CLEVELAND — Friday, we worked to learn more about the staffing cuts coming to the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
Thursday night, CMSD informed all staff that layoff notices related to its Building Brighter Futures school consolidation plan will be issued soon.
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RELATED: Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Teachers Union release statement about future layoffs
For months, we’ve been talking about the changes coming to the district.
Much of the discussion has focused on buildings.
But now the human impact on staffing.
Thursday evening, the district sent a joint statement from Dr. Warren Morgan, CMSD's CEO, and Shari Obrenski, Cleveland Teachers Union President, to all CMSD staff.
It states, in part:
CMSD views its current financial and enrollment realities to require meaningful changes to how our district is structured and staffed. The CTU and CMSD agree that reductions of teaching staff should be a last resort. However, with 29 fewer CMSD schools operating next year, the District has confirmed to the CTU that there will be some layoff notifications issued to CTU members occurring no later than Tuesday, April 14. During this same period, the District will be issuing and announcing significant administrative reductions, including among CMSD Central Office staff.
The exact number of layoffs or administrative reductions was not stated.
The district was facing a $150 million deficit by 2028, and has said the Building Brighter Futures saves them $30 million a year.
Dr. Morgan was transparent about possible staffing impacts during his State of the Schools address in October of 2025.
"I don’t want to make promises, actually through the plan there won’t be making any promises that there won’t be people who are impacted," he said when discussing staffing.
Friday, we asked, and Obrenski told us she doesn’t know the number of staff impacted and that the CTU categorically rejects the need for layoffs of teachers, paraprofessionals, and other CMSD employees who work to educate and support students and their families.
She shared a statement with News 5:
The Cleveland Teachers Union has attempted to work with CMSD leadership since the Board approved the facilities plan to determine next steps for their Building Brighter Futures plan and prepare for implementation in the 2026-27 school year. While many of those discussions have been unproductive with district leadership resisting any meaningful participation and input from CTU leadership, we remained committed to working to support our members and our students through this transition. CMSD leadership, despite being able to provide no financial justification, has decided that layoffs of CTU members and other employees is necessary for the upcoming school year. The CTU categorically rejects the need for layoffs of teachers, paraprofessionals, and other CMSD employees who work to educate and support students and their families. We are committed, however, to supporting our members and will work with the district to ensure that our contract is followed and our members have the resources they need at this difficult time.
Obrenski also said, per their contact, CTU teachers have to be given a minimum of 30 school days' notice, and that layoffs will take effect for the new school year, and benefits will continue through the end of August as long as they complete this school year.
The joint statement acknowledges the district's difficult challenges and a shared commitment to Cleveland students, staff, and the long-term health of its schools. Adding that impacted staff will be supported during the transition, whether that’s a path forward within the district or elsewhere.
News 5 also spoke with the incoming CTU president-elect, Errol Savage, who said he believes the layoffs are not contributing to a brighter future, aren’t financially necessary, and aren't good for children.
