Youngstown schools losing 25 percent of budget to other schools

YOUNGSTOWN — A Financial Advisory Committee created by the city school board to take an outsider’s look at district finances has learned that the district is giving away about 25 percent of its annual budget to charter, open-enrollment and voucher schools that have enrolled children who would normally be enrolled in the city school system.

The board of education established the committee to provide another examination of the budget to show the public what has been done in seeking to eliminate a budget deficit and to provide another source of suggestions for controlling spending. The committee also is to provide some accountability of the board’s efforts to resolve its financial dilemma.

The state placed Youngstown under fiscal emergency in November 2006 after the district was facing a $15 million deficit that year. Since then, Youngstown has been reducing spending and cutting jobs to reduce the red ink.

The group has met five times and made its initial public report at Tuesday’s school board meeting at McGuffey Elementary School after reviewing various audits and financial reports.

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