Sweeping Cuts Coming To Strongsville Schools, District Says

STRONGSVILLE, OH — Strongsville Schools approved a 5.9-mill, five-year, limited operating levy to be placed on the May 2019 ballot. The decision to move forward with the levy comes amid sweeping cuts and cost reductions in the district.

Superintendent Cameron Ryba wrote an urgent letter to families and the community on Wednesday, detailing the coming cuts. He noted that regardless of what happens with the May levy, Phase I reductions will be implemented.

"It pains me to write this email, to have to make these decisions on which cuts to make, and to begin to tear away what makes a Strongsville City Schools education so special," Ryba said in his letter to the community. "We should be working together to grow and build the district our students need and deserve, not cutting it away. Yet, this is our reality and we need to move forward and all work together for the collective benefit of the future of our district and students."

The Phase I reduction plan will reduce expenditures by $1.1 million, Ryba noted. To hit that $1.1 million figure, the district will make significant spending cuts, including:

• The reduction of three 8th grade sports teams
• The indefinite delay of textbook adoption
• Smaller budgets for school departments
• Reduction of staff work days and the elimination of some departments
• Fewer Strongsville schools and parochial transportation routes
• Reduction of funding for curricular and student resources, and educational support
• Shrinking the certified and support staff at Strongsville Middle School and Strongsville High School

On the personnel side, Strongsville High will lose one full-time guidance counselor, an aide position, a contracted social worker, and one monitor. The Strongsville Schools will eliminate the Publications Clerk department, and let go of the publications clerk. The Middle School will also lose an aide.

Additional details on what specifically will be cut have been posted online.

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There are preliminary plans for Phase II and Phase III reductions, Ryba said. Those details will be shared publically at the Feb. 21 Board of Education meeting. Phase II's cuts would only go into effect if the May 2019 levy fails. Phase III reductions will be implemented if further levies fail.

In November 2018, voters soundly rejected a 7.9-mill levy for the Strongsville Schools. Nearly 62 percent of voters cast their ballot against the levy.

The levy would have generated about $11.3 million annually for the school district, officials said. The levy would have cost about $276 annually for a resident with a $100,000 home.

Ryba said that after the levy was defeated in November, it was clear residents wanted to see additional reductions in the school district budget before another levy came forward.

Photo from Google Earth