MANSFIELD — The Mansfield City School board is expected to vote Tuesday on a resolution that abolishes more than 60 positions through a reduction in force.
The board will meet at 5:30 p.m. in the Raemelton Administration Building at 856 W. Cook Road.
The staffing cuts come after the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce recently required MCS to submit a deficit reduction plan in light of a projected $3.9 million operating shortfall for the 2024-2025 school year.
If approved, the positions will be eliminated at the end of the 2024-2025 school year. Employees who hold those positions and wish to continue working in the district may be able to fill other positions through reassignment, depending on seniority.
The list mostly comprises of teachers, but also includes intervention specialists and a few other roles.
The proposed eliminated positions, listed below by school building, include:
Mansfield Spanish Immersion
- Third-grade teacher
- Sixth- thru eighth-grade Spanish teacher
- Fourth- and fifth-grade English language arts teacher
- Fourth- and fifth-grade science and social studies teacher
- Physical education teacher (part time)
- General music teacher (part time)
- Visual art teacher (part time)
- Digital literacy teacher (part time)
Springmill STEM
- Two kindergarten teachers
- Two first-grade teachers
- Sixth-grade teacher
- Physical education teacher (part time)
- General music teacher (part time)
- Visual art teacher (part time)
- Digital literacy teacher (part time)
- School counselor teacher (part time)
Sherman Elementary
- Two pre-K intervention specialists
- Second-grade teacher
- Two student support specialists
- Digital literacy teacher
Malabar Intermediate School
- General music teacher
- Third-grade mathematic and science teacher
- Third-grade English language arts teacher
- Fourth-grade English language arts and social studies teacher
- Fifth-grade science and social studies teacher
- Sixth-grade science and social studies teacher
- In-school intervention and social emotional
- Three intervention specialists
- Teacher leader
Mansfield Middle School
- Spanish teacher
- Physical education teacher
- Exploratory cosmetology/hospitality teacher
- Exploratory intro to health teacher
- Exploratory auto/construction/agriculture teacher
- Dean of students
- Intervention specialist
- Eighth-grade mathematics teacher
- Eighth-grade science teacher
- Eighth-grade social studies teacher
- Two eighth-grade English language arts teachers
Mansfield Senior High School
- Job training coordinator
- Career based intervention teacher
- 9th- through 12th-grade English language arts teacher
- 9th- through 12th-grade science teacher
- Two 9th- through 12th-grade social studies teachers
- Special education transitions coordinator
- Career tech education business law teacher
- Career tech education advanced manufacturing teacher
- Intervention specialist
Districtwide positions
- School nurse
- Adapted physical education teacher
Hedges Campus
- School counselor (part time)
- Science teacher
- Intervention specialist
What is a reduction in force (RIF)?
A reduction in force (RIF) occurs when an agency eliminates positions.
During RIFs, employees with less seniority may lose their jobs while more senior employees may be reassigned to different positions. The school board must reach an agreement with the Mansfield School Employees Association before “RIF”ing any union employees.
The number of positions eliminated rarely equals the number of people who want to work and lose their jobs, since retirements and resignations can open up other employment opportunities in the district.
Board may vote to suspend administrative positions, support staff at the end of March
In a separate resolution, the board is expected to vote on eliminating two administrative positions — director of personnel and district behavioral analyst — and suspend those employees on March 31.
A third resolution up for a vote would suspend or lay off the following administrative support personnel, effective March 31:
- Three executive assistants in the personnel and human resources department
- Executive assistant to the academic services department
- Executive assistant to the pupil services department
- Two executive assistants in the treasurer’s and accounts payable department
- Central registration
- EMIS coordinator
District administrators and administrative support personnel are not represented by a union.
The board is also set to vote on a memorandum of understanding with the Mansfield School Employees Association that would extend the existing union contracts for both classified and certified employees by one year.
If approved, the contract would maintain all fringe benefits and working conditions and eliminate signing bonuses for the 2025-2026 school year. The agreement would expire on June 30, 2026.
Follow the Richland Source ‘Funding the Future’ series
Richland Source is taking taking a more in-depth look at the financial history and current state of Mansfield City Schools this week through a special project called “Funding the Future.”
The five-part series began Monday. New stories will publish each day at 10 a.m. on Richland Source.
