Youngstown Early College survives budget ax

By Harold Gwin

The city school district is looking for new funding sources.

YOUNGSTOWN — There’s no money earmarked in the state’s new biennial budget for Ohio’s early college programs, but Youngstown Early College is safe — at least for the coming school year.

The Youngstown City School District and Youngstown State University, partners in the YEC project, say they have funds to cover the $600,000 in state money the program will lose this year.

YEC targets city high school students who might not have an opportunity to further their education beyond high school, giving them a chance to earn college credit while completing their high school education.

All classes are on the YSU campus, and, for the first time, YEC is opening its doors this fall to non-city students, offering 20 open enrollment slots that have been quickly filled.

Total enrollment will be 250.

The agreement between YSU and the city school district that set up the program calls for the school district to pick up 51 percent of the college-course tuition cost for YEC students while YSU covers the remaining 49 percent.

However, the state has been providing some $600,000 a year in grant funds that have been used to cover that tuition expense, so neither founding entity was faced with that bill. That changes under the new state budget.

Youngstown Superintendent Wendy Webb said no state money will be available for YEC tuition.

The issue caused some concern among members of YSU’s Board of Trustees who worried about where the university would find its share of that cost.

The debate temporarily delayed finalizing the university’s 2009-10 budget until university officials determined that up to $350,000 from a scholarship reserve fund could be tapped to cover tuition for YEC students.

The city school district has grant sources, including funds from two KnowledgeWorks Foundation Small Schools grants, that can be used to pick up the district’s share for this year.

Webb said the district is searching for other funding sources to ensure the program remains intact beyond that. The university has made no financial commitment beyond this year. The two entities are negotiating a new agreement that could change funding responsibilities.

YSU puts no general fund money into YEC but does provide space for the program.

The city school district picks up the tab for teachers, books and other materials, an expense that averages about $1.3 million annually.

Neither institution wants to see the program end.

“It is truly a best-practice school,” Webb said, noting that it is expected to receive an “excellent” rating, the highest academic level, on its state report card this month.

David C. Sweet, YSU president, said Youngstown Early College has been a role model in attracting and encouraging children at risk to pursue a college education. He has also touted it as a successful YSU partnership.

It’s first graduating class in 2008 had 41 students, four of whom earned associate degrees from YSU while getting their high school diploma.

This spring, 32 seniors graduated with one getting an associate degree. Webb said between 13 and 17 of this fall’s seniors are on line to earn associate degrees by the end of the school year.

gwin@vindy.com