Youngstown Distress Commission leader: 'Something dramatic has to happen'

YOUNGSTOWN

The city schools must make significant progress in this school year, according to the chairwoman of the Academic Distress Commission.

“I don’t think the patience level in Columbus is a forever thing,” Adrienne O’Neill told more than 100 people Thursday at the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods meeting at Elizabeth Missionary Baptist Church. “In the next year, something really dramatic has to happen.”

The meeting’s topic was “Will September Be the End of Public Education?”

One member of the audience asked whether there’s a plan by the state to privatize the city’s public schools.

“I know of no such plan,” O’Neill said. “I’m not sure if there were such a plan that the governor would call me about it.”

Throughout the evening, the chairwoman kept repeating that the way to improve student achievement is to provide on-grade and above-grade-level instruction.

“Those who believe you can remediate students to success are wrong,” she said.

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