Improvement is slow for Youngstown schools

August 15, 2013 at 6:21p.m.

Scores improved in 13 of 24 areas

Youngstown school improvement is slow

Youngstown

Improvement in city school students’ academic performance is happening — but only in dribs and drabs.

“In more than half of the indicators, 13 of 24, our preliminary scores show improvement in student scores when compared to the previous year,” Superintendent Connie Hathorn told members of the Youngstown City Schools Academic Distress Commission Thursday.

In five of those areas — fifth grade math, eighth grade math, 10th grade reading, 10th grade math and 10th grade science — the increase was at least 10 percent from the previous year.

The scores fell on 10 indicators, while one remained the same.

The data is preliminary. The Ohio Department of Education is expected to release 2012-13 report cards later this month. This year’s report cards use an A through F grading system rather than the rating system of academic emergency through excellent with distinction that’s been in place the last several years.

Hathorn pointed out that the performance index, the component that measures the achievement of every student, improved from 76.1 in 2011-12 to 76.9 in 2012-13, showing “a steady improvement in student achievement over the past three years.”

The district implemented a new reading curriculum last year so it’s not surprising that some of the reading scores dipped, said Kim Davis, executive director of teaching and learning.

He said he’s not happy with the results but the district has reviewed the data to determine what worked and what didn’t, and plans to make changes accordingly.