CMSD wrapped up eight community conversations – six in person and two virtual – last week to gather input on its Building Brighter Futures initiative, aimed at improving student experiences and stabilizing district finances. The meetings also come ahead of the much-anticipated decisions on which schools might close next year.
According to the district’s CEO, Warren Morgan, CMSD’s finances are out of balance, presenting a “perfect storm of challenges:” increasing costs due to inflation, state and federal funding cuts, and declining enrollment.
Morgan said the district has to make tough decisions, including closing and consolidating schools and programs.
“Some of us — we don’t like change,” CMSD program manager Anthony Brown said at one of the meetings. However, as gardeners know, “sometimes you have to cut flowers for them to bloom.”
When will CMSD recommend which schools should close?
Morgan told attendees that his office will now work on their recommendations and decide whether they need to host more community feedback sessions. The goal is to present their recommendations to the board of education for a vote at the end of the fall or by February at the latest.
Typically, CMSD opens its enrollment portal in the fall for families to choose which school they want to attend. Last year, it opened on Nov. 18. CMSD leaders have not given an official timeline on how Building Brighter Futures will impact choosing schools for the 2026-2027 school year.
The timing is significant, as CMSD is already grappling with a long-term decline in enrollment. Over the past 20 years, CMSD’s enrollment has dropped by more than half, from about 70,000 students in 2005 to fewer than 35,000 in 2025. Morgan attributed this to falling birth rates in Cleveland.
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District leaders say the restructuring aims to create more balanced, sustainable schools. CMSD strategic advisor Megan Traum [Correction: A previous version of this story misspelled Megan Traum’s last name.] explained that the district wants all K-8 schools to have about 450 students and all high schools to have more than 500 students, with about 125 students per grade.
This indicates a shift from CMSD’s previous investments in smaller schools. The district’s previous CEOs, Eugene Sanders and Eric Gordon, closed and divided schools into smaller academies. They believed that smaller, more specialized schools better meet the needs of students and staff.
Only a small number of schools meet districts enrollment targets
Today, only 15% of CMSD schools meet the district’s new enrollment targets. Traum said that smaller schools mean students are more restricted and draw from a smaller pool of resources. Larger schools offer students more options and opportunities.
At many CMSD high schools, enrollment is significantly below the building’s capacity. For example, East Tech High School’s building can fit about 1,500 students, but the school enrolls fewer than 500.
The district scored each building’s condition on a scale of 100 reflecting maintenance needs. Lower scores mean more repairs are needed. The goal is that all students will be in buildings with a condition score over 80.
One teacher from John Adams College & Career Academy noted the building has a high score of 82 but that it’s “not in good condition, in my opinion,” citing that the plumbing does not work.
Traum said the district is weighing two main considerations: primary data — such as enrollment trends and building conditions — and school and neighborhood factors, which combine data with community feedback on issues including retention, nearby school options and facility needs.
CMSD held meetings in each of the six regions designated to compare data within the district. Each meeting shared data specific to the host region, including breakdowns of the schools’ types of programming, enrollment trends, and building size, condition and capacity.
What are the goals of reshaping the district?
Looking ahead, Morgan said the district’s goals include ensuring that all high schools offer college credit and career paths, that all K-8s offer elective options beyond art, music and PE, and that all students are in new or upgraded buildings.
Another teacher from the East Side questioned the district’s focus on expanding programs. “How are you meeting kids where they are?” she asked expressing concern that the district may be prioritizing high-achieving students over those who are struggling.
While educators focus on meeting students’ needs, district leaders are also confronting a deeper financial threat.
Morgan emphasized that with widespread attacks on public education, CMSD must ensure its long-term financial sustainability. The challenge now lies in turning these discussions and data points into decisions that balance community needs with financial reality.