MCDONALD SCHOOLS Expect new standards for pupils, official says

Changes in pupil testing will be phased in over the next few years.
By MARY SMITH
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
McDONALD -- Academic standards will grow much tougher in the next few years, school board members learned Monday.
McDonald Local School District was one of six districts in Trumbull County considered to be "effective" on the state's 2002-03 report card.
Vickie Giovangnoli, assistant superintendent of the Trumbull County Educational Service Center, told the board of education that the district met 18 of 22 state indicators, and had a performance index of 92.3 out of a possible 90 to 120 for the 2002-03 school year -- indicating it met both state and federal standards.
Changes in tests
Under the federal No Child Left Behind initiative, however, testing standards will change for pupils over the next few years. Testing in math and reading, now conducted only for fourth-, sixth- and ninth-graders, will expand to third- through eighth-graders.
"Students had better know what is expected of them," she said, encouraging teachers to look at the new state standards to be implemented. She said by 2007, several new tests will be phased in. Achievement tests will replace proficiency, and by 2007, current ninth-graders must pass an Ohio Graduation Test that will be given in 10th grade.
Achievement tests will help define what children should know and be able to do at each grade level.
She said the last pilot tests for the 10th-grade examination will be given in March, and next year's 10th-graders will have to pass the test to meet graduation requirements.
The ninth-grade proficiency test will be eliminated, and reading, writing and math tests will be given to pupils in third through eighth grade.
She noted that pupils who cannot pass the 10th-grade graduation test can still graduate but must meet requirements on grade-point averages in tested subjects and have a 97.5 percent attendance record.
Tests that have been administered as proficiency tests in grades four, six and nine in five subjects -- reading, mathematics, writing, science and citizenship -- will be changed to achievement tests for grades three to eight and 10 in all five subject areas, except for citizenship, which will be changed to social studies.
Federal goals
The assistant superintendent added that the government has set a goal of the year 2013 to 2014 by which every pupil in the United States is to be 100 percent proficient.
To date, she added, "McDonald has been succeeding."
In other business Monday, Superintendent Michael Wasser told the board that out of 60 open-enrollment applications sent out for re-application, 35 have been returned. The re-applications were sent to pupils now attending McDonald schools on open enrollment. Deadline is March 3.
Starting April 1, new open-enrollment applications will be taken.
The board approved a payment to SM Electric Co. Inc., Austintown, of $40,503 for work done at the high school during remodeling.