Highlights
CPS to Eliminate 14 Assistant Principals, Managers in Effort to Close Budget Deficit
Source: https://www.wcpo.com/
Cincinnati Public Schools voted to eliminate over a dozen assistant principal and manager positions across the district to address a $31.6 million budget deficit. The deficit was a focal point during a May 20 Board of Education meeting, prompting discussions on the necessity of job cuts to bridge the funding shortfall.
Key Highlight:
- The district’s budget task force has chipped away at the deficit amount through analyzing the district’s spending item by item. District officials announced they’d reduced the deficit from $31.6 million to $13.6 million.
- Job reductions of both custodial staff and administrators contributed to the deficit reduction. Money was also recovered through other means, including reducing resources due to lowered student enrollment, higher TIF funding amounts, and reallocating Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds for IT costs.
- Transportation costs unexpectedly increased by $6.7 million in just one day. Factors contributing to the rising transportation costs include an increase in fuel costs, services for students requiring curb-to-curb transportation, costs for monitors for students unable to ride the bus alone, and a 3% year-to-year increase in transportation contracts.
- Interim Superintendent Dr. Alesia Smith recommended not re-employing 12 assistant principals and two management positions.
Many assistant principal roles, known as Assistant Principal of Culture & Community, were created using ESSER funds intended to combat pandemic learning challenges but were set to expire. - Concerns were raised during public comment about cutting the ESL Manager position, crucial for English learning students, who are the fastest-growing population within the district.
Image Source: https://www.wcpo.com/
