Akron Public Schools Superintendent Mary Outley is undergoing her first full school year evaluation, with board members assessing progress on goals that include improving early literacy and keeping the budget in check.
Evaluation Process
The Akron Board of Education on July 1 held a special meeting to start the process of updating Outley and Treasurer Wayne Bowers’ evaluations to reflect their performance during the latter half of the 2025-26 school year.
Board members evaluated both administrators in late February as part of a midyear assessment that was not part of either’s permanent record. That review, led by Steve Farnsworth, a consultant with Leadership and Learning LLC, showed that board members were pleased with Outley and Bowers.
The district paid Leadership and Learning LLC $6,000 to facilitate the process for the year — including sitting in on those midyear meetings to establish goals and objectives, said school board president Barbara Sykes.
Goals and Objectives
Outley’s midyear evaluation was a break from the three-page, 517-word assessment of her predecessor, Michael Robinson. In it, Outley’s comments were included alongside analysis from school board members.
In her midyear evaluation — a 26-page document — Outley and board members identified three major goals for the 2025-26 school year: improving early literacy, managing the budget, and other administrative objectives.
According to the most recent state report card, fewer than half of third-graders in Akron Public Schools read at a proficient level — in part, making early literacy one of Outley’s priorities. Testing data for the 2025-26 school year is not publicly available yet.
Akron Board of Education members approved $11 million in cuts for the 2026-27 school year, including reductions in force and limiting outside vendor contracts. Employees impacted by those reductions in force have since filled other openings.
The $11 million reduction will not be the only set of cuts. According to its most recent budget forecast, the school district faces a $37 million budget deficit by 2028-29 — and will be spending against its cash reserves each year before that.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
