Lorain City Schools officials say the district has already begun making cuts and could face up to $8 million more in reductions if voters do not approve a new levy this May.
At a recent Board of Education meeting, the district approved a financial plan to submit to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, outlining steps being taken to address ongoing budget challenges.
The district has already implemented several cost-saving measures, including eliminating non-classroom student support services, canceling all field trips, deferring capital maintenance, freezing pay, and canceling professional development.
Officials also confirmed that neighborhood schools will remain open for now, but two buildings will be repurposed. One will be used for mandatory preschool, and another will become a dedicated autism school, allowing some students currently placed outside the district to return locally.
District leaders say the goal is to reduce financial strain while limiting the impact inside classrooms, though they acknowledge students will still be affected.
The district is now asking voters to approve Issue 5, an 11-mill operating levy on the May ballot. According to the district, the levy would help stabilize finances and allow some student supports and programming to return by the 2027–2028 school year.
If the levy does not pass, officials say the district could face up to $8 million in additional cuts. That could lead to further staff and teacher layoffs, more program reductions, and possible school building closures.
District officials also state that, over a two-year period, the district could lose about 25% of its funding, which they say would have a significant impact on operations.
They emphasized that the district is required to maintain a balanced budget and cannot spend beyond its available resources. Some of the financial pressures, they said, are tied to decisions made outside the district’s control.
At this time, it is not known which positions would be cut, which buildings could be affected, or how the additional reductions would be carried out if the levy fails.
The district says more information will be shared as the process continues and the May vote approaches.