Youngstown City School Levy

[connie254]

My son was in a special needs class the entire time he was in Youngstown City Schools because of autism and MRDD. His class ratio was 5-7 children to 1 teacher and one aide-that's the standard evrywhere. I don't know the ratio in the regular classrooms.
When I gone for my son's IEP meeting yearly(it's like a plan of teaching goals, future goals, etc), I had to go to the office first to find out where the meeting would be held and to notify the teacher that I was there. More than once, I saw children asleep in the office, and overheard that they were sent there for sleeping or being disruptive. Most of the time, when i had to pick up my son for a doctor's appointment, the staff knew me and allowed me to go to the classroom to pick him up-total of less than five minutes from the time I entered to the time we left the building. Last year at Wilson, I went to the office and had to wait for a student helper to pick him up and bring him down.  Now I went to Wilson and knew where his class was-straight up the steps by the office to the third floor and walk straight into the room.  It took the student helper over 15 minutes each time to get him down to me. When I went to pick up his papers to take to his new  school, I found out that Wilson didn't have it because he was supposed to go the Chaney, but someone decided that he would go to Wilson w/o my permission and that Chaney had his paperwork (huh? he never set foot there) or I could pick them up downtown. Every office I passed downtown BOE had people sitting around doing nothing.
I voted down the levy when I lived in the city because I saw plenty of oppurtunity to trim the budgets of administrators not the classrooms and ineptness being rewarded-right Dr. Webb?

[our2cents]

having 25 to 30 students in a class was the norm.

Then you should be happy to know West Elementary is already at the # of 25 to 1.  There are special education programs requiring lower ratios...again, back to state law and the lovely no child left behind act.

I'm still of the opinion that the entire community needs to step up to the plate sometimes and spend a few dollars more a month towards the overall good of the community.  Everyone is quick to complain about the Cost Of Living increase, but then they don't apply that to our public establishments.  If I have to not buy as many fast food meals or desserts in order to help the overall picture, then so be it.

[Ted]

I really don't believe the ratio is maxed out. There are approximately 740 teachers for 8,000 students. for a ratio of 10.8 students per teacher. I realize that some programs require smaller class sizes but there are teachers with fewer than 8 students. What would you consider an acceptable ratio? I know when I was in school, having 25 to 30 students in a class was the norm.

Regarding building, these new buildings will ultimately cost more to operate because they are bigger, lots of windows and high ceiling plus they are air-conditioned.

I am not against education, I am just fed up with throwing more money at the problem. If people have to lose their jobs, so be it. Education is about educating kids, not about keeping people employed.

[our2cents]

the new buildings are a prior levy that passed and was matched with money from the state.  they needed new buildings for these students to feel good to be there.  they've made some nice changes in building planning.  they have already reduced and closed the number of buildings they had open.  the new buildings are also much more efficient to operate than these older buildings that cost and arm and a leg to heat....if the heat even works right.

there are a few schools in the district pushing and emphasizing what their students are doing and what they are doing for those students.  but everyone in the city, watches the news and sees the few bad apples making headlines...and then ignore the small news story about the kids special program for this or that.

the problem with the schools, is larger than the district...it is the entire community, including our so called media sources.

so, yes, lets vote the levy down, have more staff kicked out...even though classes are already at max ratios...and make the problem even worse.  sometimes the community needs to eat it, and help the problem by paying those few dollars per property per year.

oh yea, from what we were told, the district is not allowed to market against the charter schools.....thanks to the no child left behind act

[Ted]

I think you can make compelling arguments for both sides of this issue. However, bottom line is that the school district's plan to continue the construction of schools for a declining student population makes no sense. If you have less students, you don't need as many buildings and ultimately less teachers, staff and administrators. The money currently available would be enough if the state commission did its job. The levy, if it passed, would only be on for 5 years, but I would bet a dollar, that come 5 years from now, YCS would want a renewal levy for the 9.5mills.

If and when this levy fails, YCS will come to the realization that more money is not the answer. Right size the school district. Emphasize the good things and hopefully you will get some kids coming back. They should aggressively market against the charter schools. Unless YCS wins this battle for enrollment, kids will continue to leave the district - furthering the financial problems.

[our2cents]

If you look into it in a slightly different manner, it's also funding the charter schools.  The state gives a little over 4k per student in funding to YCS.  Then for each student that attends the charter schools, the district has to pay the charter school over 5k.  So, where is that funding coming from?  Our taxes.

[MV_Viewpoints]

The 9.5 mill levy would run for five years.