School Enrollment Down in County Since 2008
January 24, 2019 by Ann Wishart

Cardinal BOE Responds to Garlich’s District Survey

Enrollment in public schools throughout Geauga County has steadily decreased over the last 10 years, said Cardinal Schools Board of Education member Katie Thomas.

Enrollment in public schools throughout Geauga County has steadily decreased over the last 10 years, said Cardinal Schools Board of Education member Katie Thomas.

Thomas told the board during its meeting Jan. 9 Berkshire Schools is the only district in the county that has gained student population, an increase of 159, which she attributed to the merger of Ledgemont Schools with Berkshire Schools.

Cardinal’s enrollment is down 308 students over 10 years, according to the Geauga County Educational Service Center. Other enrollment figures from 2008 to 2018 include: Kenston Schools, with a decrease of 483; West Geauga Schools, with a decrease of 438; Chardon Schools, with a decrease of 420; and Newbury Schools, with a decrease of 297.

Enrollment in those districts at the first of the 2018-2019 school year were: Kenston – 2,693; West Geauga – 1,940; Chardon – 2,828; Cardinal – 1,039; Newbury – 377 and Berkshire 1,302, according to the GCESC office.

Kent State University – Geauga also showed a decrease in enrollment from 2014 to 2018 of more than 21 percent, from 5,497 to 4,292.

Thomas said she started researching the figures because of critical comments she has heard about the district and rumors “…about our enrollment tanking.”

“Everyone has had a decrease,” Thomas said. “This kind of information speaks volumes. Our better days are ahead. That’s what our focus is on.”

During a phone conversation Jan. 10, Thomas said she believes Middlefield Mayor Ben Garlich has been critical of the Cardinal board of education.

The cost to Cardinal Schools’ less-well-off residents to consolidate with Berkshire Schools would be too high, Thomas said.

Enlarging Berkshire’s new school to accommodate the Cardinal students would require a large bond issue to pass and an earned income tax of 1 percent would accompany the merger, she said.

“I just want the right information out there. I want to deal with facts,” Thomas said.

During the Jan. 9 meeting, Superintendent Scott Hunt said there is a perception people are leaving the school district, a situation that could be helped if the area was more attractive.

“We don’t do a real good job at being attractive. We need to do things that make us attractive and appeal to families that want this type of education,” Hunt said, adding

Cardinal offers individualized education.

Board member Barb Rayburn, who attended the Middlefield Village Council meeting Jan. 8, said she learned the village’s 25-question survey regarding school consolidation will be mailed out to about 4,500 voters in the Cardinal district the week of Jan. 14.

A phone survey of a sampling of registered voters will be done over the next 30 days by the Impact Group that contracted with the village to run the survey, according to a list she handed out.

Survey results should be available mid-February and although council did not agree to provide the questions to her, a few that were discussed included demographics of the voter, how each voter heard about the issue and the survey and if the voter understands his or her property taxes may increase if the school district consolidates.