.5 million in annual reductions. She framed the plan as a set of tradeoffs intended to protect core instructional programs and student supports where possible and asked the board to give staff a target so administrators can finalize Phase 3 and incorporate reductions into the district forecast.