Cleveland school construction proposal would close more schools

From The Cleveland Plain Dealer: A plan for completing the Cleveland school districts' state-funded construction program calls for the district to scrap many more schools than it builds or renovates. The plan calls for reducing the number of new and renovated schools to 63, well below the 111 envisioned when work began in 2002. The proposal, described as a "work in progress," illustrates the tough choices Cleveland school officials face as they adjust the construction program to fit declining enrollment and shrinking budgets. Even after closing 16 buildings in June, the district operates more than 90 schools. The proposal is based on a forecast that Cleveland will have 35,059 students in 2017. The original plan projected that enrollment would bottom out at 72,450.