CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Metropolitan School District is moving to make reality its Building Brighter Futures initiative, which involves consolidating its schools to have 29 fewer schools for the 2026/2027 school year.
The plan was unveiled in November of 2025. The district’s board of education approved it the following month.
Tuesday, Cleveland City Council’s Workforce, Education, Training & Youth Development Committee asked CMSD CEO Dr. Warren Morgan about the plan and its impact on the city, students, their families, teachers, and staff.
Morgan has long said inaction in the face of declining birthrates, enrollment, and state funding won’t improve the district’s finances nor help students better succeed.
At the meeting, several council members raised concerns about the impact on children and communities, arguing that the schools have been neighborhood anchors for generations.
Morgan told council members the consolidation plan is expected to save the district at least $30 million a year, but he made it clear that by 2029, the district is still projected to run out of cash.
Councilman Richard Starr, the committee’s chair, asked if more schools would close in the future.
Morgan didn’t rule it out or rule out other changes.
“There's more work that we're doing,” Morgan said. “We see what's happening in fiscal year '29, and we're working on those measures as well."
Councilman Michael Polensek is upset over past and future closures on the east side, which he represents.
He said under Building Brighter Futures, for the first time in 100 years, the St. Clair and Euclid Avenue corridors won’t have an elementary school. He argued school closures drive people out of the city and into the suburbs or lead them to choose charter or private schools.
“I am not about to lose any more families from my neighborhood,” Polensek said. “Can't anyone see what has happened here in this city? The number of families with children who have fled our dysfunctional system because they want quality education?”
Morgan offered this response.
"It sounds like you're on board for why we need Building Brighter Futures,” Dr. Morgan said. “We need to do something. Inaction does not create more opportunities on the east side. Inaction does not ensure that we have a high-quality system."
During the meeting, Morgan showed a graphic illustrating that with consolidation, the east side will have 23 kindergarten-through-8th-grade schools. The west side will have 22.
The district said operating fewer schools lets them better realign teachers and resources to bring enrichment and college- and career-focused programs to all schools. Today, that doesn’t exist.
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.
