What Cleveland Metropolitan School District does

Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) is a public K-12 school district governed under Ohio state law (Ohio House Bill 269, 1997) and headquartered at 1111 Superior Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. CMSD serves approximately 33,399 students across 59 schools (45 PreK-8 schools, 18 high schools, 2 K-8 schools, 2 remote schools, and 1 virtual school) with a staff of roughly 7,570 employees. The district operates as the sole public school provider within Cleveland city limits, serving a population that is 100% economically disadvantaged with significant representation of students with disabilities (27.7%), English Learners (13.6%), homeless students (5.5%), and gifted students (5.5%); demographics are 61.4% Black, 20.3% Hispanic, 12.9% White, and 5.4% other.

The district's service portfolio spans traditional in-person K-12 instruction, non-traditional modalities (Remote K-8, Remote High School, Virtual Academy, The School of One, Residential Programs, Home School, Hospitals Program, Downtown Education Center), specialized support services (Special Education, Multilingual Multicultural Education via Natividad Pagan International Newcomers Academy, Project ACT for homeless students, Integrated Health Services including nursing, OT/PT, and psychological services), and enrichment programming (Senate Athletic League, college and career pathways, College Credit Plus, Say Yes Cleveland scholarships). Technology infrastructure is built on third-party platforms including PowerSchool for student information and the Electronic Gradebook (MyPowerHub), Schoology for learning management, Clever for single sign-on, Seesaw for early-grade learning portfolios, SchoolMint for the School Finder/Choice portal, Edulog for bus tracking, and Follett Destiny for library management. Transportation Services operates 301 school buses reaching approximately 15,000 students daily. The district's Building Brighter Futures initiative, launching for the 2026-27 school year, represents the strategic modernization plan driving facility upgrades and expanded programming.

CMSD is funded primarily through Ohio state foundation aid, local property taxes, federal grants (Title I, IDEA), and federal child nutrition program reimbursements. Education services are provided free of charge to district residents; supplemental revenue streams include facility rentals, before/after school care fees, and philanthropic donations. The Board of Education consists of nine voting members appointed by the Mayor of Cleveland. Executive leadership is led by CEO Dr. Warren Morgan, with a team including the Chief of People and Strategy, Chief Academic Officer, Chief of District Operations, Chief of Innovation and Student Experience, Chief External Affairs Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and General Counsel. CMSD is a member of the Council of the Great City Schools and the Ohio 8 Coalition, and holds partnerships with the Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland, College Now Greater Cleveland, Say Yes Cleveland, PRE4CLE, and the Greater Cleveland RTA.

Name

Cleveland Metropolitan School District

Legal name

Cleveland Metropolitan School District

Website

https://clevelandmetroschools.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cleveland Metropolitan School District is the sole public K-12 school district chartered to serve Cleveland, Ohio, educating approximately 33,399 students across 59 schools (including remote and virtual options) with a free, tax-funded model. The district serves a 100% economically disadvantaged population and offers college, career, and specialized support programming via partnerships with Say Yes Cleveland, PRE4CLE, and local higher education institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA), Full-Time Virtual K–12 Schools (Statewide/Cyber Charters & District Programs) (EDAJADAA)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• School district services
• Special education programs
• Student transportation services
• Multilingual education

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland, Ohio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: As a public school district, CMSD is primarily funded through state and local tax revenues, state foundation funding, federal grants (Title I, IDEA), and special education funding. Services are provided free to district residents.
2. School Nutrition Services: Federal child nutrition programs (breakfast and lunch) provide meals to students. Families may contribute to costs based on income eligibility.
3. Community Services: Before and after school care programs, community education offerings, and facility rentals generate supplemental revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Cleveland Metropolitan School District operates a public K-12 educational system serving approximately 33,399 students across 59 schools (45 PreK-8, 18 high schools, 2 K-8, 2 remote, and 1 virtual) in Cleveland, Ohio. The district delivers free PreK-12 instruction, school choice and enrollment services, special education, multilingual and multicultural programs, integrated health services, nutrition programs, and student transportation, with a strategic modernization initiative called Building Brighter Futures guiding facility upgrades and expanded programming.

Product overview

Cleveland Metropolitan School District operates a unified educational platform and service portfolio serving approximately 33,399 students across 59 schools (45 PreK-8 schools, 18 high schools, 2 K-8 schools, 2 remote schools, and 1 virtual school). The district's core digital infrastructure includes the School Choice Portal for enrollment and school selection, the CMSD Electronic Gradebook (MyPowerHub, powered by PowerSchool) for academic tracking, and Transportation Services with Edulog Parent Portal for bus tracking. Non-traditional education offerings include CMSD Remote K-8 School, Cleveland Metropolitan Remote High School, Virtual Academy, and The School of One. Support services encompass Project ACT (homeless student support), Special Education Services, Multilingual Multicultural Education, Integrated Health Services, and the Ombuds Office. The district also partners with Say Yes Cleveland for scholarship programs and operates Pre4CLE for early childhood education. Building Brighter Futures is the strategic initiative guiding school modernization and expanded educational opportunities including career pathways and college credit programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• School Choice Portal
• CMSD Electronic Gradebook (MyPowerHub)
• Transportation Services
• Ombuds Office
• Project ACT
• CMSD Remote K-8 School
• Cleveland Metropolitan Remote High School
• Virtual Academy
• The School of One
• Special Education Services
• Multilingual Multicultural Education
• Integrated Health Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 75.3% 4-year graduation rate (2023 cohort)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Say Yes ClevelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSay Yes Cleveland is a scholarship program providing tuition assistance to CMSD graduates who reside within the district. The partnership ensures that incoming freshmen are enrolled by the first day of school to be eligible for this post-secondary financial support upon graduation.
• Council of the Great City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMSD is a member of the Council of the Great City Schools, a coalition of the nation's largest urban public school systems working together on urban education reform, policy advocacy, and best practices sharing.
• Ohio 8 CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of Ohio's eight largest urban school districts collaborating on shared challenges and policy advocacy at the state level.
• Higher Education Compact of Greater ClevelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local colleges and universities to create seamless pathways from high school to higher education, including College Credit Plus programs and post-secondary support services.
• First Ring Schools CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with suburban districts surrounding Cleveland to share resources, best practices, and address regional educational challenges.
• PRE4CLEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly childhood education initiative working to increase access to high-quality preschool programs for Cleveland families through community partnerships and resource coordination.
• College Now Greater ClevelandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit providing college access services including advising, scholarship assistance, and application support to CMSD students and families. Regular newsletters provide FAFSA updates, scholarship information, and upcoming events.
• Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership providing discounted RTA transit passes for eligible students as an alternative to yellow bus transportation. Students in grades 7-12 residing 1+ mile from school receive RTA tickets.
• Cleveland Education CompactcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of education, civic, business, and community organizations working to improve educational outcomes in Cleveland through coordinated initiatives and advocacy.
• Planning and Career Exploration (PACE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCareer exploration and planning program helping students identify career pathways and connect with local employers and educational institutions for work-based learning opportunities.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Milwaukee Public Schools: Mid-sized urban district in the Upper Midwest with a comparable high-poverty enrollment, voucher/charter competition, and shrinking enrollment pressures — a strong operational peer for CMSD.
• Columbus City Schools: Ohio's largest urban district outside Cleveland, governed under the same state framework as CMSD. Closest state-level peer for benchmarking funding, regulatory exposure, and academic outcomes.
• Detroit Public Schools Community District: Urban Michigan school district with comparable high-poverty demographics, charter school co-existence, and state-supervised governance features — making it a near-twin to CMSD on the operational challenges it faces.
• Cincinnati Public Schools: Another Ohio urban district with comparable state funding mechanics, charter school co-existence, and high-poverty demographics — a direct state-level peer for CMSD.
• Philadelphia School District: Large urban public school district serving a high-need population with similar wraparound service demands, charter competition, and state funding exposure — a direct functional peer for CMSD.
• Chicago Public Schools: Large urban public school district serving a similar high-poverty, diverse student population in a major Rust Belt city. Closest functional peer in terms of scale, governance model, and demographic complexity.
• Baltimore City Public Schools: Large urban district with comparable high-poverty, predominantly Black student population, and a history of state takeover and academic recovery — a strong functional peer for CMSD's urban reform trajectory.
• Buffalo Public Schools: Smaller urban district in New York State with similar demographic profile, high-need population, and state-mandated accountability structures — closely comparable to CMSD on student outcomes and governance.
• Toledo Public Schools: Ohio urban district with similar Rust Belt economic context, declining enrollment pressures, and high-poverty demographics — directly comparable on operating challenges.

Regional players

• Akron Public Schools: Regional Ohio peer district in a neighboring metropolitan area with similar demographic and economic context. Under the First Ring Schools Collaborative with CMSD, it offers a directly relevant regional comparison.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CLEMetroSchools
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CMSDCommunications
• Facebookfacebook.com/clevemetrosd
• Instagraminstagram.com/clevelandmetroschools
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cleveland-municipal-school-district

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cleveland Metropolitan School District