Nordonia Hills City School District Wednesday announced moves to cut more than 20 staff and several programs while increasing pay-to-participate fees after several recent levy failures.
The school district in northern Summit County said it will cut 10 teachers, 11 teacher aides and 13 substitutes, as well as an unnamed number of custodians and "student support" positions, according to a letter sent to families by Superintendent Casey Wright that was posted on Facebook.
Wright said these actions will increase class sizes.
"We know these decisions will affect our students, families, and staff in profound ways," Wright wrote. "These cuts are not what any of us want, but they are necessary given our financial reality."
The district has a new levy on the ballot this spring.
If the May 2025 levy does not pass, even deeper reductions will be required," the post said.
School districts across the region and country are considering what the "right size" is for their operations and staff as costs have increased and enrollment has declined.
Ravenna City School District earlier this month announced it would be closing one building to try to cut costs, while Akron and Cleveland school districts moved to lay off staff last year.
In Nordonia, the district is also moving to increase participation costs for sports for families and has also instituted a buyout offer to shed further employees, said Superintendent Wright.
The district is also cutting its "social-emotional learning curriculum" and a program in high school that keeps suspended students in the school building to continue learning despite their disciplinary status.
Wright added the district is also considering cutting back on busing, potentially no longer offering busing to high school students. Last year, the Youngstown City School District joined Cleveland and Akron schools in no longer offering busing to high school students as a way to cut costs.
Nordonia City School District has a five-mill operating levy on the May 2025 ballot, meant to pay for operating costs; it said state funding has not kept up with rising costs and the share of the district's funding from local taxpayers has increased as a result, , up from 60% several years prior.
