Cleveland Metropolitan School District prepares for sequester cuts

CLEVELAND - As sequestration looms, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District has already taken steps to deal with less federal aid.

If Congress and President Barack Obama can’t reach a deal, CMSD has already planned a 9.1 percent-cut in their programs.

There are 210 teacher salaries in the district funded through federal funds. If the cuts take effect, 25 teachers could lose their jobs.

The biggest hit would be to Title I, which has programs that aid disadvantage children. It currently has a budget of $43,307,383.31 and it could drop to $39,366,411.43. That’s a decrease of $3,940,971.88.

“I think the cuts to education will be devastating,” said Dr. Marcia Zashin, who runs Action for Children and Youth in Transition, or ACT.

Zashin mainly deals with homeless children and her program has already experienced cutbacks.

It could be cut by $37,744.28, if federal aid cuts in Washington go through.

“We will always enroll homeless students whether we have the money or don’t have the money,” Zashin said. “The problem comes in where we will not be able to provide the resources and supplies to children.”

Other areas that could face cuts are school improvements and programs dealing with the disabled.