RECOVERY PLAN

RECOVERY PLAN

Talking points

Youngstown City Schools CEO Krish Mohip has submitted his three-year recovery plan for the district to its Academic Distress Commission for feedback and approval. The commission meets Sept. 20 at school board offices. Some of the key points Mohip makes about the plan’s objectives:

Training already has begun: “People that work for me now realize it’s not an 8-to-5 job anymore.” A key aspect of this plan is “holding people accountable to their job and helping them to understand what their job is.”

Dollars will be repurposed to spend on student curriculum and instruction, “not necessarily about reducing staff but repurposing them as necessary.”

More professional development for teachers and principals, with evaluations, both formal and informal. “We’re building a tracker.”

Teaching-staff caliber is “too early to tell.” The biggest determinant is: “Are you willing to improve?” But Mohip stressed: “The teachers here are unbelievably dedicated to these kids ... they’re not staying for anything other than these kids.”

Data-driven decision-making: Data will tell when it’s time to make changes or cut people from the payroll. “Is it a possibility that they are in the wrong profession? ... If you are falling into those ‘basic and worse’ categories, that’s when we have those discussions.”

Pushing academic levels up: “I need to make sure we’re pushing every child. It’s not just about pushing from the bottom, it’s about pushing at the top.”

Student attendance: “If our kids don’t show up, we’ve just wasted a ton of money, we’ve just wasted all the efforts.” Same with teacher attendance – if rates are low in certain buildings, reasons why need to be determined.

Parent and community engagements: Go to homes of at-risk families and provide support. Build a list of at-risk kids and establish a daily check-in/check-out system for that student.

Staff as social workers: “We have a lot of people working in this district, but I don’t believe all of their roles have been set.”

Going forward: The district needs at least a D average to get out from under state academic oversight, but can speed the process if it attains a C average. “My success should be that a CEO is not needed” anymore. “I’m hoping for those results, and I believe this is the path, because this plan makes it clear that we are going to be focused on student achievement.”