21 Mahoning Valley schools designated Schools of Promise

Staff report

Columbus

Twenty-one Mahoning Valley schools have earned the designation “School of Promise” for the 2011-12 school year from the Ohio Department of Education.

Schools were selected based on multiple factors including student performance on the Ohio Achievement and Ohio Graduation tests, meeting adequate yearly progress, the graduation rate, report-card rating and poverty rate. The schools that earned the honor serve 40 percent or more economically disadvantaged students, according to a news release from the Ohio Department of Education.

The information is from the 2011-12 state report card.

“For years our Schools of Promise program has identified schools with great results despite facing challenging circumstances,” Richard Ross, state superintendent of public instruction, said in a news release. “Our Schools of Promise do not let circumstance determine outcomes and do not let obstacles keep them from providing a quality education. Our Schools of Promise prove that there’s no reason why Ohio cannot be a national leader in providing a high-quality education in every district for every child.”

The Mahoning Valley schools designated Schools of Promise are South Side Middle School and East Palestine Elementary School in Columbiana County. South Side is part of the Columbiana Exempted Village Schools.

In Mahoning County, Austintown’s Lynn Kirk and Watson elementary schools, Robinwood Lane Elementary in Boardman; Jackson-Milton’s high and middle schools; Lowellville’s North Side Elementary, Springfield Elementary, Youngstown Early College and Youngstown Community School each earned the designation.

It marks the third year that Robinwood Lane earned the label.

“Robinwood Lane Elementary School proves every day that failure is not an option,” Michael Sawyers, former acting state superintendent of public instruction, wrote in a letter last month to Principal Don Robinson. “Because of that, it is my honor to recognize you, your students, teachers, administrators and the families in your building being named a 2012 School of Promise for the third year.”

Robinwood also has earned another academic honor as a state Reward School. Reward Schools are the highest-performing schools in the state of Ohio. The list is tied to the new report card being developed by ODE. Robinwood Lane is one of 38 schools in Ohio to earn this honor.

In Trumbull County, Girard’s Prospect Elementary and the senior high school, Hubbard High School, Badger Elementary in the Joseph Badger School District, LaBrae High, Maplewood Middle, Newton Falls High and Junior High and Weathersfield’s Mineral Ridge High and Seaborn Elementary schools were deemed Schools of Promise.

According to ODE, at the Schools of Promise, 75 percent or more of students score proficient or better on statewide achievement tests in reading and mathematics. The selected schools also are addressing achievement gaps, because the 75 percent proficiency measure applies to students in subgroups of 10 or more defined by race and economic disadvantage.

To be selected for School of Promise status, school buildings also must have met or exceed the expected growth for their students using the value-added measure for the most recent year. High schools also must have had an 85 percent graduation rate. Value-added is a standard that measures a year’s growth for all students.