YOUNGSTOWN — An area lawmaker has introduced an amendment to the proposed two-year, $85.7 billion state budget bill that could allow the Youngstown City School District greater autonomy.

If added to language in Ohio’s proposed spending plan, the amendment could remove the Youngstown district from academic distress and move to give increased control back to the local school board, state Rep. Lauren McNally, D-Youngstown, said in a presentation she delivered during a special school board meeting Friday at Choffin Career and Technical Center.

More broadly, the language may precede eventual legislative action “to erase the entire concept of academic distress commissions” and, in effect, place a two-year moratorium on ADC’s, McNally noted.

In speaking to the board, she acknowledged that the move “has a long way to go,” in part because certain lawmakers in the General Assembly continue to support state control of districts, McNally said.

“Some believe that the state knows best,” she added.

Two other potential hurdles the amended language faces is the possible passage of Senate Bill 1 in the Nov. 7 general election, as well as the Senate version of the state budget bill, which removes the Lorain School District from academic distress, but not Youngstown or East Cleveland, McNally explained, though she was unable to provide an answer.

Those three districts fell under controversial House Bill 70, which gave chief executive officers complete academic and financial control over the districts and their elected school boards.

“I want Youngstown out of academic distress,” board member Brenda Kimble said, adding that state takeovers have not resulted in academic and other improvements in the affected districts.

SB1 would rename the Department of Education the Department of Education and Workforce, shift oversight from the Department of Education to someone appointed by the governor and transfer most of the state Department of Education’s duties and powers to the DEW, according to Honesty for Ohio Education’s website.

In short, the measure would give the governor nearly all control of the state’s more than 600 school districts, McNally said.

Another potential difficulty with the budget bill is that nearly 900 differences remain between the House and Senate versions that have to be sorted out in a short time, she explained. McNally noted that her amendment also has the bipartisan support of state Sen. Michael Rulli, R-Salem.

The Senate version, which some critics have called “cruel,” would mean tax cuts that benefit mostly the wealthy, yet would cut free school meals, food access and increases in teacher pay. It also would increase barriers to economic security support systems and access to basic health care, according to Policy Matters Ohio.

Much of the Senate bill contains elements of extremism, while the House version has undergone “nearly zero policy changes,” McNally continued.

State lawmakers have until Friday to approve the 9,198-page budget, though on Tuesday, Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens admitted that the Legislature could miss that deadline because of gaping disagreements regarding policy priorities and spending. If that occurs, lawmakers likely would pass a temporary budget until a final deal is reached.

Removing the Youngstown City Schools from under the cloud of academic distress also points to a greater urgency to fix how failing schools are remedied, board member Joseph Meranto said.

“This is not only about education, it’s about democracy,” he said.

Meranto mentioned that he had read the Domingo Morel book “Takeover: Race, Education and American Democracy,” which examines all school districts nationwide that have been under state control. Most of them have high numbers of minorities and people who live below the poverty line, he explained.

“Not one takeover in this country has been successful,” Meranto said, adding, “We’ve got to start fighting back for our children and grandchildren. It’s an emotional issue for me.”