Missed days down, but test scores fall in Youngstown, CEO reports

YOUNGSTOWN

More numbers – and harder results – are what Academic Distress Commission Chairman Brian Benyo requested CEO Krish Mohip provide, and that’s what he got Tuesday during the distress panel’s meeting.

Not all of the presentation was positive.

Mohip, with his senior leadership team, unveiled a number of results for what Benyo refers to as the CEO’s “baseline year.” Mohip had been asked by Benyo during the April commission meeting to provide the statistics.

The commission selected Mohip as district CEO pursuant to House Bill 70 enacted last year. Under its provisions, the school district is being led by a chief executive and overseen by the state-appointed academic distress commission. Its elected board of education stays in place, but with less power.

One of the most notable results revealed Tuesday is a sharp decrease in days missed due to discipline,

Mohip unveiled a new student code of conduct in March that implemented Positive Behavioral and Intervention Supports and restorative practices. PBIS allows for all students to receive education rather than be excluded for wrongdoing.

Mohip implemented the system to address a high number of out-of-school suspensions – in the 2015-16 school year, students missed 7,424 days due to a disciplinary practice.

In 2016-17, students missed 4,324 days due to a disciplinary practice – a 42 percent decrease.

But the numbers reveal fewer students are enrolled for the upcoming school year, and test scores are falling.

Read more about the situation in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.