YOUNGSTOWN– The board of education will meet in a special session at 5:30 p.m. today at Youngstown Rayen Early College High School , 20 W. Wood St., to discuss the proposed operating levy renewal.

If placed on the Nov. 3 ballot by the board, and approved by voters, the measure would continue to allow the district to raise $5.2 million annually. The measure expires this year.

A limited number of people will be able to attend the special meeting. Others, however, will be able to view the meeting through a Zoom account.

The board also will discuss various legal issues, as well as a tax abatement being proposed by Youngstown City Council and related apprenticeship programs established by the Youngstown Tool and Die Co.

Chief Executive Officer Justin Jennings last week sent a letter to the school board asking it to place the renewal levy on the ballot.

But board member Ronald Shadd said it will be difficult for the board to support a levy renewal without Jennings’ administration presenting the board and the public an outline of how it plans to stop the district from going into a deficit.

Shadd argued that regardless of whether the levy garners enough support for approval, the district will be operating in a deficit. The difference will be how quickly it will enter deficit spending and how large the deficit will be.

The district’s five-year forecast shows the district will have a deficit of $48 million in 2024 if the district does not replace the levy. The five-year forecast also shows the district will have a $29.5 million deficit by 2024, if the levy is approved.

Shadd questioned the district’s past decisions to reduce classroom instructional spending by $13 million, the removal of STEM programs, as well as the reduction of music, band and foreign language classes.

He has been one of the school board members arguing for the elimination of House Bill 70. Such legislative action could eliminate the CEO position and return control of the the district to the elected board of education.

The school district administration argues its five-year forecast is a projection of what may happen based on information known at the time it was written. It does not take in account additional funds that may come in or other changes that may occur.

Jennings will not attend the meeting at Rayen, according to a letter sent to the board. He said a letter sent by Shadd, which outlined his concerns, would only lead to a war of words that would not benefit students.

“A battle does not help us move forward,” he said.

But Jennings does not have the authority to place a levy on the ballot.

Board President Brenda Kimble said the questions about the five-year forecast project legitimate concerns of the board that should be considered when discussing placing a levy renewal on the ballot.

Anyone interested in joining the Zoom meeting can do so by entering http://youngstown.zoom.us/j/9330749122?pwd=MThXZkliNHBJTTlhMC9WeTJMOCtoZz09. The meeting identification: 933 074 9122. The password will be: Success.

rsmith@tribtoday.com