43
Commission wants to see plan
By HAROLD GWIN
BOARDMAN
The state Academic Distress Commission appointed to help the Youngstown city schools improve academic performance wants a look at the district’s new five-year strategic plan no later than Wednesday.
The commission must submit an academic-recovery plan to the state superintendent of public instruction by June 29 that offers specific improvement plans for not only the district but for each of its buildings.
The commission is considering a proposal to hire a consultant to assist in the development and preparation of the recovery plan but wants to see what the district wants to do in its strategic plan before bringing in the outside assistance.
Wendy Webb, Youngstown schools superintendent, told the commission that the city school board wants to do a final review of the district’s strategic plan, perhaps at a school board meeting today, and that she should be able to get it to the commission for its meeting next Monday. She said she would provide it to the commission as soon as the school board releases it.
Jimma McWilson, a member of the citizens group, The Community High Commission on Closing the Academic Standards Achievement Gap for Afrikan Students, suggested the Academic Distress Commission shouldn’t wait to get the district’s strategic plan. The commission needs to order the board to produce it, he said.
Academic Distress Commission member Betty Greene believes it is taking too long to get a look at the district’s plan.
“We need to start acting for the children. We don’t have much time left,” she said, introducing a motion mandating that the school board produce its plan no later than Wednesday.
The motion passed unanimously.
Commission member James Hall pointed out that the school board president had asked the commission to examine Youngstown’s strategic plan two weeks ago, suggesting that be done before the commission hires a consultant to work on the academic-recovery plan that will go to the state.
“We don’t have it yet,” Hall said. “We need to get on it.”
The board also voted to invite representatives of the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, the sole bidder on the consulting contract, to come to its meeting next Monday to review its proposal. The ESC has offered to study district operations and draft an academic-recovery plan at a cost of less than $25,000. That tab will have to be paid by the city school district.