News

Actions

Parma schools present $15M in cuts to Board of Education, trigger strong emotions

Proposed budget cuts presented to BOE
Posted at 9:46 PM, Sep 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-09-27 08:00:04-04

The Parma Schools administrative staff presented massive cuts to the Parma School District Board of Education today to make up for a projected $15 million shortfall.

The meeting was filled with emotion as Parma parents taunted board members to resign.

The proposed cuts include the layoff of 30 teachers and dozens in support staff in all areas over the next three years.

News 5 has learned the cuts also include the consolidation of Normandy and Valley Forge High schools into one super high school to be located at Parma Senior High School on West 54th Street.

The proposal calls for both Normandy and Valley Forge to become middle schools.

The plan also calls for the closing of five other school buildings.

The district is currently under fiscal watch by the state of Ohio and must submit a balanced budget plan by Oct. 17.

Parma parents and council members are extremely upset and say the school administration was careless and keeping accurate accounting of its current budget situation, forcing the district now make emergency cuts. 

"I just want to make sure that before we say 'yes, this is what's going to happen' or 'yes, this is what needs to happen', that we are positive this time that this is what's best," said Amanda Karps, a parent of a Parma student. "Because we haven't been positive the last dozen big decisions we've made and here we are today."

The district will soon be asking voters to approve a levy renewal in November.

If the renewal is not approved by voters the deficit could climb to $19 million.

The proposed cuts must be submitted to the Ohio Department of Education.

The Parma school district will hold a public meeting on the issue at the Parma Senior High School auditorium on Oct. 4.