LORAIN, Ohio — The Lorain City School District is weighing difficult decisions as it works to trim $18 million from its annual budget.
Conversations about cuts prompted several viewers to reach out to News 5 with questions about whether the district could lose teachers or programs, like pre-K.
Miranda Rodriguez told News 5 her daughter’s pre-K teacher shared concerns about job security amid the budget discussions.
“A preschool teacher’s losing her job because we don’t have the money? It just doesn’t sit well with me,” she said.
The Lorain mother said her third grade, first grade and pre-K children have all had positive experiences at Helen Steiner Elementary. She said the children’s pre-K teachers helped them develop critical speech and social skills, and she was looking forward to sending her youngest daughter through the program next fall.
“It really makes me happy that I found a good school. I have a good school,” she said.
The future of pre-K was among the topics discussed during a LCS Board of Education meeting Monday. During the meeting, administrators addressed the looming budget cuts.
“This is the hand that we’re dealt right now. And it sucks. And it’s been absolutely brutal working through this,” LCS Assistant Superintendent Ross May said during Monday’s presentation.
News 5 has been covering the district’s financial challenges for years.
Following a failed levy in the November 2024 election, the administration said it was weighing its options.
READ MORE: 'Purely financial': Lorain City Schools propose teacher buyout plan after voters reject levy
“We have to cut quality programs and quality services that our kids deserve,” Superintendent Jeff Graham said at the time.
The challenges were compounded over the following year, after a combined $6.7 million loss in state, federal and county funding.
Monday, district administrators laid out possibilities to trim $18 million in annual spending to make up the deficit.
Some of the options included redrawing boundaries and consolidating elementary schools into K-2 and 3-5 grade buildings, adjusting middle and high school schedules and elective options, designating one school for high-needs special education and offering an online program. The assistant superintendent also discussed combining 10 all-day and half-day pre-K sites into one site offering half-day pre-K.
All of the shuffling would lead to almost certain staffing cuts among teachers, support staff and administrative roles.
“It scares me. No one likes change. And no one wants change that could affect our children in a negative way,” Rodriguez said.
No plans have been finalized yet. The district plans to hold a series of public meetings to discuss its options.
Rodriguez hopes whatever changes are made have minimal impact on the students.
“I want them to really think about our children, our babies, and how this generation is going to be our future,” she said.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
