There is no question that Ohio’s public schools are under immense financial strain. Outdated funding formulas, rising costs, and legislative decisions have pushed districts into impossible positions. But how those realities are communicated to families matters just as much as the numbers themselves.
This week, Wadsworth City Schools released a fiscal precaution plan that didn’t shy away from hard truths, but it also didn’t create panic. Leaders explained why deficits are looming, what steps have already been taken to save money, and, most importantly, how the community will be involved before major decisions are finalized.
Parents were told: this plan can change. Your voice matters. We want your input.
That approach stands in sharp contrast to what many Norton families experienced. Parents and staff were confronted with sweeping proposals, including the elimination of open enrollment for grades K-8, possible building consolidations, and staffing reductions, with little warning and minimal opportunity for community discussion beforehand. For families whose children have grown up together since kindergarten, the emotional impact has been devastating.
This isn’t what public education is supposed to look like.
Public schools were designed to be community institutions, places where decisions are shaped with families, not simply announced to them. When funding challenges arise, collaboration shouldn’t be an afterthought; it should be the starting point.
Districts across Ohio are facing the same pressures. But the difference between fear and trust often comes down to communication. Wadsworth has shown that transparency, empathy, and community partnership are possible, even in difficult moments.
Our hope is simple: that every school district facing these challenges chooses openness over shock, dialogue over distance, and people over panic.
Because behind every budget line is a child, a teacher, a family — and a future worth protecting.
