AKRON — The long discussion about how to cut $11 million from Akron Public Schools’ (APS) 2027 budget came to an end May 11, but the longer discussion of even bigger cuts will continue.
At its regular meeting, the APS Board of Education voted 6-1 to approve the administration’s proposed cuts, with board members making it clear it was a tough decision and a hard move to make. The cuts include 17 reductions in force (RIFs) affecting paraprofessionals, deans of students and an art therapist — totaling about $1.66 million. The remaining $9.34 million is being cut from non-RIF salaries and benefits ($2.57 million), supplies and materials ($4.65 million), capital outlay ($359,347) and other General Fund expenses ($296,793).
Board Vice President Rene Molenaur voted against the resolution, which authorized the RIFs and formalized the entirety of the budget reduction proposal. Her concerns echoed those voiced in the public comment portion of the meeting, at previous board meetings and, she said, in the community: Eliminating the deans of students and paraprofessionals will directly and unfairly affect students.
“At this time, the information I have received more strongly supports maintaining these positions rather than eliminating them, so as a result, I cannot support this plan or proposed reductions in force at this time for student-facing positions,” she said.
While eventually voting in favor of the proposed cuts — which have gone through numerous revisions over the last several months — board members Summer Hall and the Rev. Gregory Harrison also pushed back and expressed their disappointment at the situation the district has been put in.
Hall questioned the lack of deans of students, who essentially operate as assistant principals, especially in an instance when the principal would need to be out of the building. Superintendent Mary Outley responded that several contingencies are in place to mitigate a principal’s absence.
“This is a tough, tough decision to make, and it’s not one that I think any of us are making lightly,” Harrison said. “We have to cut $11 million this year; we have to start cutting $27 million next year.”
He added that with the recent defeat of five nearby school levies in the May primary election, he has little hope funding help will come from any other source.
Board member Nathan Jarosz pointed out that initial reduction proposals from the administration would have cut 36 positions, and he thanked the administration for continuing to revise the proposal with board and community feedback, while expressing disappointment that 17 positions still are being eliminated.
“If we don’t make these decisions, we’re one step closer to the state making those decisions for us,” he said.
APS officials and board members have been vocal about what they characterize as a lack of fair funding from the state of Ohio, which is pushing districts into dire fiscal straits.
“The state is trying to defund public education and undermine our school system,” Harrison said.
In other fiscal action, the board approved a resolution to modify the General Fund and Severance Fund appropriations for the current fiscal year. According to the resolution, the $4 million net increase to the General Fund is needed to cover $8.39 million in transportation costs from van transportation vendors, and the $250,000 Severance Fund increase is due to retirement eligibility changes at the state level allowing members of the State Teachers Retirement System to retire sooner.
Also at the meeting, the board voted against naming C.T. Taylor Inc. as Construction Manager at Risk (CMR) for the $85 million North High School construction project. The resolution would have authorized the administration to negotiate a contract with C.T. Taylor or, if those negotiations fail, the next highest-ranked of the four companies that responded to the district’s request for qualifications.
A CMR provides oversight on a project and ensures that subcontractors are completing their work and staying on budget. C.T. Taylor currently is the CMR for the Pfeiffer/Miller South building project — one source of concern among board members, who questioned whether one company had the capacity to act as CMR on two large-scale projects.
But the larger issue, and one that also was voiced by members of the public during the public comment period in addition to board members, is the lack of union involvement in the company.
“If we’re saying out loud that we support the unions, and we’re saying out loud that we want the unions coming into our schools and help our children but we don’t show any support when it comes to jobs, [then] I can’t support this resolution, because it doesn’t stand for what we say we want,” Hall said to applause.
APS Business Affairs Director Debra Foulk told board members that the hiring of the subcontractors is required to be approved by a board vote. Put another way, she said, the board would still be in control of selecting the carpenters, masons, electricians and other laborers actually working to build the new school.
Board President Barabra Sykes and member Phil Montgomery voted in favor of the resolution. After its 2-5 defeat, Sykes stressed this does not mean the administration is authorized to move to the next highest-ranked company (Hammond Inc.).
“Now we go back to the drawing board,” she said. “Just so we’re clear on what we’re doing here.”
In other business, the board:
• approved a service agreement renewal with Facilities Management Express LLC for the annual license and support services of the district’s software package for the work order system program for the Facility Services Department, the ticketing system for the Information Technology Department and the facilities and site usage scheduling request system for the Business Affairs Department, for a total cost not to exceed $53,525;
• accepted a $300,000 grant from the City of Akron to support Akron After School Elementary Expanded Learning, creating after-school opportunities for reading and math intervention and enrichment activities. Funds will be used for the remainder of this year and next fiscal year;
• accepted donations including $3,000 from the Firestone High School Instrumental Music Association to Firestone CLC Band for color guard/winter guard instruction; $1,000 from the Greek Orthodox Philoptochos Society to Project Rise for student senior dues; $500 from Chris Milcetich for the Jill Regenos Scholarship Fund; and $30 from the Firestone CLC softball team for unhoused students and families; and
• accepted the retirements of Firestone CLC teachers Beth Dotson, effective May 29, and Robert Sveda, effective July 30, and Case CLC Family Liaison Rose Eck, effective May 29.
The next regular APS Board of Education meeting will take place May 26, due to the Memorial Day holiday, at 5:30 p.m. at the Administration Building, 10 N. Main St. Board meetings also are livestreamed and archived at www.akronschools.com/district/board-of-education.