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Valley schools address economically-disadvantaged students
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Area educators are not surprised by an analysis that shows stark differences between state report-card performance of districts with more poor children and those with fewer.
An analysis of state report-card data by the Ohio Education Policy Institute released Wednesday by the Ohio School Boards Association, Buckeye Association of School Administrators and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials found disparities between economically disadvantaged students and others in a report-card measurement called “Prepared for Success.”
Districts that have a higher concentration of poor students earned lower scores in college and career readiness, the analysis showed
Stephen Stohla, interim Youngstown City Schools superintendent, said he was not shocked by the disparity.
“I look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and you have eating, safety, security,” Stohla said. “Science, math and English language arts don’t seem that important to me if I’m hungry or worried about my safety.”
Last year three Mahoning Valley school districts – Youngs-town, Campbell and Warren – were ranked among the state’s poorest, according to the state. Youngstown was first, Campbell was fourth and Warren was the state’s fifth-poorest.
Poorer districts have additional problems, educators note.
Stohla worries when he cancels school because of weather, because he knows some students won’t be able to eat until they return to school. He met a southern Ohio superintendent recently, and that district sends nonperishable food items home with students. Stohla is going to ask Youngstown staff to contact that district for details to see if a similar initiative could be started here.
The Ohio Education Policy Institute analysis found a 23.5 point percentage gap between the average four-year graduation rate in districts with fewer than 10 percent economically-disadvantaged students and districts with more than 90 percent economically disadvantaged students.
Kathy Mock, director of education and initiatives at the United Way of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, instructs teachers at Youngstown State University.
“I really believe in the whole-child approach,” she said.
Education should address not just the children but their families.
“We need to do a better job as far as reaching out to the families and building that trust,” Mock said, adding that involves looking at the health of the family.
“If a child is comfortable in themselves and their setting, they pay attention better and are better able to learn,” Mock said.
State Sen. Joe Schiavoni of Boardman, D-33rd, said the analysis is further evidence of the correlation between economics and student performance.
After the introduction of the Youngstown Plan, legislation that allows appointment of a chief executive officer at the Youngstown City Schools, Schiavoni introduced legislation to create community learning centers in the district and other urban areas.
In researching for the legislation, Schiavoni visited other urban school districts, including the Oyler School near Cincinnati, which has a Community Learning Center.
The facility provides medical care, nutrition training and financial literacy training at the school.
Like Youngstown, Campbell City Schools must deal with transient students and poverty.
Superintendent Matthew Bowen said the district has made progress in student achievement.
“We need to keep the students here long enough to make an impact,” he said.
The district offers more than 30 hours of College Credit Plus offerings to students which allows them to earn college credit while still in high school.
Next year, all students will take the PSAT and be able to take the ACT twice at no cost to them.
The district also offers after-school intervention and enrichment where students receive a meal and transportation home. It’s offered four days per week for students who meet economic guidelines, and there’s a waiting list, he said.
Steve Chiaro, Warren superintendent, said his district must tackle economic challenges and obstacles as well as academic hurdles of students.
For six years, the district has taught problem-solving and coping skills at the elementary school level. That’s helped reduce suspensions in those grades, he said.
“The more time a child is spending in class with quality core instruction, you’re going to have better results,” Chiaro said.
The district also provides a counselor from Valley Counseling at each school.
Last week, the Ohio Department of Education released the first part of the most-recent state report cards. The next part will be released Feb. 25.