It’s heartbreak in the hallways. Portsmouth City Schools just slashed 35 staff members in a desperate bid to stop a $4.2 million budget bleeding, and Superintendent Matthew McCorkle says the pain cuts deep—three of the people let go were once his own students.
“Letting them go feels like losing family,” McCorkle said, visibly emotional. “I taught them, watched them grow, and saw their passion for helping kids.”
The dramatic cuts include 16 teachers and a slew of aides and secretaries, but the biggest shocker? Every school administrator was laid off and must reapply for their own jobs. That’s right— our sources revealed that everyone at the top is out, at least for now.
The district’s financial meltdown didn’t happen overnight. Years of overspending, dropping enrollment, and COVID-era funding drying up pushed Portsmouth schools into what the state calls “fiscal watch.” Translation? The district had no choice but to make big changes—or face a total financial collapse.
“We explored every alternative,” McCorkle explained. “But fewer students means less funding. We had to match our staff to the size of our student body.”
Student needs, he says, still come first. Core programs and special education services are staying in place, thanks in part to a partnership with the South Central Ohio Educational Service Center. Still, the emotional toll is huge.
Staff layoffs followed a “last in, first out” approach, meaning newer hires were the first to go. But it wasn’t just about seniority—teachers with hard-to-find credentials, like special ed, were protected.
This crisis comes as the district struggles to meet state standards. Portsmouth City Schools earned just 2.5 out of 5 stars on the state’s latest report card—lagging in student growth, achievement gaps, and early literacy, where they scored a dismal 1 star.
But not all is doom and gloom—graduation rates are stable, earning 4 out of 5 stars with nearly 95% of students getting their diplomas.
Still, the community is reeling from the cuts. McCorkle says he hopes to bring back the talented staff who were let go—but that depends on the district’s financial future.
“We’re hurting,” McCorkle admitted. “But we’re not giving up on our students. Not now, not ever.”
