Preserve Lakewood.
Save Our Neighborhood Schools.
Our Stance
FAQs
What is Preserve Lakewood Schools?
Preserve Lakewood. Save Our Neighborhood Schools is a dedicated community project in Lakewood, Ohio, committed to preventing the closure/repurposing of elementary schools by the Lakewood City School District.
What is Lakewood's School District Planning to Do?
Lakewood City Schools is currently considering repurposing (closing) one or even two of its seven neighborhood elementary schools. The superintendent has maintained that the reasons for this aren't financial, but rather to equalize the class sizes across the elementary schools.
Which Elementary Schools Are Being Considered for Repurposing (Closure)?
The three elementary schools being considered for repurposing (closure) are Grant, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. Up to 2 of these buildings may be selected for closure.
What Is The Timeline?
The superintendent convened a Task Force which is currently meeting every 3-4 weeks. In May 2025, the Task Force will make a recommendation to the superintendent, the superintendent will make a recommendation to the school board, and the school board will have the final vote. The school district has stated that the earliest these changes would take place would be the 2026-2027 school year.
Why Is The School District Considering Repurposing (Closing) 1-2 Schools?
The superintendent has stated that the top reason for making these changes is to equalize the class sizes between the elementary schools. Currently, some schools have around 16-20 students per class, and other schools have around 23-28 students per class.
What Would Happen to the Repurposed (Closed) Schools?
The district has proposed turning the buildings into either a centralized Pre-K building, or a community center.
How Will Closing 1-2 Elementary Schools Impact Lakewood?
The loss of even one of Lakewood's neighborhood elementary schools would be devastating to the community, leading to decreased home values, loss of sense of community, and increased strain and challenges for students who have already experienced disruption to their elementary years due to COVID.
My Child's School Isn't Being Considered for Closure/I Don't Have Kids in the Schools. How Will This Impact Me?
Closing 1-2 elementary schools would mean longer walks for students, increased traffic, longer lines for drop off and pickup, increased class sizes for all of the remaining elementary schools, more caregivers driving their students to school leading to more cars on the road, more traffic and longer commutes. Closing schools can also negatively affect property values.
What Will Happen When the School District Redraws the Boundary Lines?
Each scenario currently being considered by the school district includes redrawing the boundary lines for all seven of Lakewood's elementary schools. Even if your student's school is not being considered for closure, your student could be reassigned to a different elementary school beginning in 2026.
Would Repurposing (Closing) 1-2 Schools Mean Cost Savings for the School Dis?
Whether all seven elementary schools are retained or not, the school district will still need to ask Lakewood voters to approve a levy in 2026. These changes would have little financial impact, since the school building(s) would still be in operation. The estimated cost of running one school is approximately less than 1% of the overall operating budget.
Would Repurposing (Closing) 1-2 Schools Mean Long-Term Cost Savings?
Lakewood voters have approved school levies consistently for years, and residents have paid high taxes to support our quality, neighborhood schools, among other amazing services in our community. We need to hold our elected officials accountable to continuing to offer the high-quality, neighborhood schools that we have invested in because we believe they are an essential part of our neighborhoods and our community.
What Would It Mean To Create a New Community Center?
If a second school is repurposed (closed), the school district could create a community center, where recreation department classes could take place. It wouldn't be a gym like the YMCA - it would simply be additional classroom space for recreation department programs. The superintendent has not yet shared any data regarding a demonstrated need for additional recreational space.
Why Are Neighborhood Schools So Important To Lakewood?
Lakewood's walkable neighborhood elementary schools are the heartbeat of our community. Many families buy homes and settle here for the walkable, close-knit community. Losing even one elementary school would be devastating to our community.
How Would Closing 1-2 Elementary Schools Impact All of Lakewood?
Closing even one elementary school would lead to more students walking longer distances to school, and potentially across more busy, major roads and more students crossing the railroad tracks. The school district is already understaffed for crossing guards and cannot staff all of its current crossing locations. More parents would drive their students to school, leading to increased traffic, longer commutes, and longer drop-off and pick-up lines. Despite the increased safety risks that repurposing (closing) 1-2 elementary schools would result in, the school district has stated that they do not plan to conduct a safety or traffic study prior to closing schools.
Where Do You Get Your Information From?
We are analyzing and using information and data directly from the school district, as well as other reliable sources, such as the census, NOACA, and other government and community organizations that track data. Members of our coalition attended all of the recent community conversations, have read and analyzed data available on the school district's website, and are also analyzing data from various relevant community studies. We welcome a representative from the school district to correct any possible incorrect information, or provide additional data.
Who created the seven scenarios for repurposing (closing) 1-2 of Lakewood’s elementary schools, and/or redrawing the boundary lines for each elementary school?
The seven scenarios currently under consideration were created by FutureThink, an outside consulting firm based in Columbus, Ohio, in collaboration with the school district’s administration. The community task force was asked to react to the possible scenarios.
Wouldn’t Expanded Pre-K Offerings Be Good For Lakewood?
Of course early childhood education is important for Lakewood’s students. Voters should expect that our school district only makes drastic changes in its school offerings after conducting relevant studies, gathering and evaluating pertinent data, gathering meaningful community input, considering the community’s needs, and presenting a well-researched, clear business case to the community. The school district has not conducted a study or gathered meaningful data that show a pressing need for increased Pre-K offerings in Lakewood. Lakewood is fortunate to have a thriving ecosystem of preschool offerings, and Lakewood City Schools’ Pre-K programs are of course an important part of that ecosystem. The information presented by the school district provides very little data for the reasoning why providing Pre-K only in a centrally located building would provide more value to the community than retaining our seven neighborhood elementary schools.
How Would a Centralized Pre-K Building Impact the District's Pre-K Offerings at Elementary Schools?
If the school district were to repurpose (close) an elementary school to create a centralized Pre-K building, the district would no longer offer preschool or Pre-K programs at any of the other elementary schools, eliminating an important aspect of Lakewood's Pre-K programs. Many families with children in elementary and Pre-K benefit greatly from enrolling their Pre-K student at the same Lakewood elementary school where their other student(s) attends. With a centralized Pre-K building, families with elementary and Pre-K students would have to drop off and pick up students at two separate locations, leading to more traffic, stress, safety issues, and longer commutes. Also, enrolling students in Pre-K at the elementary where they will attend creates a natural ease and familiarity as they transition into Kindergarten.
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