Youngstown superintendent: Report cards should release district from academic distress
Reported byThe Vindicator
Read the full story at The VindicatorAI-assisted summary
The Youngstown City School District met nine of the 24 benchmarks on last year's state report card, short of half. Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor argues the district nonetheless met state standards and that this should be enough to end its academic distress designation. He told reporters after Tuesday's board meeting that the district has made double-digit gains in many areas.
Batchelor said he recently sent Gov. Mike DeWine a request that included the district's annual Academic Improvement Plan report, along with a request for a one-year extension on the plan's requirements. He said Ohio House Bill 110 makes this the last year such an extension is available. That 2021 law paused the creation of new academic distress commissions and set a path for Youngstown, East Cleveland and Lorain to be released. The latter two have been released, leaving Youngstown as the only district with the designation. Batchelor said he wants the board to eventually testify before the General Assembly on the issue. Board member Kenneth Donaldson said he finds it unfair that the other two districts were released with lower benchmarks.
The district earned three stars on the report card released Sept. 15, but Batchelor said past reputation still hampers student recruitment. Board member Joseph Meranto reported that Choffin Career & Technical Center earned five stars for the third straight year and is exploring partnerships with Youngstown State University.
Why it matters
Academic distress status brings state oversight and, according to the superintendent, affects how the district is perceived and how easily it attracts students. The outcome of the extension request and any legislative action will shape how the district is governed going forward.
- School ratings
- State legislature
- Career and technical education
- Graduation rates
Written with AI from the publisher's article and may contain errors. The original reporting is the authoritative source.
Sign in to react.
- What evidence should the state weigh when deciding whether a district should be released from academic distress?
- How might a district's public reputation affect enrollment, and what can schools and the community do about it?
- What role should a local school board play in advocating before the state legislature?
Suggested with AI.
Public discussion (0)
Share how this affects your community. Be respectful, stay on topic, and don't post personal information. Editors may hide comments that break these rules.