As Cleveland prepares for its school closure plan to take effect next year, thousands of students will need to navigate new routes to their schools. District and city leaders have raised concerns about student safety on these routes, yet detailed safety measures have yet to be fully outlined.
Warren Morgan, CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), addressed attendees at a recent town hall meeting, emphasizing the district’s coordination with Cleveland’s gang task force and Greater Cleveland RTA to ensure safe travel for students. Many middle and high school students currently rely on buses or the Rapid train to reach their schools, making safety a primary concern for families, educators, and students alike.
Historically, CMSD has utilized a “safe passage” program funded through grants that provided supervision from residents outside schools and bus stops, aimed at safeguarding students. In addition, the city has implemented a state-funded initiative designed to identify and map out the safest routes for students to walk or bike to school, assessing traffic patterns and gathering parent feedback.
However, key elements of these safety programs are now at risk, as the funding for the “safe passage” initiative has ended and the district no longer employs a Safe Routes to School coordinator. Jon Benedict, a spokesperson for the district, noted that planning for next year’s safety measures is still in progress, as most students have yet to select their schools. He indicated that CMSD’s responsibility mainly pertains to their properties, thus they will rely heavily on collaboration with the city.
The Safe Passage program, a national model employed by other major cities such as Chicago and Los Angeles, has evolved in Cleveland over the past decade. In 2023, CMSD collaborated with the city and the nonprofit MyCom to enhance the program, training local residents and volunteers from violence intervention organizations to support students as they traveled to school. Kasey Morgan, chief strategy officer at MyCom, explained that these support teams aimed to prevent incidents rather than react to them, fostering a more secure environment around schools.
The program received grants from the Cleveland Foundation amounting to $228,500 for 2023 and 2024, enabling multiple volunteers to assist at five high schools. Sadly, that funding has now ended, and the Safe Passage program has been inactive this school year. Despite the current challenges, Benedict reassured that CMSD is committed to reviving the initiative and is actively seeking new funding with the aid of city resources.
Safety concerns expressed by high school students and teachers extend beyond school grounds, as the district does not provide yellow school bus transportation for high schoolers, relying instead on RTA bus passes. While CMSD has suggested plans to coordinate with RTA next year, specific safety programs for high school students using public transit have not been established.
Looking ahead, the Safe Routes to School program, which encourages K-8 students to walk and bike to school, has seen city planners collaborate with CMSD to develop maps outlining safe routes based on traffic analysis and community input. Most K-8 students are expected to remain within a mile of their schools, but they may need to navigate unfamiliar pathways. Under the consolidation plan, yellow bus service will be guaranteed for students who live more than a mile from their new schools.
CMSD has been contacted for updates on the development of new walking routes and maps, but responses are still pending. Although the district lacks a designated Safe Routes Coordinator, ongoing discussions are taking place to address safety and security for the upcoming school year. Crossing guards will continue to be stationed to assist K-8 students in crossing streets safely, unaffected by funding changes.
As Cleveland moves forward with its school restructuring, there is hope that improved safety initiatives will ultimately create a supportive environment for students, empowering them on their journey to education.