There’s a troubling truth I can’t ignore anymore: The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is being steered by administrators when it desperately needs visionaries.
We don’t suffer from a lack of plans, policies, or paperwork. We suffer from a leadership drought of boldness, creativity, and long-term thinking. Somewhere along the line, CMSD traded in its dreams of transformation for spreadsheets and compliance checklists. And in doing so, it has lost sight of why school systems exist: to prepare students for the unpredictable, ever-evolving world.
From Visionary Roots to Administrative Rut
It was a game-changer when “The Cleveland Plan” was passed in 2012 under Ohio House Bill 525. It was unapologetically ambitious, designed to overhaul a system in crisis and to build an ecosystem of schools that served students, not institutions.
That plan empowered principals, encouraged innovation, fostered collaboration between public and charter schools, and gave Cleveland a rare chance to leap ahead of its urban counterparts. And for a while, it worked. Graduation rates rose. New school models emerged. Families had options. Hope was tangible.
But where is that energy now?
Today’s CMSD leadership seems more invested in managing status quo operations or closing schools than creating environments where children thrive. School buildings have become more like compliance centers than innovation hubs. Teacher resources are tight, but administrative spending continues to expand on items such as excessive conference travel or fancy butt-cooling chairs.
Risk-taking—the kind that fuels real change—has been replaced with risk aversion. And worst of all, the student voice has been buried beneath layers of bureaucracy.
A Culture of Protection, Not Progress
Too many decisions at CMSD appear to prioritize protecting leadership reputations over enhancing student outcomes. We ask teachers to do more with less—cut supplies, limit creativity, stick to the script—while executive offices remain well-resourced and insulated.
Let’s be honest: this isn’t how you build an inspired school system. It’s how you build a stagnant one.
In the name of “accountability,” we’ve over-prioritized test scores, performance metrics, and state report cards. Yes, some numbers have improved. But let’s not confuse upward trends with meaningful progress. A test score can’t tell you whether a student has discovered a passion, built confidence, or developed the kind of thinking that leads to breakthroughs.
When You Stop Listening to Students, You Stop Leading
If CMSD truly wants to be a 21st-century school district, it must start with one fundamental shift: “Really” Listen to the students and the community. Not as a PR gesture. Not as a checkbox. But as co-creators of the future.
The students in our classrooms are deeply aware of what’s broken and what inspires them. They understand the disconnect between their curriculum and their lived experience. They know when they’re being prepared for real life—and when they’re not. Ignoring their voices is not just shortsighted; it’s a failure of leadership.
Visionary districts don’t just talk about student-centered learning. They live it. They elevate students as partners in designing education that’s relevant, challenging, and connected to the real world.
It’s Time for CMSD to Change Course
If CMSD wants to be more than a district that plays defense, more than a system defined by its next report card, it needs to make profound changes:
- Replace managerial mindsets with visionary leadership.
- Fund innovation in the classroom, not just operations.
- Bring The Cleveland Plan back—not just in name, but in spirit.
- Reestablish school-level autonomy, allowing educators to adapt, create, and excel.
- Reinvent partnerships with employers, colleges, and the broader community.
- Reinstate the democratic election of school board members. No more echo chambers. No more mayors appointing allies to rubber-stamp mediocrity. Our children deserve a board that is accountable to them, not to City Hall.
The Leadership Our Kids Deserve
CMSD doesn’t need more administrators. It needs leaders who are unafraid to imagine something better—who will challenge the system instead of simply maintaining it.
Our children are not statistics. They are artists, engineers, thinkers, caregivers, future voters, and entrepreneurs. They are capable of greatness if we stop asking them to fit into small boxes and instead design schools that expand their potential.
Let’s stop managing decline. Let’s start leading toward possibility.
It’s time to ask more of our leaders—and if they can’t deliver, it’s time to replace them.