Jennifer Pignolet|Akron Beacon Journal

Last year's Akron Public Schools State of the Schools address took place in front of hundreds of people, with a buffet lunch andSuperintendent David James laying the groundwork for the community leaders to soon support a levy.

"What a difference a year makes," James said Thursday, in the same address one year later.

This one was held virtually, with just board members and a handful of district staff in the room, the event broadcast over YouTube.

A request for a levy has been tabled, possible for the next year or two, due to an influx of federal stimulus dollars meant to help offset costs of COVID-19. And in addition to highlighting the progress the district hasmade, James had to reflect on a tumultuous year of challenges through the coronavirus pandemic.

As it is his last State of the Schools address before he retires this summer, James also took the liberty of reflecting on his last 13 years as the district's leader, and 29 years with Akron schools overall.

"No leader can be everything an organization needs," James said. "Because over time, the organization changes and so does the leader. And with reflection, a leader will know when it is time to go, to turn over the role to another, so the organization can grow and achieve higher levels of performance."

As such, his speech didn't announce any new major initiatives or strategies, because soon he won't be the one executing him.

The district is also still at the beginning of its transition from remote-only learning to fully in-person, at least as an option for all students.

James recapped his plan to return everyone who wants to come back this year to their school building. His administration released the plan Monday night. It calls for students in kindergarten through second grade and students with significant special needsto come back March 15, and for everyone else to return March 22.

As long as the vaccine rollout stays on track, with all APS employees who want the vaccine able to get the first of two shots by the end of this weekend, they will have had enough time to build as much immunity as possible from the vaccine before returning to buildings.

"It is hard to believe that we have been virtual since March," James said."Yes, I do acknowledge that it is best for our students to be back to in-person school.However, I would like to point out that with 21,000 students, and nearly 4,000 employees it is very difficult to reconcile all of the risks, opinions and competing interests."

In the areas of progress, James touted the four-year graduation rate, which ticked up from79.8% to 80.2%.In the 2018-19, Akron students earned7,764 college credits while still in high school. In 2019-20, that increased to 9,297 credits earned.

As far as regrets for his tenure other than losing a cooking contest to a colleague in 2011 James said despite the 30-plus community learning centers built in the last 15 years, he wished he could have secured funding to replace the last five older school buildings in the district, some of which lack air conditioning.

He said he was also disappointed the state legislature did not take up the Fair School Funding Plan, which would have revamped the way schools receive money. Akron's CFO and Treasurer Ryan Pendleton was heavily involved with the initiative. James said he is hopeful it will circle back to the top of the list of priorities for the state in the near future.

But James also spent a great deal of his speech highlighting many of the partnerships the district has formed under his watch, including the more than 250 businesses and organizations that are invested in College and Career Academies.

"To everyone that I have met with, collaborated with, and even argued with, I say thank you," James said."Because through those discussions we have indeed made progress, and I believe the district poses a great opportunity for its next leader."

Contact education reporter Jennifer Pignolet at jpignolet@thebeaconjournal.com, at 330-996-3216 or on Twitter @JenPignolet.

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David James highlights progress, challenges of the last year in Akron State of the Schools - Akron Beacon Journal