See Columbus City School Board President Michael Cole talk school closures
CCS board and committee administrators approved recommendations to continue closing four school buildings and adjusting the transportation lottery system.
This article has been updated to correct a quote from Columbus Education President John Coneglio referring to special education teachers
Since 2015, Columbus City Schools has added nearly 400 teachers and 150 administrators, even as its enrollment declined by over 3,000 students.
Now, the CCS Board of Education will be weighing in December how it will cut $50 million from its annual budget amid a $110-million deficit. Among its options are hundreds of layoffs to teachers, administrators and staff.
Under one proposal, the district could cut 445 positions, including 21% (50 positions) of central office administrators, 2% (four positions) of school-based administrators, 6% (275 positions) of faculty positions like teachers, nurses and counselors and 3% (116 positions) of classified positions like janitors and bus drivers.
Personnel costs, including pay and benefits, make up over 83% of the district’s budget and are the largest source of expenses. If the district went forward with the proposed employee and service cuts, it would save $50.2 million annually.
In an interview, CCS board President Michael Cole said that the “toughest space” the board will have discussions on will be around personnel.
“You heard us ask those questions about the quality of education and how the quality of education and how it could be impacted, and then the quantity aspect of it terms of cost at the end of the day,” Cole said. “We’ve got heavy lifting ahead of us but I think we’ll be well-equipped to make that decision.”
In the 2014-2015 school year, the district employed 3,584 contract teachers, compared to 3,980 in 2024-2025, according to historical data from board documents. In the same time frame, administration staffing increased from 277 to 409. The increases reflect an 11% increase in teaching staff and a 48% increase in administrative staff in the decade since 2015.
At the same time, enrollment has declined. In 2014-2015, the district had an enrollment of 49,836. In 2024-2025, the district had an enrollment of 46,054, representing a 7.8% decline, although CCS enrollment has stabilized in recent years.
In 2015, Columbus City Schools spent $13,759 per pupil, compared to $24,505 in 2025, according to Ohio Department of Education and Workforce data.
According to the ODEW report cards, Columbus City Schools spent the most per-pupil among large urban districts in the 2024-2025 school year while it had the fourth-lowest performance score. It also falls to 13 out of 14 similar-sized districts by how much money it spends on classroom instruction as a percentage of its budget, which is 59.9%.
Additionally, CCS average teacher salaries have increased over the time period. In 2014-2015, the average teacher salary was $65,460, and increased to $88,105 in 2024-2025, representing a 34.6% jump.
Vlad Kogan, an Ohio State University political science professor, said the “district has pretty much dug its own financial grave” and said the district has increased staffing levels while enrollment has declined. Additionally, Kogan said that by his calculations, state funding has kept up with inflation.
“The claim that this has all driven by state underfunding is not consistent,” Kogan said. “Student enrollment has been declining while staff levels have been increasing, and that obviously in the long run is not sustainable.”
Kogan said this could be a chance for the district to improve teacher quality.
“A functioning organization, now that they’re downsizing, would actually use this as an opportunity to improve average quality,” Kogan said. “And I just don’t think they’re going to do that because the teaching evaluation process is a disaster.”
John Coneglio, president of the Columbus Education Association, said that some of the reason contract teachers have increased in the district is because the CEA has bargained for them during contract negotiations.
“We want as many people in front of kids as possible because we know the challenges that are out there,” Coneglio said. “If you can afford a nurse, more nurses, more social workers, those things, they are important.”
While he said the district needs to “right-size” its administration, he said administration often plays an important role in helping teachers do their jobs.
“A little bit leaner, a little bit meaner and a little bit more accountability,” Coneglio said. “And I think things will go a long way.”
Allison Volz, a librarian at Briggs High School, said during public comment at the Nov. 18 meeting that the district should consider steeper administrative cuts — closer to 100 positions than the currently proposed 50.
“We must make students come first, not administration positions,” Volz said. “A lot of the blame has been put on the state for putting us in this position – and rightfully so – however, the board can choose how to minimize the impact on the students we serve.”
How would layoffs work if approved?
The CCS board has said that it cannot identify which jobs would be cut if it went forward with proposed reductions because it needs to follow contractual obligations with district unions.
According to the Columbus Education Association contract, the board should first seek to reduce personnel through attrition like resignations and retirements. Then, the district should use certification and education level, and then use performance evaluations. If performance evaluations are comparable, seniority should be used.
A new provision approved by the union and the board in 2025 updates seniority to include the first day of paid status as an employee to the current day. If two employees have identical seniority, the union member with the highest value of the last four digits of their Social Security number will be the tie-breaker.
Coneglio said the district has enough cash on hand to handle most of the layoffs through attrition, saying that the district typically loses around 200 teachers a year from retirements and resignations anyways.
Many of the positions at risk, Coneglio said, were positions initially funded through federal COVID-era emergency funding and then later through promises made by the district in its $100-million permanent levy.
“(Layoffs) also go where they need to make cuts from too,” Coneglio said. “I can pretty much guarantee you that no special ed teachers are getting laid off in Columbus City Schools.”
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at [email protected] or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
