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Summit County education leaders said at a Tuesday night forum that Ohio needs a funding fix or more schools will find themselves in dire financial situations.

Akron Public School students, staff and community members celebrated the start of construction Thursday on a new school in the Kenmore neighborhood.

The plan to cut $11 million largely avoids layoffs, but the district says it will still need to cut deeper in the coming years.

Superintendent Mary Outley addressed school funding in Ohio, the district's budget challenges and its potential for growth.

Officials say cuts are needed as the board's president argues the state is not adequately funding public schools.

School boards in Cleveland and Akron discussed financial forecasts this week that show major cuts will be needed to avoid running out of cash in the next three years.

The new leaders were appointed at the first meeting of the year, with several new board members joining after last year's election.

Voters elected three new Akron school board members and reelected another current member but ousted the board's president.

The eight candidates all participated in an Akron Press Club debate Wednesday. There are four open seats on the Akron Board of Education in this year's election.

Teacher aides, part of a broader group called paraprofessionals, provide one-on-one care to students and vital classroom support to students, but many must balance working two jobs and say they struggle to make ends meet.