YOUNGSTOWN — Justin Jennings, who faces scrutiny for spending $5 million in federal funds on unused internet equipment, submitted his resignation as Youngstown schools superintendent.

Board President Tiffany D. Patterson sent a Monday email to other board members stating she met with Jennings “and to my total shock and disappointment he offered me his resignation effective June 30. He stated he was resigning due to personal reasons.”

Patterson and Jennings didn’t return telephone calls Monday seeking comment. However, Patterson issued a statement via email late Monday that read:

“As president of the Youngstown City School Board it is my responsibility to share news with our scholars, families and community members.

I am sure that most of you have already learned via social media, local news or word-of-mouth that Mr. Jennings is stepping down from his position as YCSD Superintendent. While this may be true, the rumors floating around surrounding his departure are not.

Many people would like you to believe he did something wrong during his time in the district. That could not be further from the truth. During his four-plus years, he consistently demonstrated his unwavering dedication to the district while building a foundation and framework for continuous improvement. Out of his steady leadership came a plan of recovery and infrastructure enhancement. Simultaneously he and his team worked alongside the school board to develop our Academic Improvement Plan. The board believes in the instructional coaching model, leadership coaching and resource alignment he has instituted. We believe in the leadership team he has put together and are confident we will meet the benchmarks of our AIP and beyond. From day one, any decision Mr. Jennings made was always about what’s best for our scholars.

Mr. Jennings’ reason for his resignation is private and the board will respect that as we begin to move forward.”

Board member Brenda Kimble, a frequent Jennings critic, said of the resignation: “I think the decision is best for the Youngstown City School District. However, him leaving the district makes it imperative for the board to discuss and research every contract that has been created if we intend to focus on funding education and teacher support.”

Kimble added that Patterson has said a majority of the board was aware of “the failed ventures and that they were fine with it and didn’t want to dwell on it. How could the majority of the board be OK and not hold him accountable for all of those dollars?”

Board member Juanita Walker said she was “shocked” to learn that Jennings was resigning.

“I’m sad to see him go as are several people in the community,” she said. “We’ll continue to move forward with the work we are doing here.”

Jennings was criticized for spending $5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds on internet equipment that was intended to be installed around the city, but it sits dormant.

Jennings had approached city officials in 2021 about the proposal. The city officials objected to the plan and told him there were issues with utility poles.

Jennings, who was the district’s CEO at the time and answered only to an academic distress commission, already had purchased $5 million in equipment by the time city officials had rebuffed his efforts. Patterson said in April that she hoped the district could sell the unused equipment purchased by Jennings.

Board members Tina Cvetkovich and Jerome Williams, who had opposed hiring Jennings as superintendent Feb. 22, 2022, effective July 1, declined Monday to comment except Williams said he wasn’t aware that Jennings had resigned until a reporter informed him.

Stacy Quinones, the school’s spokeswoman, would only confirm Jennings’ resignation being effective June 30.

When the board hired Jennings as superintendent after a 4-3 vote, it gave him a three-year contract. When Jennings leaves the district on June 30, he will have served one year as superintendent.

The school board hired Jennings as superintendent right before a state law took effect July 1 that eliminated control over the Youngstown school district to the then-CEO and the distress commission.

Jennings was hired by the commission in April 2019, effective in August of that year.

Before coming to Youngstown, Jennings was the superintendent of the Muskegon school district in Michigan for 2 1/2 years. Jennings previously worked for the district as special education director and assistant superintendent.

Jennings was named to replace Krish Mohip, who had been Youngstown schools CEO since 2016 and decided not to seek an extension when his contract expired July 31, 2019.

Jennings often butted heads with the school board as he largely ignored it and made decisions without the input of its members.

Before the Youngstown school board agreed to a three-year superintendent contract with Jennings, he was looking to leave. He was offered the position of Akron school district’s assistant superintendent and chief of leadership and learning in December 2021. But the job fell through, and Jennings stayed in Youngstown, becoming superintendent.

When Jennings became CEO, the Youngstown school district had some of the worst test scores on the state report cards. Nearly four years later, the district still is ranked toward the bottom in the state.