Qualifications , experience crucial in filling public posts

If there is a silver lining in failure of the Youngstown City Schools System, it is that federal and state assistance is available to spur the academic and fiscal recovery. There are two state commissions involved in helping to change the district’s F grade and to bring long-term stability to the budget. Youngstown is in academic and fiscal emergency.

The recent announcement that two city schools will share $3.5 million in federal School Improvement Grant funds — the money is from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the so-called stimulus package — presents the school district with an opportunity and a challenge.

The three-year funding for East High School and Odyssey: School of Possibilities is designed to improve student performance with the schools adopting new practices and support systems. Therein lies the challenge for the district.

It is essential that the individuals hired or appointed from within to be part of this effort have the qualifications and experience to deal with the myriad problems.

Odyssey, which has 100 students, is in academic emergency. It will receive $725,000 in fiscal 2011, which began July 1, and $534,850 in fiscal 2012 and 2013. East High with 983 students is in academic watch. The school will receive $718,986 in fiscal 2011 and $524,340 in fiscal 2012 and 2013.

It is important for members of the Youngstown Board of Education and Superintendent Wendy Webb to recognize that the failure of the district is an indication of a deeply rooted systemic problem that cannot be solved internally.

The system does not appear to have the personnel with the qualifications and experience needed to develop programs to address the challenges students face not only in the schools, but in their homes. It is a given that what happens in their private lives affects the way they perform academically.

State involvement

Indeed, the Ohio Department of Education, which handled the applications for the school improvement grants, will work with the Youngstown district to ensure the school-improvement strategies are successfully implemented to achieve the goals of improving teaching and learning, said Deborah Delisle, state superintendent of public instruction.

Since the principals at both East High and Odyssey must be replaced, we would urge not only the state education department but the Academic Distress Commission to guide the district in the appointment of the replacements.

While there might well be qualified individuals within the system to fill the two positions, there is much to be gained by widening the search to determine if there are educators whose r sum s show an understanding of what an academically challenged school needs to do to improve.

And, if there are other appointments to be made for developing plans to increase teacher and school-leader effectiveness and to institute comprehensive instructional reforms, we would again urge a broader search.

As we’ve said in the past, the Youngstown City School District cannot afford to fail in its recovery effort. There is too much at stake.

The system has been given every opportunity to succeed, both from the federal and state governments. But it all begins with having the most qualified and experienced individuals in place.