Schools

CH-UH Schools Cut 34 Jobs In Cost-Saving Measure

11 employees will lose their jobs as part of a larger cost-saving move to eliminate 24 support staff and 10 administrative positions.

The Cleveland Heights - University Heights School District will cut 34 more positions as part of a larger cost-saving effort for the district. While 10 administrative positions and 24 support staff positions were eliminated Tuesday by the school board, only 11 employees will lose their jobs, said Superintendent Douglas Heuer. The other eliminated positions were vacant because their were open, or the employee was retiring or from contractual bumping. The move comes after the school board laid off 42 teachers in April, a 7 percent cut in the district's teaching staff. The school district has faced declining enrollment for more than a decade. Heuer said that the district has seen its student population drop by 16 percent since 2001. Meanwhile, the teaching staff has increased by 5 percent since 2001, but administrative staff has been slashed by 21 percent and support staff by 6 percent during that time. "Reductions have been made over the years, particularly in the areas of administration and support staff to align our staffing numbers with the needs of the student population being served," Heuer said. The administrative positions cut include: a principal position at Bellefair School, which will close this year, educational service coordinators, technical education coordinator, IT director, building managers, aquatics supervisor and the pathways partnership specialist. School Board President Ron Register said the school board has been searching for ways to save money. "Our feeling as a board is we needed to make some reductions," he said. "Last month I asked administration to look at opportunities to downsize our budget and stay away from the classroom as much as possible." Board members said the cuts were difficult, but said that the plan going forward was sound. Board Member Eric Coble said that reducing costs now saves the taxpayers money, and will reduce the amount needed in any future levy request. "If we tighten our belt now it will lower how much we will ask for later," he said.


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