What are the good school districts around Youngstown? (Springfield, Boardman: how much, home)

[bls5555]

Straightforward question. I have a son with Autism. I need a good district for Special Ed needs. I am liking the housing prices but need information on where to look in Youngstown or around Youngstown. Thank you.

[South Range Family]

Youngstown city schools are officially the worst in Ohio.

I don't care for Austintown, or Boardman. Anything else in the area would be ok.

We all start off wanting the best, then we settle for the best that we can afford. Take your pick.

[PhillytoCincy]

Columbiana, South Range, Canfield, Poland, Crestview, Salem, and West Branch.

[JR_C]

In this case, the more important question is: how do the special ed. programs in these districts stack up? I may be mistaken, but the smaller, rural districts might actually have a rather poor special ed. program because they are small and rural.

[South Range Family]

I'm going to do a lot of copy/paste here.

District Designation Standards Met (out of 30) vs. Expectations Index
Austintown Local Effective 23 Above 97.7 Details
Boardman Local Excellent 26 Above 101.5 Details
Campbell City Excellent 19 Above 90.7 Details
Canfield Local Excellent with Distinction 29 Above 105.3 Details
Jackson-Milton Local Effective 23 Above 93.1 Details
Lowellville Local Excellent 29 Met 104.1 Details
Poland Local Excellent 28 Above 103.6 Details
Sebring Local Effective 21 Met 92.9 Details
South Range Local Excellent 28 Above 104.2 Details
Springfield Local Excellent with Distinction 26 Above 100.6 Details
Struthers City Excellent 25 Above 95.9 Details
West Branch Local Excellent 27 Above 99.1 Details
Western Reserve Local Excellent 27 Above 100.0 Details
Youngstown City Academic Emergency 2 Below 70.2 Details

The chart above is how the schools are rated on 30 subjects. Then rated excellent to poor. The above, or below is how they did compared to how they were expected to do. The number at the end is a value index up to 120 points. That's how much bang for the buck you are getting. Many of the schools are just now getting an excellent rating, while a few of them have been rated excellent since the beginning.


copy/paste To meet a standard, a district must have a passage rate of at least 75 percent on tests in grades 3-10, 85 percent on tests in grade 11, an attendance rate of at least 93 percent or a graduation rate of at least 90 percent. The mean SAT and ACT scores, listed here for the Class of 2008, are not factored in.

The designations (best to worst - excellent with distinction, excellent, effective, continuous improvement, academic watch and academic emergency) are also influenced by the performance index the the value added grade. The index shows how well students scored overall, using a scale of 120 points. The state also looks at whether various groups -- such as low-income, minority or disabled students -- are meeting the standards.


I'll use one of those "poor rural schools" as an example Western Reserve Local schools. They have less than 800 kids k-12. They are building a new one school campus on their 150 acre property. Western Reserve Local Schools Click on the map and check out the light green areas that are designated as special ed. Small and rural means that they have time for everybody.

As the Father of three, I have had the opportunity to visit a lot of the local schools for events, and music programs. Schools improve the farther you get from the city.

[JR_C]

Here is an article with links to many local school district breakdowns at the top left of the article:
Overall, ratings of Valley districts are mixed - Local & Regional News - Vindy.com, The Vindicator
None of these "report cards" describe how good or bad a district's special ed. program is, however. I don't feel that my previous question has been answered, and I stand by the statement I made.

I am intimiately familiar with Western Reserve's new school. The special ed. spaces they are getting are just like what every other new OSFC (Ohio School Facilities Commission) funded school is getting or has gotten.

This might help you bls5555.
Here is a link to the districts in Mahoning County:
Ohio Department of Education Home Page

Here is a link to schools in Trumbull County:
Ohio Department of Education Home Page

Choose a district, and you will be directed to a page with the question, "How did our students with disabilities perform?" third from the bottom. Unfortunately, I can't figure out what the headings "N" and "Y" mean, but I think it will still be helpful when comparing districts.

[South Range Family]

JR,
Are you trying to say that the bigger schools, the schools that spend twice as much money, the schools that are stretching their resources thin on security, and non teaching staff, the schools that are getting poor reports, the schools that can't pass a levy to save their lives, the schools that have a hard time educating normal kids, are better equipped to handle special needs kids? Is that what you are trying to say? I'm thinking that kind of math doesn't add up.

I don't believe that the original poster is truly even interested in Ohio, but I'll play along.

They only picked Youngstown because of the cheap prices. They also need a good school for autistic needs. My suggestion would be Struthers.

Struthers finally got an excellent rating. They have cheaper housing because of being so close to Youngstown. They also have a goofball school board member with two autistic sons. I would be willing to bet that he is on top of the latest, and greatest autistic programs for his district.

[JR_C]

Originally Posted by South Range Family

JR,
Are you trying to say that the bigger schools, the schools that spend twice as much money, the schools that are stretching their resources thin on security, and non teaching staff, the schools that are getting poor reports, the schools that can't pass a levy to save their lives, the schools that have a hard time educating normal kids, are better equipped to handle special needs kids? Is that what you are trying to say? I'm thinking that kind of math doesn't add up.

All I'm saying is that larger districts are more likely to have: more specially trained teachers, special equipment, etc. because they have more special needs children.

This is just a wild guess, but lets assume 10% of a district's enrollment is special needs. Western Reserve would have 80 special needs kids.(k-12) Boardman would have 460. So, in the WRSD, there will probably be 3 special ed. teachers teaching 4 grades each.(about 6 special needs kids per grade level) In Boardman, there would be 35-36 special needs kids per year. Maybe they would divide these students into at least 2 separate classrooms, and each classroom gets its own teacher who can teach the same kids all day, instead of worrying about children in other grade levels who are sharing the same room.

I don't believe that the original poster is truly even interested in Ohio, but I'll play along.

They only picked Youngstown because of the cheap prices. They also need a good school for autistic needs. My suggestion would be Struthers.

Struthers finally got an excellent rating. They have cheaper housing because of being so close to Youngstown. They also have a goofball school board member with two autistic sons. I would be willing to bet that he is on top of the latest, and greatest autistic programs for his district.

You might have a point about Struthers, though.

[aj8288]

Poland and Canfield are both great schools. Lowellville is pretty good, too. If you're looking for a safe place to live, avoid Youngstown and Campbell, and certain parts of Struthers.

[zz3]

stay out of Thugstown!!! There is no good side of town anymore it's been taken over . You know the rest. Canfield and Poland still keep the order as stated and keep the thugs out or make them feel very uncomfortable!! Good luck