Few could deny that the Youngstown City School District has endured far more than its fair share of academic and financial turmoil over the past several decades. It’s been in and out of state-controlled fiscal emergency twice and had fallen under the watchful eyes of a state Academic Distress Commission for its systemic subpar achievement levels among the bulk of its student body.

Though the district has logged some noticeable gains in recent years, clearly much more work must be done to improve academic performance for students and to assure fiscal responsibility for taxpayers.

In academics, the district continued to fare poorly on its most recent 2024 state report card, dropping from an overall rating of 2.5 stars (out of five) in 2023 to only 2 stars in 2024.

In finances, a performance audit of the district released by state Auditor Keith Faber last year projected an operating deficit of nearly $17 million in the next few years unless concrete and sizable cost-cutting actions happen sooner rather than later.

To its credit, the district appears headed in the right direction. We commend Superintendent Jeremy Batchelor, city school board members and others who invested time and resources into the production of a plan to reconfigure and downsize the district’s footprint in the city while enhancing the academic potential for all of its 4,500 students.

Released to the public last week, highlights of that plan that will begin in the 2026-27 school year include consolidating all general high school students into one central building at East High School and doing the same at the middle-school level by operating only one intermediate building at East Middle School.

While these financially sound yet controversial moves are to be applauded, we would argue that they do not go far enough to move the district out of the quagmire of potentially enormous deficit spending in the not-too-distant future, particularly given anticipated large-scale reductions in state funding.

Aspects of the reconfiguration plan announced May 9 spare any of the district’s five elementary schools from closure or consolidation. Considering that the performance audit found that the city school district spends approximately $2,500, or 45 percent, more per pupil on building maintenance and security when compared with similar-sized public school systems in Ohio, none of the district’s real estate should be immune from hard choices.

Those hard choices must focus on staffing levels as well. While the size of the district’s enrollment has shrunk significantly over the past two decades, the size of its employee roster has not done so proportionally. In fact, according to the audit at the time it was conducted, the urban district had 75 more teachers than the average of its peer districts throughout the state.

Given that personnel costs account for a lion’s share of spending by any public body, significant staff cuts also should be factored into the district’s master plan for moving forward.

In addition, as it works out the many fine points of the reconfiguration plan, we’d also urge key players in carrying out the plan to seek guidance from those with keen experience with its many delicate nuances.

Given that many loyal Chaney High School students and alumni will not take too kindly to ending the Cowboys’ long and storied legacy in the city, district leaders could turn to officials of Warren City Schools where the hotly contested merger of Warren Harding and the former Warren Western Reserve high schools took place three decades ago, but its reverberations are still being felt today.

In its need to close additional buildings — particularly at the elementary school level — YCSD strategic planners need look no farther than the neighboring Austintown Local Schools for guidance. Several years ago, that nearly same-sized district successfully consolidated five elementary buildings into only two buildings.

As it navigates through the many changes and challenges in store for the district in the coming years, we’re pleased that the superintendent and board have placed a premium on transparency. To that end, the district intends to launch a website featuring time lines for implementation updates and other necessary to brand and name the new central high school.

Those with any stakes whatsoever in the future of the district should circle May 27 on their calendars now. That’s when the first public comments forum on the plan will take place at the city school board meeting.

Throughout what promises to be a challenging period ahead, we’ll also hold school leaders’ feet to the fire in their promises that the cost-savings restructuring plan will also incorporate elements to enhance student learning.

After all, much rides on greatly improving both the fiscal and academic health of Youngstown City Schools — and by extension, the future vitality of the Mahoning Valley’s largest urban center.