Cincinnati Public Schools to cut vacant positions amid $50 million budget gap
The board may still approve layoffs in the near future to address the budget gap.
During its meeting June 2, the board approved the cuts in a 6-0 vote that included additional cost-cutting measures in the upcoming fiscal year. Board member Mary Wineberg was not present at the meeting and, therefore, didn't vote.
The number of vacant positions and which ones will be cut was not specified at the meeting; however, officials said it is unlikely certain open jobs, such as science and math teachers, will be eliminated.
The vote also excluded immediately cutting the roughly three vacant social worker positions in the district. Instead, the board will freeze hiring for these positions until the next board meeting in two weeks, during which board members will discuss whether it needs to eliminate these positions.
Cincinnati Public Schools community members repeatedly pushed back on cutting social workers at recent board meetings.
Parents and district employees emphasized the importance of social workers at the June 2 meeting. "Social workers identify students in crisis, connect families with vital services and ensure kids are seen and supported,' Sandra Horine, a school counselor for the district, said.
'Without school social workers," she continued, "we're asking students to focus on math and reading while their world feels like it's falling apart."
The district could also see property sales.
Board members gave approval to the administration to sell properties. One that's likely to sell is a set of tennis courts above Coy Field near the University of Cincinnati, said Daniel Hoying, an attorney for the district. The property is expected to bring in $500,000 or more, he said. The district did not discuss selling school buildings currently in use.
The board previously approved cutting the district's contract with the Cincinnati Health Department to supply nurses, and could make other such cuts of third-party contracts. It's not clear which, however.
The cost-saving measures are in response to an anticipated budget gap of roughly $51 million to $52 million between the current fiscal year and the upcoming one. The gap is due to the amount of money the district will likely receive from government funding, it said.
The district's COVID-19 pandemic funds, which provided relief for kids struggling after the pandemic, have dried up and the Ohio legislature's draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year shows a drop in funding to public schools, the district said. A district spokesperson said the budget gap is not due to the district overspending.
District officials are scrambling to finalize a balanced budget before the June 30 deadline. Some board members expressed concern that, even after the June 2 meeting, a clear way to a balanced budget before the deadline does not exist.
Member Ben Lindy stressed protecting and improving the district's academics during the process. "The most cost-effective investment we can make is for us to fund training and support for teachers so that we help them implement the high-quality curricula we've already purchased," Lindy told The Enquirer.
"This kind of investment is 40 times more cost-effective than class size reductions," he said, citing a statistic from the policy institute Center for American Progress.
The board asked Cincinnati Public Schools administrators to identify how the district can help teachers better implement curricula.
Board members also expressed hesitation in cutting social workers and paraprofessionals. Some members said doing so would go against the district's goals to improve academic outcomes and wellness for students.
The board asked the administration to look into how cuts could be made that are in alignment with these goals.
The next time the board will meet to discuss the district's budget is June 23.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Public Schools to cut vacant positions for budget gap
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