Akron Public Schools on Wednesday night took a step toward cutting $11 million next school year — including layoffs of paraprofessionals and elimination of dean positions — as the district attempts to close a growing budget gap.
The Finance and Capital Management Committee approved the resolution weeks after school board members in a full meeting initially rejected the issue. The resolution now moves to the Rules Committee on May 4 for further discussion before going back to the full board for final approval in the coming weeks.
Wednesday’s resolution, approved by committee chairperson Phil Montgomery and Nathan Jarosz (Committee member Gregory Harrison was absent), laid out reductions based on spending categories. It followed a discussion from an April 15 finance committee session where Superintendent Mary Outley shared plans to help balance the budget.
The resolution includes a $1.6 million reduction in force, which will see:
- Ten paraprofessionals laid off
- Six dean positions eliminated
- One art therapist position cut
Beyond that, Akron schools plans to eliminate $2.5 million in salaries and benefits that do not result in reductions-in-force — including eliminating two vacant positions, adjusting staff compensation and reducing the budget for administrative specialists by about $500,000.
It also plans to cut $4.6 million in supply costs in part through delaying a textbook adoption by one year and using in-stock chromebooks rather than purchasing new items and save $1.4 million by bringing some purchased services in-house.
The reductions are a fraction of the $37 million the district may have to eliminate for the 2028-29 school year to stay solvent, according to its most recent financial forecast. Every year leading up to that deficit, the district is spending more money than it receives in state and local funding, necessitating future reductions.
Student-facing positions still a sticking point
For board vice president Rene Molenaur, the question is not just what comes next when roles are eliminated, but why they were chosen for the chopping block.
It is a sticking point Molenaur has had throughout discussions around the reductions.
“I am deeply concerned [about] the cuts; these RIFs, are all people who work with students directly all day, every day,” Molenaur said, noting deans, — who fill a role similar to assistant principals, — often help facilitate accommodations for students with disabilities.
“I will admit they worry me as a parent,” she continued. “Sometimes people say ‘you’re only worried about your kids’ — and yes, I am a parent, I do have that lens. I think about my kids, their classmates, I think about my neighbors. And by my neighbors, I mean our whole Akron community and all the kids in our schools.
“So when I ask questions like ‘what alternatives were considered and why was this path chosen over others, I want to be able to explain that to my neighbors at the playground, my neighbors at the grocery store.”
She said there was an assumption the $11 million in cuts would come from “low-hanging fruit,” and that student-facing positions would be protected as long as possible.
But to her, reality differed.
Recognizing the $11 million in reductions are just the first round of cuts, Molenaur said after Wednesday’s meeting that the Finance and Capital Management Committee should discuss what the Akron Board of Education expects from the process moving forward — including her push to analyze options prior to the RIFs of paraprofessionals or other support staff.
Board member says community asks for ‘some clarity’
Jarosz, who originally voted against the reductions because the board had not been presented a resolution with the full $11 million for approval, felt Wednesday’s proposal was sound.
“It’s nice to have the entire $11 million in the proposal,” Jarosz said. “The one thing I know I’ve heard from the community is just maybe a need for some clarity on what the next steps will be when the positions are reduced. I know some of the different buildings were talking about the value some of the paraprofessionals were giving to the school, the deans and I kind of try to figure out where do we go from here when they’re no longer there?”
Outley said she would provide that information ahead of the next board meeting.
