Two Ohio Democrats look to end academic distress commissions

Two Ohio House Democrats have introduced legislation to end academic distress commissions for public schools. State Reps. Juanita Brent, D-Cleveland, and Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, introduced the legislation that McNally had attempted to amend into House Bill 455, a bill that would eliminate obsolete provisions in state education law. Her amendment was blocked, prompting the introduction of a separate bill. Brent's district includes East Cleveland Schools, and McNally's includes Youngstown Schools, the only two districts in the state left under the vestiges of 2015's House Bill 70, which established largely state-appointed academic distress commissions in academically struggling districts and a CEO with complete operational, managerial and instructional control. The metrics for state control were triggered by consecutive failing grades on the state report card, which at the time gave districts A through F designations based on academic performance. The current state report card uses stars, not letter grades. House Bill 70, originally dubbed the "Youngstown Plan," went through the state Legislature in 2015 and, after the criteria for state control was amended into the bill, passed in less than a day. The legislation initially only applied to the far-eastern school district until Lorain Schools fell under the law's purview in 2016. East Cleveland Schools followed suit in 2018. Lorain Schools was released from state control via the biennial budget in 2021, but East Cleveland and Youngstown were not included in the provision. Instead, the two districts were required to submit further plans and reach state-approved benchmarks. Without a change in state law, Youngstown and East Cleveland Schools must meet a majority of their benchmarks to see a return to local control. If, after June 30, 2027, the majority of those benchmarks are not met, the districts would revert back to state control as outlined under House Bill 70, with an academic distress commission and appointed CEO. A moratorium on new ADCs was passed in the last General Assembly, stopping other struggling districts from falling under the state's control. "There is no debate left to be had — the state takeover model didn't work," McNally said in a news release. "In fact, it made things worse … This is one of my main priorities this (General Assembly). This needs to be fixed for the kids stuck in ADCs and not getting the public education they deserve." Brent agreed. In the same release, she said ADCs have failed East Cleveland Schools for six years. "We cannot allow bureaucratic obstacles to stand in the way of our children's education," she said. "It is time to put aside political games and prioritize what truly matters — providing our kids with the quality education they deserve." McNally and Brent introduced a similar bill last year. The current proposal awaits a bill number and committee assignment.