Strong field bodes well for Boardman schools

When a school district jumps two ratings in the state report card to join an exclusive club of “excellent” systems, board of education members seeking re-election deserve the support of the voters.

Such is the situation in Boardman, where Dr. Robert De Marco and Kenneth Beraduce are vying for new terms in the November general election.

De Marco has served six years on the board, while Beraduce was appointed in 2004 to fill vacancy created by the resignation of Atty. Mark Huberman. He ran unopposed in 2005 to serve out Huberman’s term.

Beraduce is now seeking a full four-year term.

But the incumbents are joined on the ballot by Boardman businessman Carmen Amadio, who has earned a reputation in the community for his dedication to the school system and his advocacy for young people.

Amadio ran for the school board two years ago, and won our endorsement then on the strength of his commitment to public education.

In our interview with him this week, we found that he has not wavered in that commitment and believe he would perform well if elected.

However, as Amadio himself acknowledged, no fault can be found with the performance of the incumbents, De Marco and Beraduce. Indeed, the challenger shied away from any criticism of the current board, choosing, instead, to talk about the issues that have defined his involvement in the Boardman schools.

Given the academic success of the district — it had a “continuous improvement” designation in the state report card for two years before earning the “excellent” status — the incumbents are now concentrating on two issues that are posing major problems for public education in Ohio: the funding formula by which state dollars are distributed; and, charter schools.

Property tax

The formula, which relies in large part on property taxes, has been declared unconstitutional by the state supreme court. However, the Republican-led General Assembly has failed to develop one that would pass constitutional muster.

De Marco and Beraduce both pointed out during their endorsement interviews with members of The Vindicator’s editorial board and a reporter that of the approximately $7,000 Boardman spends on each student, only $1,000 comes from the state. The rest is generated locally. By contrast, there are districts that receive more than $8,000 in state and federal money for each student.

Such a disparity in funding is no longer acceptable, given that districts such as Boardman are now having to deal with issues that in the past did not affect them. Special education needs take up about $1 million a year of the budget.

With regard to charter schools — they are a creation of the Republican legislature and former Republican governors — Boardman has lost almost $600,000 a year because of its students going to the unregulated, less academically challenging institutions.

Only now, with the election of a Democratic governor, Ted Strickland, and a Democratic attorney general, Marc Dann, are charter schools getting the scrutiny — both academically and financially — they deserve.

De Marco and Beraduce are determined to keep the issue on the front burner, given the loss of revenue suffered by Boardman. They will provide the continuity that is so important to the stability and growth of the district.

The Vindicator endorses the two incumbents in their re-election bids.