Sponsor of 'Youngstown Plan' discusses plan with lawmakers, school officials

YOUNGSTOWN — State Rep. Andrew Brenner, sponsor of House Bill 70 and the chairman of the state’s House Education Committee, participated in a roundtable discussion at Choffin Career & Technical Center with local lawmakers, education officials and community activists to discuss the “Youngstown Plan” and whether it has been successful.

Among those in attendance late this afternoon were state Reps. Michele Lepore-Hagan of Youngstown, D-58th, and John Boccieri of Poland, D-59th, as well as Youngstown school board members Brenda Kimble, Dario Hunter and Jackie Adair.

More than 20 school districts across the state face potential takeover after receiving failing grades on state report cards.

Brenner of Powell, D-67th, said he was looking for insight into why the Youngstown Plan was never fully accepted by the full education community.

The plan, that Gov. John Kasich signed into law in 2015, enables a state-appointed academic distress commission to hire a CEO to lead the district. The bill gives Youngstown CEO Krish Mohip complete operational, managerial and instructional control.

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