Plan to release Lorain, Youngstown, East Cleveland from state control added to biennial budget

New language in the biennial budget bill moving to the Ohio Senate floor today would release Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland from state control. The omnibus bill passed by the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday includes language from state Sen. Nathan Manning's, R-North Ridgeville, Senate Bill 165, now expanded to include all three districts with Academic Distress Commissions. When introduced in April, SB 165 only applied to Lorain Schools. The bill gives the district three years to meet goals approved by the state to see its ADC dissolved, with the option for a two-year extension. During that time, it reduces the powers of the CEO to those of a regular superintendent. If the district fails to meet those goals, the Academic Distress Commission/CEO model would be reinstated as outlined by House Bill 70. Passed in 2015, HB70 created the current state takeover model of academically struggling districts based on their state report card scores. It establishes a state-appointed academic distress commission and a CEO with complete operational, managerial and instructional control in "failing" districts. Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland are the only schools currently under state control. Due to COVID-19 and previous legislation, safe harbor provisions are in place to keep other districts from falling under its purview. "I think we have everybody on board," Manning said. "I'm really excited about it and looking forward to seeing what Lorain can do with local control (returned)." Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland are included as separate line items in the bill — meaning they could all be passed by state legislators, or removed individually in Conference Committee or via a line-item veto from the governor. Manning hoped that would not be the case, noting he thinks it does have the support to pass but nothing is guaranteed. Legislators have until June 30 to get the budget to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk for approval. The new language requires each district to draft an improvement plan for approval by the state superintendent — a change from SB 165, which gave final approval to the state school board. It also allows the districts to keep the same CEO and have the Ohio Department of Education continue to pay that person's salary — if a district opts to change its superintendent while under the law's purview, it would have to pay for the new hire. Lorain School Board President Mark Ballard was excited to see the measure move forward. "I think it's great that our legislature's working with us now and I think together we'll all make a stronger district for all three districts," he said. "Hopefully we can get this thing across the finish line." Youngstown School Board President Ron Shadd shared Ballard's excitement. "We are prepared to do the work that's needed to make a plan to advance our school district at the passage of this legislation with the rollout of the plan that they (require) that we make," he said. "… I appreciate the fact that they want the superintendent of public instruction to vet our plan, that way we can truly express what's needed to go forward and have that buy-in from ODE to help us see it through." He was also supportive of the bill's provision requiring a performance review of each district by the Ohio Auditor of State's office. The performance audit would examine the efficiency and effectiveness of each district, measuring not only if funds are spent legally, but also wisely, according to the auditor's website. East Cleveland School Board President Mary Rice sees the language as a move toward equity among Ohio school districts. She said her board is working with CEO Henry Pettiegrew to develop a strategic plan that could be used as a basis for the proposal required by the new budget language. "It's good to see that the Ohio legislature is taking some steps to putting education in the state of Ohio on a priority level, giving control back to the local boards of education," she said. "… All the children of Ohio are important, not just those in the upper echelon but also those Black and brown children and those who are economically not as well-off as others. Ohio has to take responsibility for all of the children, not just some. And trying to put one person to fix a problem where it takes everyone will never work." Manning's bill language is far from the first proposed fix to state takeovers of struggling districts. During the 133st General Assembly, more than half a dozen different bills were introduced or amended into other pieces of legislation — including language added to the biennial budget in 2019. It was later removed during conference committee. Now in the 134th General Assembly, legislators have again introduced several plans to reform or revoke the state takeover model, as well as reform state funding and report cards for schools. Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.