Akron Public Schools

The eight candidates all participated in an Akron Press Club debate Wednesday. There are four open seats on the Akron Board of Education in this year's election.

Teacher aides, part of a broader group called paraprofessionals, provide one-on-one care to students and vital classroom support to students, but many must balance working two jobs and say they struggle to make ends meet.

The U.S. Department of Education says it's pulled "less than a dozen" grants from school districts across the country due to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, counter to the Trump administration's policy priorities. It amounts to almost $170 million in funding.

The cancellation of the federal GEAR Up grant could mean layoffs for seven people who provided mentorship on college and career opportunities to 1,500 students.

The district alleges its facilities director, Steven Kennan, was buying back district equipment from a vendor and profiting from it by selling it on Facebook marketplace. He argues it was not improper and that other employees have done the same.

The district alleges Steve Keenan abused the district's purchasing processes. However, board members said it could be part of a larger systemic issue with spending control beyond Keenan.

A new component on Ohio's annual report cards now measures how well schools are preparing students for college, the military and the workforce after they graduate, and it's impacted some districts' overall scores.

There are eight candidates vying for four seats on the Akron Board of Education in the November 2025 election. The choice comes as the school district has dealt with a number of contentious issues.

The board of education had voiced concern about a lack of control over removing problematic officers, voting down the contract with police earlier this year. The new contract does include more leeway for the district to do so.

In Akron, the leader of the teacher union says the shortage is more pronounced than in recent years. In Cleveland, it's unclear how many more teachers the district should hire due to looming school consolidation plans.