WARREN School district improves in annual report rating

The state's new system of using a performance index score boosted the rating.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- The city school district has made a lot of progress on its annual report card, but there's still a long way to go, Superintendent Betty J. English says.
The state report cards for school districts were released Tuesday morning, and the district moved from academic emergency to academic watch, English told board members at a meeting that evening.
The improved rating was because of the state's new system that employs a performance index score based on pupils' individual performances. The district met only one of the 22 state indicators, but earned a performance index score of 71.9, bumping it up to the academic watch category.
"We have made some strides, and for the first time, our progress has been documented," English said. "We've made some progress, but we still have a long way to go."
Performance index
McGuffey Elementary was designated effective.
Alden, Emerson, Garfield, Jefferson, Laird, Horace Mann, McKinley and Secrest elementary schools and East Middle are in the continuous improvement category.
Western Reserve and Turner middle schools and Warren G. Harding High School are in academic emergency.
Betsy Janecko, associate superintendent, pointed out that the district was close to meeting the state standard in sixth- and ninth-grade writing, 10th-grade reading, and attendance.
"But the bottom line is we did not meet those indicators, and those will be our focus for the next school year," she said.
The performance index, the indicator that moved the district out of academic emergency, rewards achievement for each pupil who is tested. Only those pupils who aren't tested aren't counted.
Lynn Gibson, school board president, thinks the state's new scoring method is a better way.
"I think this is a fairer way to assess a school district and the individual buildings," she said. "It's based on how all students perform, and I think that is extremely important in public schools."
November levy
In other business, board members voted unanimously to place a 5.5-mill levy on the November ballot. The levy is to raise the local obligation for a Ohio Schools Facilities Commission project to build all new schools.
The project is estimated at $168 million, and the state will pay 80 percent.
Included in the local obligation is funding for a sports field at each of the K-8 buildings, preservation of historic elements at Warren G. Harding High School, an eight-lane competition swimming pool at the high school, land acquisition in case the board must buy property to accommodate the new buildings, a contingency and 0.5 mills for permanent improvements.