Good start for the revival of schools in Youngstown

Two outstanding educa- tors, the president of a renowned foundation, a successful businessman and a longtime school administrator make up the new Youngstown City School District Academic Distress Commission. We can’t help but say to the detractors of the push to revive the troubled urban system, “We told you so.”

Our support of the Youngstown Plan has been unwavering, and we view the composition of the new commission as vindication – for the moment, at least.

The biggest test of this creative initiative in public education will come in the not too distant future.

Meantime, however, residents of the city of Youngstown, in particular, and the Mahoning Valley, in general, should find reassurance in the membership of the panel.

The two top-notch educators are Dr. Laura Meeks, recently retired president of Eastern Gateway Community College, and Dr. Barbara Brothers, a retired Youngstown State University dean. They have forged impressive careers in academia by putting the best interest of students first.

Dr. Meeks was largely responsible for the expansion of Jefferson County-based Eastern Gateway into the Mahoning Valley and has paved the way for Valley residents to delve into higher education. This region’s college-going rate is one of the lowest in the state of Ohio.

Dr. Brothers’ long tenure as professor of English and dean of the former College of Arts and Sciences at Youngstown State was marked by the expansion of course offerings and creation of innovative academic programs. Brothers is chairwoman of the League of Women Voters Education Committee and a past president of the league.

Other members of the distress commission are Jennifer Roller, president of the Raymond John Wean Foundation; Brian Benyo, president of Brilex Industries; and, Carol Staten, who has been in the school district in various capacities for 30 years.

Meeks, Roller and Benyo were named to the panel by Dr. Richard Ross, state superintendent of public instruction; Brothers was selected by Youngstown Mayor John A. McNally; and Staten was school board President Brenda Kimble’s appointee.

Detractors wrong

The detractors had speculated – wrongly, it turns out – that a majority of the members would come from outside the Mahoning Valley.

Opposition to the Youngstown Plan stems from the fact that it was conceived by a group of business and community leaders – no politicians were invited to participate – and was formalized in a bill passed by the Republican- dominated General Assembly. Republican Gov. John R. Kasich signed the measure into law.

Critics have also grabbed onto the fact that the law calls for a chief executive officer to be appointed by the academic distress commission.

The CEO will have full managerial and operational control of the district to improve student achievement and strengthen the school district.

The chief executive must create an improvement plan within 120 days of his or her appointment with input from community stakeholders and from educators.

Those are some of the responsibilities to be shouldered by the CEO, which is why the person appointed to the job must have the education, qualifications and experience to lift the Youngstown school district out of the dank academic cellar.

We firmly believe that a national search must be conducted and that the commission should retain the services of a company that specializes in finding the best and the brightest to fill top managerial positions in the public and private sectors.

We have no doubt that the members of the distress commission will seek input from all interest groups in the Youngstown district and beyond, but in the end, they will have the sole responsibility of making the appointment.

Ross, who will be retiring at the end of December, has said that the Youngstown Plan is a crowning achievement of his long tenure as an educator.

“I am happy today,” Ross said last week as he talked about the Youngstown Plan, in general, and the distress commission, in particular. “We’ve accomplished a lot.”