State Report Card Released
The Ohio Department of Education released a part of the 2015 report card last week. The results show district Graduation Rate, K-3 literacy and “prepared for success” data. This year the results do not use a letter grade for the the “prepared for success” metric, which includes data such at ACT and SAT scores. Early reports had indicated that district scores would be lower than in the past due to the controversial PARCC assessments and the number of students who opted out of participating.
Overall as a district, we earned an A in 4 and 5-year Graduation Rate, and a B in K-3 Literacy. At the Kings Local School District, we know that the state report card only tells one side of the story. We know it does not evaluate a school district beyond standardized testing measures, nor does it capture the additional accountability measures that we hold our teachers, staff, and administrators to each year.
According to Senator Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, Chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, parents should not take this year’s test results too seriously. She states, “The scores will drop. They will drop precipitously. It is not to be taken as a sign that anything bad is happening in your school.” She also states, “Parents should be leery about putting too much emphasis on those categories that are based on PARCC test results.”
Since state assessments only provide a snapshot of a district’s success, the Quality Profile, released last fall, tells a better story of the Kings Local School District. It is a comprehensive, community-oriented companion to the state’s local report card that profiles additional accountability measures that define a high quality education and are not included in the report card.
The second half of the state report card will be released on February 25 and will include more test-based data. The results are coming in later than usual this year because of the switch to new state exams.
To view our district report card click here.