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Academic-recovery plan to target all grades
By HAROLD GWIN
BOARDMAN
An emphasis on pre- kindergarten literacy, a focus on literacy and math at the K-3 level and support for non-English-speaking students will all be part of the Youngstown city schools’ academic-recovery plan.
Tom Reed, a consultant from the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, outlined the general framework Monday of the plan he is developing on behalf of the state Academic Distress Commission assigned the task of helping Youngstown get out of state-rated academic emergency.
“We want this to be a plan for all the children, not some of the children,” Reed said, explaining that there will be provisions dealing with all levels of student performance.
The first draft of the plan will be presented to the commission at its June 7 meeting, he said, adding that the final version will be presented June 21.
The commission is under mandate from the state to present the final version to the state superintendent of public instruction by June 29.
Reed said family outreach and community partnerships will be important factors in increasing literacy from birth to pre-kindergarten in Youngstown, a must if the district is to improve.
The plan also will focus on literacy and math in kindergarten through third grade and then add a focus on positive youth development for the middle-school years, focusing on issues such as attendance and discipline, he said.
Tougher academic requirements and engaging students in the learning process will be the focus at the high-school level, and comprehensive support, academic intervention and accelerated-learning assistance will be provided for all English-language learners across the district, he said.
The commission will have authority in four areas spread across the plan: academic programs, personnel, operations/management and finances, Reed said.
Commission member James Hall said he would like to see positive youth-development programs at all grade levels. Children facing poverty need to believe in themselves and see that others believe in them too, he explained. There also must be programs where kids can excel, he said.
The plan needs to be very clear about staff training and how it is monitored, said Kathy Garcia, another commission member.
Commission member Betty Greene said she would like to see the major focus at the pre-kindergarten-elementary level.
The district starts losing kids academically by the second grade, she explained.
Commission members also said there needs to be a clear hierarchy of who in the district is in charge of seeing the recovery plan is implemented as laid out by the commission, and it should be that individual’s sole responsibility.
Reed said all of the commission comments will be worked into the plan.