Friday, October 16, 2015
YOUNGSTOWN
At the heart of two lawmakers’ supplement to the Youngstown Plan for the city schools is an emphasis on community engagement and local buy-in to the plan that will put a state-appointed CEO in control of the school system.
The proposed supplement – presented by state Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, and state Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th, at a Friday news conference – would remove the CEO’s authority to reopen or change employee contracts.
It also would extend the time required before the officer could close a failing school, increase the membership of the academic distress commission, take measures to address poverty and mandate that the CEO listen to recommendations from organized groups of community stakeholders, among other provisions.
“We want to find the best CEO for the school. We want to clear up ambiguities in the bill. And we want to make sure that we mandate community involvement,” Schiavoni said.
“We don’t embrace or support this CEO model, but we want to be realistic. We understand that the bill became law,” he said.
Read more about their plan in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.