Cleveland Metropolitan School District

The new policy means Cleveland Metropolitan School District grads will have minimal steps to complete before being able to start taking classes at Tri-C.

The district says despite the levy, expenses continue to grow; meanwhile, changes to the state funding formula aren't helping the district as much as it would like.

CMSD says there's currently only a small number of tracks at its schools. That means students often are forced to find other places to practice throughout the city.

In his 2024 State of the Schools address, CMSD CEO Warren Morgan highlighted how the district is meeting state standards on the Ohio's report card assessment, along with other improvements for teachers, students and families.

The district’s overall score is three out of five stars. Overall, that means it meets state expectations, but students are still struggling to read and graduate on time.

The move comes after Cleveland City Council and others raised concerns about the district using the fund to help cover a budget shortfall.

The move follows research showing phone use during the school day causes distractions and behavioral issues in classrooms.

Robert Heard Sr. was the longest-serving member of the board. He steps down at a time when the district has a levy on the ballot in November and faces financial challenges.

It's the seventh year of what the nonprofits call the Building Great Futures initiative, which so far has provided paying work for 70 students and rehabbed 16 homes for local families, which are then sold by Habitat for Humanity to families with a zero-interest mortgage.

Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb will need to replace both as the school district looks to get voter approval of a levy later this year.