CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s Board of Education plans to vote on a recommendation to close Newton D. Baker School of Arts during its work session on April 15.
The school, located on West 159th St. in Cleveland, has an enrollment of 352 students, according to the Ohio School Report Cards.
News 5 obtained a letter from the district addressed to educators at the school, which stated, “Due to ongoing facility challenges at Newton D. Baker, the school will be recommended for closure at the conclusion of the 2024-2025 school year.”
The letter also indicated that if the closure is approved, May 28 will be the last day of instruction.
On Friday, I reached out to the district to learn more. They stated that the recommendation to close the school is due to a "leaky roof that has gotten progressively worse."
I also inquired whether parents, students, and others associated with Newton D. Baker School of Arts will have an opportunity to voice concerns before the April 15 vote. As of Friday afternoon, the district had not answered that question.
The district did say the recommendation to close Newton D. Baker School of Arts is separate from its Building Brighter Futures initiative, which is exploring ways to maximize resources and may include future school closures.
A series of community meetings are planned for April, during which discussions related to the Building Brighter Futures initiative will take place.
CMSD is continuing to seek ways to save money as it anticipates a $96 million deficit by the end of the 2027-2028 school year.
One cost-saving potential being discussed is whether to have all of its schools on a traditional calendar. Currently, the district has several calendars with different start and end dates.
In November, voters approved a bond and levy for the school district; according to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, the levy is projected to collect $52,068,000 annually for CMSD.
