Toledo Public to Close Schools, Cut Positions (OH)

February 2, 2011

Northwest Ohio’s largest school district plans to close several buildings and cut up to 350 positions.

Toledo Public Schools officials say their reorganization being announced Tuesday includes shutting down the district’s middle schools and creating K-8 schools. They also want to cut employee salaries.

Board of Education President Bob Vasquez tells The Blade that the district’s unions need to accept a significant cut so the school system can survive and thrive.

School leaders want to cut 130 elementary school art, music, and physical educ ation teachers. They also plan to ask for a 7 to 9 percent cut in salary and benefits.

Officials say the changes are needed to deal with a projected deficit of $37 million for the next school year.

Among changes proposed for the Fall of 2011: moving Fulton Achievement to Westfield; shifting boundary lines for East Side Central, Langrange and DeVeaux; moving Crossgates to the current Byrnedale; and moving programs from Summit Annex to Scott. In the Fall of 2012, TPS plans to close Whittier and relocate the Board of Education.

District officials plan to hear feedback from each learning community before making any change’s to the proposed reorganization.  Those community meetings will be held Tuesday through Thursday of next week.