Youngstown schools to end year in black

YOUNGSTOWN

In a few weeks, the final version of the city school district’s strategic plan to improve academics while maintaining a balanced budget should be unveiled.

Superintendent Wendy Webb said at Tuesday’s board of education meeting that the plan will be presented next month to the state Academic Distress Commission, created to help the district out of academic emergency, the lowest of five rankings on the annual state report card.

Webb said the plan is designed to look at operating strategies and improve overall academic performance. Its main goal is to assist the commission in developing a district recovery plan, she noted.

Also Tuesday, Treasurer William Johnson expressed optimism that the district is on track to wrap up this fiscal year with a fund balance of nearly $4 million, up from a projected $3.4 million estimate he made last October.

That would mean that for the first time since the 2006-07 school year, money taken in has exceeded what has been spent.

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.