Youngstown schools brace for up to $2M in cuts

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The city school district needs to trim between $1.5 million and $2 million from next year’s budget to keep the district in the black through the next few years.

“I’m still meeting with executive staff,” said Superintendent Connie Hathorn. “We’re meeting weekly to look at it.”

The district administration has given itself until Feb. 15 to develop recommendations of suggested cuts. No decisions have been made.

Those recommendations will be made to the school board and the Youngstown City Schools Academic Distress Commission. The commission has ultimate authority regarding district functions related to academics, curriculum and some personnel matters.

That panel also has budget authority if it chooses to exercise it.

“We’re looking at everything — personnel, programs, health insurance,” Hathorn said.

Treasurer James Reinhard said if the district cuts $1.5 million, that will take it through fiscal year 2018. With $2 million in cuts, it will be sustained into FY2019.

“There’s the possibility that things will change between now and 2018,” he said. “It’s a moving target. But we want to at least have a plan in place. It’s possible we could see an increase in state funding and we will not have to make any cuts.”

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.