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In Youngstown City Schools, we have been intentional about focusing on what matters most—teaching, learning, and creating opportunities for our scholars. And today, the results of that work are clear: our high schools are on the rise.
This is not by chance. It is the result of committed educators, resilient scholars, supportive families, and a district that has stayed focused on continuous improvement.
Let’s talk about the facts.
Chaney High School has earned a Momentum Award and improved to a 3.5-star rating. That recognition is not handed out lightly—it demonstrates considerable scholastic growth and a building that is moving in the right direction with purpose.
East High School has increased from 1.5 stars to 2.5 stars, a full point of growth. That kind of progress speaks to a staff and student body that refused to stay where they were and instead chose to push forward.
Choffin Career and Technical Center continues to lead, earning a 5-star rating—and not just any 5-star rating. Choffin functions as the only urban 5-star career center in the State of Ohio. That means our scholars are more than learning—they are excelling in career pathways that prepare them for life after graduation.
And at Youngstown Rayen Early College High School, our scholars are thriving in a intensive academic environment, earning a 4.5-star rating while simultaneously working toward associate degrees. That is a real opportunity. That is real acceleration. That is what redefining high school looks like.
Stronger Together: The Future of Youngstown High School
As we move toward Youngstown High School, we are not starting over—we are building on momentum.
We are bringing together the strengths of East and Chaney and the innovation of Choffin. This is about expanding opportunities, increasing access, and guaranteeing every scholar benefits from the best we have to offer.
Coming together is not a step back—it is a deliberate step forward. The Early College will also continue to shine brightly and provide a magnet school opportunity for families in Youngstown.
Setting the Record Straight
Let us say this clearly, but as respectfully as possible. There are still voices outside our district that speak negatively about Youngstown City Schools. That narrative is outdated, and the data tells a different story. Our schools are improving, and our scholars are achieving.
And in many cases, we are outperforming districts that are often held up as the standard. We believe in choice and healthy competition, but let’s allow facts be facts and truth be truth.
We are not where we want to be yet—but we are not where we used to be either. And that progress deserves to be acknowledged.
Families should feel confident in choosing YCSD. Our trajectory is upward, and the opportunities available to our scholars today are stronger than they have been in years.
A Pathway to College—Lessening the Financial Burden
One of the most powerful opportunities we offer is right in our own backyard through our partnership with Youngstown State University and the generosity of the Youngstown Foundation..
If a scholar graduates from YCSD with a 2.75 GPA and is accepted to YSU, they are eligible for a financial pathway that can make their college experience essentially free.
Let that sink in.
A Youngstown City Schools graduate can walk across the stage, earn their diploma, and step directly into a college experience with no financial burden. That is life-changing.
Moving Forward—Together
This is what “Defending the Y” looks like.
- It looks like growth.
- It looks like an opportunity.
- It looks like belief in our scholars and in our system.
- We are proud of the progress at Chaney.
- We are proud of the growth at East.
- We are proud of the excellence at Choffin.
- We are proud of the rigor at Early College.
And we are even more excited about what comes next.
One Vision. One Youngstown.
With pride and purpose
Jeremy J. Batchelor, Superintendent
Youngstown City School District
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