Willoughby-Eastlake's North & South could merge as early as 2027-28 school year
BY JOEY SCHNIEDER
STAFF
(Willoughby, Ohio) - The Willoughby-Eastlake City School district has produced a comprehensive plan should the new levy pass or fail this upcoming November. While there have been talks about having to combine, consolidate, or shut down schools in the past few years, this is the first time an actual plan has been put forth with the new school year starting and November right around the corner.
The district has not asked voters for additional funds in six years, and the new levy will have a widespread and rippling effect if voters decide against it. First and foremost, the levy is for a 0.75% earned income tax, which according to the Willoughby-Eastlake Schools website would generate just north of 14 million dollars. A person making $50,000 would pay $375 extra in income tax. If approved nine and a half million would be allocated to district operations, such as staff salaries, transportation, and building utilities. Roughly four and a half million would go towards the districts Capital Plan, which is a permanent improvement fund, which be used to maintain facilities, purchase new technology, security, and vehicles. As this is an income tax proposal and not property tax, it has protections against pensions, social security, capital gains, and investments. It is for active income and wages. The earned income tax is also tied with a person's ability to pay as highlighted by the district and is impacted by economic downturns and job loss.
If the levy fails, starting in the 2027-2028 school year, Eastlake North and Willoughby South High Schools will consolidate into one high school, with North moving to South's high school and middle school location. The Eastlake North High School would become the middle school campus housing Willoughby Middle, Eastlake Middle, and Willowick Middle schools, and Willowick Middle school would be repurposed for a manner that has yet to be determined according to the WE city school’s website. In addition, Eastlake Middle and Jefferson Elementary would be closed.
The effect of these closures, moving schools, and consolidation of the high schools would be sure to have a great impact on the families whose children attend these schools as a whole. It would also have a large impact on the sports in the Willoughby-Eastlake district. As of right now, all three middle schools each have their own teams, which if consolidated into one school and one team and would leave much less room for students to explore athletics. The high school would experience the same fate as well. A rough estimate would be around 1,800 students enrolled at the high school should the levy fail. Combining the high schools would also push the new school into Division I athletics in all sports, both male and female.
Voters in Willoughby, Willoughby Hills, Eastlake, Willowick, and Timberlake will have a big decision to make this November that will shape the course of the school district for many years. For a full breakdown of the levy and it's impacts visit https://www.weschools.org/board-of-education/levy-statement-of-facts.
POSTED 08/18/2026 14:13
Lake County Sentinel
Related stories
