Yanuki
Education / School Safety
The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is addressing proposed changes to the school calendar and ongoing safety concerns for students, particularly in light of school closures and new transportation routes.
The CMSD Board of Education is evaluating changes to the school calendar for the 2026-2027 year, with a vote scheduled for February 24. Proposed changes include a later start date and adjustments to professional development and conference days. Of particular concern is the proposed 8:35 a.m. start time for Wilbur Wright Elementary, which teachers fear will disrupt the ability of Muslim students to attend prayers at nearby mosques after school.
Simultaneously, CMSD is grappling with student safety, especially as school closures lead to new transportation routes for thousands of students. The district's "safe passage" program, which previously relied on grant funding to pay residents to monitor student routes, is currently unfunded. CMSD is collaborating with the city to find new funding sources and develop comprehensive safety plans. The district is also tracking safety incidents using a new ARMS database, though data improvements are still needed.
These issues highlight the challenges CMSD faces in balancing academic scheduling with the diverse needs of its student population and ensuring their safety in a changing school environment. The district is exploring student-led anti-bullying initiatives like Not On Our Watch (N.O.W.) and Winning Against Violent Environments (W.A.V.E.) to foster a safer environment.
The school year start date is moved back a week, there is an additional professional development day, open house and parent-teacher conference days are decreased, and spring break is changed to coincide with Good Friday.
The Safe Passage program provided supervision and mediation along school routes to ensure student safety. It is important because it helped prevent incidents and support students traveling to and from school. The program is currently unfunded, raising concerns about student safety on new routes.
CMSD leaders have stated they plan to coordinate with the Greater Cleveland RTA (Regional Transit Authority) to address student safety concerns while using public transit. However, specific programming for high school students is not yet in place.
Do you think the proposed changes to the school calendar will benefit students? What steps should CMSD take to ensure student safety on new school routes? Share this with others who need to stay ahead of this trend!
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