YOUNGSTOWN — Local activists are uniting to stop what they term the “undereducation” of black students in the Youngstown City School District.

A panel discussion Thursday sought to bring about public understanding about what the activists describe as a longstanding academic failure of Youngstown schools that the group argues has disadvantaged primarily black students.

The Community Education Oversight Task Force advocates for educational justice, quality, effectiveness, equity and accountability in the education of blacks.

To illustrate its point, the group used the Youngstown schools reading and math score data from the Northwest Evaluation Association, a research group that creates academic assessments for PK-12 schools.

Hosted by the Youngstown Branch of the NAACP on Fifth Avenue, the panel consisted of George Freeman Jr., retired president of the local NAACP chapter and current member of the state school board; Darla Dunlap, local NAACP education chair, member of Ohio State task force for best academic practice; Jackie Adair, educator and former city school board member; and Jimma McWilson, activist and former vice president of the NAACP local chapter.

MATH RESULTS

Adair, who spent 15 years as a math educator, said data from the Northwest Evaluation Association spring math results for Youngstown students show that 32 percent scored A, B or C while 68 percent were at a failing level.

“None of the buildings from K to 12 have performed at an accomplished level from the fall of 2021 to spring of 2022,” Adair said.

She argues her analysis of the math results shows there’s little to no growth in mathematical performance of students.

For next year’s report card, Adair said she expects the same results unless significant interventions have been implemented.

“These include extra time in math classes, more qualified math teachers, tutors and a disciplined classroom environment,” she said.

“Nothing positive can be accomplished in chaos,” she emphasized as she called for everyone to unite for change.

Adair said if the district says things can’t be done because of financial constraints, then look to the $7.8 million being put toward athletics. She was referring to the Rayen Stadium improvements being paid for by a mixture of COVID-19 relief funds and money held for improvements.

“There is money to spend on improving children’s academic performance,” argued Adair. “The priorities have to return to academics — one’s ability to read, write and do arithmetic will serve all well, including the city, for a lifetime.”

“How do you spend $7.8 million on athletics when you have the majority of your kids at the bottom in reading or math,” McWilson asked.

SCHOOL DISTRICT RESPONSE

In an email, a district spokeswoman said the district appreciates the community dialogue regarding the city schools.

“The press release we were copied on points to 25 years of academic concerns. The district recognizes a long-standing performance concern, and that is why the district has worked tirelessly over the past six years to create aligned improvement plans focused on growth. We believe that if we meet our students where they currently are and utilize research-based, best instructional practices coupled with appropriate wrap-around services, proficiency will come,” the district’s statement reads.

The statment also noted that “the district has engaged in a Strategic Plan, state-required One Plan, and now the Academic Improvement Plan in conjunction with the Board of Education. These plans are aligned with goals and benchmarks, focusing on literacy, math, culture and climate. Preliminary data on the Academic Improvement Plan (which runs through 2025) has the district already meeting more than half of the ODE-approved benchmarks as of the 2022-23 school year. Lastly, the district has seen steady increases in graduation rates over the past four years, and the Performance Index that will be released in September sees an over 10 percent gain.

“With the steady leadership that has been established, coupled with a laser focus on the plans, we will continue to implement the action steps of those plans to meet the needs of all of our scholars. We also welcome any community support that is willing to align their support and our efforts to our established plans,” the school district statement concludes.

EXCLUDING BLACKS

McWilson argued that systemic issues with education not only have been designed to fail, but to exclude blacks.

“The people that run this system today, be they white or brown, are maintaining that same system and the same rules,” he said.

Referring to the state’s $3.51 billion capital improvement budget, McWilson said that money has amounted to failure and no academic progress.

“With the exception of Youngstown Early College, nobody has exceeded that level for the district,” he said.

He also criticized the improvement plan established by the school district that includes 24 academic improvement benchmarks the district hopes to reach to show academic progress by 2025.

“They’ve been writing plans to fail, and their own plan was agreed on by the state,” said McWilson.

In terms of reading, McWilson said the NWEA data shows 75 percent of the black students were at a D or F level in the fall, 77 percent in the winter and 73 percent in spring 2022.

“Whether it’s a board member in Youngstown City Schools where six out of seven are black, or the superintendent, they haven’t done their job,” McWilson said.

He dispelled the notion that the problems in education can be attributed to the parents — calling that idea “excuses.” He argues that leadership above all is what should be at the forefront.

“If families don’t come together, the system is always going to do to you and your children what it has always done — and convince you that you are the problem,” McWilson said.

cmcbride@tribtoday.com