OHIO Web site to offer statistics on schools

Users will be able to compare up to five districts at a time.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- A Web site containing dozens of statistics for Ohio's 614 public school districts will be up and running later this year, allowing users to compare districts side-by-side.
The $40 million site, funded by private foundations and the federal government, is compiled by Standard & amp; Poor's, best known for its credit and stock ratings.
Information about New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan is already available at http://ses.standardandpoors.com. The site says the rest of the states will be available soon.
It will allow users to compare statistics for up to five schools or districts at a time. Also, for each district, Standard & amp; Poor's will post a "return on resources" analysis, showing how well students are performing compared to what their districts spend.
The idea is to provide free, objective, credible information that transcends the politics of education, said Bill Cox, managing director of the project.
"You can't really begin to know how well you're doing, or how well you can do, until you understand how well others are doing," Cox said.
Besides allowing customized searches, the site automatically compares a school's statistics to state and national averages, as well as to a "peer group" of schools with similar demographics.
At a related Standard & amp; Poor's site, www.schoolresults.org, some test-score information and facts are available for public schools and districts in Ohio and 14 other states.
Timely
Carolyn Turner, executive director of Cincinnati Parents for Public Schools, said the Web site is timely because of accountability issues.
"People are comparing the performance of school districts and individual schools when they're making choices about where they want to send their children to school," Turner said.
"I think it adds a little bit of extra pressure to school systems to make sure they are putting out a quality product."
Lawyer Jon Nerenberg, who has a stepdaughter in school, said Standard & amp; Poor's adds credibility to the site.
"The fact that it's someone outside makes it more believable," he said. "I'm always interested in what other schools offer to see how we could improve. There's no true standard though for what's 'good' and 'bad' so I would take (the analysis) with a grain of salt."
Mount Healthy Assistant Superintendent Randy Parsons urged caution for those using the information.
"I support the public's right to have information regarding a school district's student achievement, demographics and finances," Parsons said. "However, comparisons from district to district and state to state can be difficult with some data because circumstances can vary widely."
Homebuyer tool
Lynn Greer, vice president for Greater Cincinnati relocation for Huff Realty, said the site would be an important tool for homebuyers. Realtors must guard against offering personal opinions about school districts because of fair-housing laws, Greer said. That means people who have recently transferred to the area must do their own research.
"There is nothing more valuable to transferees than school information. They cry out for it," Greer said.