CLEVELAND — New data shows the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s (CMSD) enrollment challenge is far from over.
The report prepared for CMSD and the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, dated July 13, 2026, includes enrollment projections for the state’s third-largest school district.
Read the full report here.
It projects CMSD will start the new school year with 600 fewer students than last school year. The report projects the district will lose about 4,300 students over the next decade, roughly the same decline it saw over the previous decade.
The projections come as the district gets ready to start the 2026/2027 school year on Aug. 24 amid big changes under its Building Brighter Futures (BBF) initiative, which reduced the number of schools operating from 88 to 59 by merging 13 high schools and 16 elementary schools into different school buildings. BBF also included closing 18 district-owned buildings and ending agreements for five leased spaces.
Leaders, including CMSD CEO Dr. Warren Morgan, have said the changes will help the district save money while supporting the better use of resources to provide equal or expanded academic, enrichment and career opportunities across the district.
A new four-year financial forecast, discussed at an Aug. 11 board of education meeting, shows the district has made significant improvement, but there’s still work to be done.
The district’s CFO, Kevin Stockdale, pointed out that the district is deficit spending each year and is expected to run out of cash by 2030, when it’s projected to be $50 million in the red. The district previously was facing a $150 million budget deficit and was projected to run out of cash by 2028.
Morgan has said all along that further consolidation and cuts can’t be ruled out in the future.
At a February 2026 Cleveland City Council committee meeting, he spoke about the need for continued work to balance finances.
"We know there’s work we have to do,” Warren said. “We’re working on that now. Right now the plan of Building Brighter Futures is public. There's more work that we're doing, and we're working."
The district released the following statement Tuesday afternoon:
CMSD can't respond to the enrollment numbers at this time. We are preparing for the start of school and won't know our enrollment until after school starts.
As for the report, these figures are projections based on current data and demographic trends, including declining birth rates and a smaller school-age population. They are not final enrollment counts and can change over time. At this time, CMSD is focused on attracting and retaining students through strong academic programs and high-quality educational opportunities through our Building Brighter Futures Initiative.
Damon Maloney is a Cuyahoga County and We Follow Through anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @DMaloneyTV, on Facebook DamonMaloneyTV or email him at Damon.Maloney@wews.com.
