Lakewood Schools Will Lose $1 Million In State Funding

LAKEWOOD, OH — The Lakewood Schools will lose more than $1 million in state funding after Gov. Mike DeWine announced sweeping budget cuts last week. The governor said the cuts were the direct result of revenue loss caused by the new coronavirus.

According to a Lakewood Schools spokesperson, the district will lose $1,104,454 for financial year 2020, which ends June 30. Public schools throughout Ohio, like Avon and Shaker Heights, told Patch they anticipate additional budget cuts in coming years, due to a continued loss of revenue for the state.

"We are still determining what the impact will be of this significant cut. Nonetheless, we are committed to providing the best quality education possible for the rest of this school year. Our students deserve no less," Superintendent Michael Barnes said.

Last week, DeWine announced nearly $1 billion in budget cuts for Ohio. Many of the cuts targeted Medicaid and public education spending. Here's what the governor said needed to be cut in the next two months:

• K12 Foundation Payment Reduction: $300 million
• Other Education Budget Line Items: $55 million
• Medicaid: $210 million
• Higher Education: $110 million
• All Other Agencies: $100 million

DeWine said he did not want to delay making budget cuts and potentially make future cuts more painful. He also declined to dip into the state's $2.7 billion rainy day fund, saying the state may need those funds in coming years.