The Cleveland Metropolitan School District passed its fifth consecutive levy since 2012, and officials discussed what that means for the district’s future during a Board of Education meeting on Wednesday.

Starting next year, CMSD’s spending will outpace the money it brings in, even with the levy infusion, which means the district could have to dip into its savings. By 2028, the district could be in the red, according to a new five-year budget forecast. 

That’s different from CMSD’s previous budget forecast, shared earlier this year, that showed the district going into the red in 2027. The district will have to submit another financial report to the state in May 2025. Warren Morgan, the CEO of CMSD, said that report will show the district’s continued efforts to chip away at its budget shortfall.

“Thanks to the levy, we now have another year,” Morgan said. 

The levy is expected to bring in about $49 million every year for 10 years, according to CMSD Chief Financial Officer Kevin Stockdale. An additional $3 million raised by the levy will go to charter schools that work with the district.

Stockdale also expressed concerns about reduced funding from the state. Because property values in Cleveland will, on average, increase next year, he said the state views CMSD as “wealthier” than it actually is, which means the state will provide less funding. Between now and 2028, state funding will increase only 1.6%, he said. 

“What’s happening is funding is shifting from high, high poverty districts to really middle income districts,” he said.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the levy, but turnout was middling

District and Cleveland Teachers Union officials celebrated city voters who overwhelmingly approved the levy with nearly 67% of the vote. That’s a stronger showing than in 2020, when 61% of voters approved the levy. 

Many skipped voting on the levy altogether. About 47% of registered voters cast ballots, and 15% of them did not vote either way on the levy.

Despite concerns, this year’s levy performed better at the neighborhood level.

In 2020, voters in Ward 13, which includes Old Brooklyn, mostly rejected the levy. This time around, more than half Ward 13’s voting precincts passed the levy. 

Cleveland City Council Members Mike Polensek and Brian Kazy did not endorse the levy. When Morgan talked with council members about the levy back in July, Polensek, who represents Ward 8, said he wouldn’t campaign for it. Still, voters in all 18 voting precincts in Polensek’s ward approved the levy. All but four of the 17 voting precincts in Ward 16, represented by Kazy, passed it.