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Cleveland to hold community meetings, gather input on district transformation plan
This article orginally appeared in the June, 2009 issue of Catalyst. Click here to see that issue's table of contents.
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by Rachel Abbey

After years of poor academic performance and falling enrollment, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District is ready to move forward with a plan to improve – or close – failing schools.

The district unveiled the next stages of its plan to transform schools and improve academics during the first Board of Education meeting of the 2009-2010 year on Tuesday. The first phase – a series of three foundation-funded assessments of the district’s specialty schools, turnaround strategies and use of buildings – found low academic rigor that led to little student success and a number of half-empty buildings that wasted money.

“Commitment, collaboration and effective leadership at all levels are essential to the success and the well-being of our students. By working together, we must change the way we operate, from the central office to each and every classroom across this district. The urgent need for change is undeniable – we must act now,” CEO Eugene Sanders said in a press release yesterday.

The three assessments were led by the Boston Consulting Group, the Council of Great City Schools and Education First. An update of the findings was presented to the board Tuesday, along with goals for the next few months. Administrators will spend the next few weeks gathering community input on its next step: evaluating schools to be closed or overhauled. The district plans to use a rubric to score each school on factors like its academic performance and building condition. These scores will guide the district’s choices, but not dictate them.

The community will have the chance to review the proposed scoring tool and weigh in with their vision for neighborhood schools in a series of meetings in September. They can also provide input by calling (216) 574-8000 or by leaving a message by using the “Talk to the CEO” form on Cleveland’s Web site.

Final recommendations will come by the end of the fall, and changes could be seen as early as next year, according to the press release. These changes could include expanding programs that have shown success across the district, changing the leadership or staff at a school or closing buildings.

Updated dates and locations for the community meetings:

  • Sept. 9: John F. Kennedy High School, 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Sept. 10: Lincoln-West High School, 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Sept. 16: Collinwood High School, 6 to 8 p.m.
  • Sept. 17: John Marshall High School, 6 to 8 p.m.