After putting the three adult education programs under review at Choffin Career and Technical Center, Youngstown Schools CEO Justin Jennings says two will remain, dental assistance and practical nursing.

Surgical technology though will be eliminated.

Advocates for all three programs spoke at Tuesday night's Youngstown School Board Meeting lobbying to remain at Choffin.

Jennings says if they can't offer an associates program for surgical tech, they can no longer offer the program.

"In the surgical tech now, the law kind of changed," Jennings said. "In order for you to offer anything in there, it can't be certificate, you have to offer an associates degree. We don't offer an associates degree in there because of the staffing and different things so you have to have that, so over the next two years if you don't have it, you can't do it, unless you go under someone else which is part of the reason we were looking at Eastern Gateway."

Emily Spletzer, the Interim Program Director for Surgical Technology, says she thought they were transitioning the program to fall under Eastern Gateway and was told it was a sure thing. Then, after multiple conversations, she heard the best option was to withdraw accreditation rather than transfer to EGCC. She said the communication on the process has been terrible and wants clarification on what is going to happen. She also urged the administration to not give up.

"Our program will require the affiliate of a college, but we still have two years to make the transition," Spletzer said. "In the meantime, we could be continuing our certificate program in working with the college to bridge our program to the two year Associates Degree program which will be required. We are simply asking for the allowance and opportunity to effectively market our program and continue adult education in the Youngstown community."

Jennings says one of the issues with keeping the program is staffing. He received a letter Monday stating that since Choffin did not appoint a formal, qualified Program Director, the program is not in substantial compliance with accreditation standards.

No action was taken by the Youngstown School Board Tuesday night.