Community ask board to keep social workers in Cincinnati Public Schools

Notes

Meeting Agenda:

https://www.cps-k12.org/uploaded/2_Agenda_Business_FINAL_06-08-2026.pdf

Meeting Attendees:

Superintendent Shauna Murphy

Board President Brandon Craig 

Board Vice President Kareem Moncree-Moffett 

Treasurer Michael Gustin 

Board Member Kari Armbruster 

Board Member Eve Bolton 

Board Member Jim Crosset 

Board Member Kendra Mapp

Board Member Ben Lindy was out of town,  according to Board Member Kendra Mapp. 

Hearing the public 

Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) parents, faculty and staff took to the podium during the public comment portion of the meeting to address the upcoming strategic plan and budget discussion.

Removal of summer months from CPS employee contracts

Faculty and staff members spoke against the board’s proposal to furlough CPS employees during the summer months. In addition to losing two months of pay, many emphasized the vital planning, preparation and crisis intervention that occurs for students and families in June and July.

According to Heather England, resource coordinator for Rockdale Academy, “Summer is exactly when the groundwork for a successful school year is laid for our students.”

Karen Hordinski, resource coordinator at Spencer Center and Riverview East Academy, expressed deep concern for “both the quality and breadth of the work” staff will be able to complete and the potential loss of “seasoned” resource coordinators should contracts be reduced to ten months. 

Proposed removal of social worker and school counselor positions

Groups of social workers and school counselors brought Tshirts and signage to support their protests of the possible removal of roles and other student support services under proposed budget cuts. 

Several social services professionals highlighted their support in reducing chronic absenteeism, which has been a longstanding issue within CPS. According to Destiny Barnett, who introduced herself as a proud school social worker, “student attendance and addressing the lack thereof is exactly what school social workers do.”

Barnett added, “we investigate the attendance, we address the barriers, and we create incentive plans for kids to come to school.” 

Victoria Oakley, Western Hills High School’s social worker, said that when students are asked who their trusted adult is at their school, many report the school social workers and counselors as such. Oakley added, “They come to school to see their trusted adults and partake in those activities we lead.”

Fairview Clifton German Language School 

A group of Fairview Clifton German Language School parents and committee members attended the meeting to express concerns about the school’s “culture, climate and educational equity,” according to Sonya Swift, chair of Fairview’s Local School Decision Making Committee (LSDMC). 

Swift said Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) student data provided by school administration “revealed significant disparities in disciplinary outcomes among students,” specifically Black students, as shown by Fairview’s data.

Julietta Ladipo, the parent representative for Fairview’s LSDMC, shared school population statistics of over 50%students of color and only two teachers of color. Ladipo added that families have pushed for “increased representation” in Fairview staff for years. 

Lauren Campbell-Kong, Fairview parent and PBIS parent representative, presented the board with a hefty file of three years of documentation of parent concerns. On behalf of concerned families and committee members, Campbell-Kong requested a “formal district investigation” and “thorough review of discipline practices, student support systems, special education processes, staff diversity and representation” of Fairview. 

Strategic plan presentation and board discussion 

Akeshia Craven-Howell presented the board with strategic planning updates on behalf of Bellwether, a national education consulting nonprofit assisting CPS with planning efforts. 

The presentation included Bellwether’s overview of the current state of CPS and two drafts of impact statements that will shape the future strategic plan, priorities and next steps. 

Craven mentioned CPS’ current academic momentum and program breadth as strengths from which to build on, highlighting the district’s performance success amongst Ohio’s Big Eight districts scores and CPS’ Montessori, dual language and career/technical programs.

The following was included in the current draft of the strategic plan impact statement: “By 2030, CPS will be a place where every student is known by name, taught by a consistent and excellent educator and supported to stay, grow, and graduate prepared for an opportunity-filled future.”

According to Craven, the current draft “points the district towards a focus on every student, everyday that they are enrolled.”

Next steps will include defining three to five “highest leverage priorities” and forming working groups aligned with these priorities to assist with planning. Craven stated that these groups will consist of district and school-based leaders and staff “because we want the people who are closest to the work, who will ultimately have to perform the work, to be active and engaged in helping us to define the work.”

Board Member Eve Bolton suggested inclusion of community members in the working groups who will assist with planning. Bolton said she thinks community input would be “helpful because everything’s sounding internal and not external enough.”

Board Vice President Kareem Moncree-Moffett expressed confusion about the proposed cuts to CPS social services despite the evidence of their links to prevention of and a decrease in issues such as chronic absenteeism.

FY 2026-2027 budget updates presentation and board discussion 

Treasurer Michael Gustin and Chief Information Officer Jeremy Gollihue presented updates to the proposed FY 2026-2027 budget to the board. 

According to Gollihue, the updates were in response to a recommendation from a previous meeting to inform the public  about budget items that were considered but not made.

Kari Armbruster echoed Moffett’s earlier sentiments regarding cuts to important social services, referring to the matter as “mind-bending.” Armbruster also stated the following: 

“I’m at a loss at this point. I also am at the realization that the longer we continue to talk and not take action, the more these people (concerned community members) have to sit here and listen to us just talk and not take action.”

Kendra Mapp expressed her firm stance against the removal of social worker and school counselor roles and reiterated her disapproval of the proposed cuts several times during this discussion. 

Mapp and Moffett both emphasized Bellwether’s recognition of the importance of social service roles to the success of students and questioned why Superintendent Shauna Murphy would still consider these cuts despite this information. Mapp also reminded Murphy of her frequent requests for plans if/when these roles are removed. 

Murphy called the matter a “Catch-22” as strategic planning is still in process and “nothing is set in stone.” Murphy added that Bellwether’s suggested four priority areas were just revealed, so there is still work to be done.

In response to inquiries about considering other options for budget cuts, Murphy referenced the items listed in the general fund included in the budget presentation and stated, “I don’t think these are good options.”

Murphy provided examples of other options such as removing security, requiring payment for sports participation or school mergers that she would prefer not to utilize. 

Levy presentation and discussion 

Murphy proposed a “vision for the future” to start the levy presentation and described it as “super preliminary,” as strategic planning is still in progress. Murphy’s “vision” included the following three pillars: student-centered equity and mobility, regional hub development and coordinated student support. 

As these pillars require funding for execution, Gustin presented to the board information regarding CPS’ current levies, with a focus on the bond levy that ends in 2031 and an emergency levy that expires at the end of 2029. 

Gustin asked the board to think in terms of three levies: the operational funds needed now, 2029 renewal as the emergency fund ends and the end of the bond levy in 2031, which would offer the opportunity to address needs for the next 20 to 30 years. 

Gustin provided no official levy recommendations. As a means to “narrow the levy options,” Gustin highlighted current expense at a five-year length as the most popular possible option with a 6.11 or 8.53 millage. Gustin added that all two would be necessary for a resolution and the deadline for submission to November’s ballot would be Aug. 3.

Armbruster, Moffett and Mapp expressed their support of a levy, emphasizing CPS’ funding needs. 

In response to the mention of the possible elimination of property taxes from Ohio, Jim Crosset called it an “interesting possibility.” Crosset added that the state moving to income tax might be a “one bite at the apple opportunity strategically” and “when we go for it, let’s go for it all.”

“We have to get to an income tax, eventually. We have to, not just because of the people that are in Columbus making bad decisions, but that it makes more sense and it is a shared burden, more than property tax,” Bolton added.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@signalcincinnati.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.

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