State-testing scores show good, bad districts in area

Let’s begin with a stand- ing ovation for the school districts in Mahoning and Trumbull counties that excelled in the statewide standardized testing: Boardman, Canfield, Poland, South Range, Springfield, Howland, Lakeview, Lordstown and Maplewood.

Among those academically successful systems, Lordstown stands out. It is one of the few in the state in which 100 percent of students achieved “proficient or above” in some of the testing categories.

Superintendent Terry Armstrong was justifiably elated when he talked to The Vindicator after the test scores were made public last Friday by the Ohio Department of Education.

“We are very happy,” Armstrong said. “We have a very, very hard-working staff. The students are awesome. They work really hard. They take direction really well. Their families are very supportive. … It’s just wonderful to see it represented in test scores.”

There are four categories in the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams: English language arts (ELA), mathematics, science and social studies. The scoring of students from third grade to high school is as follows: limited; basic; proficient; accelerated; advanced.

Other area school districts also scored better than the statewide performance levels in the four testing categories. They also have reason to be optimistic.

On the other side of the coin, a few school districts scored well below the statewide level in every subject. Of special note is the Youngstown City School District, which was placed in academic emergency by the state in 2011 and is now in academic watch.

The continuing failure of the urban district has prompted a state law that will result in a chief executive officer taking over the system. A newly empaneled state academic distress commission will appoint the CEO.

The poor performance in the latest statewide testing illustrates the urgency of the situation in Youngstown.

Reaction

Interim Superintendent Stephen Stohla was on the mark with his response to the outcome.

“There are a lot of issues that impact our test scores that are not school- related, and we’re trying to do everything we can to make some of those issues less of a barrier.”

Stohla said the system is focusing on increased parental involvement and on incorporating wraparound services, such as dental care, to improve education outcomes.

He did say that while the test scores aren’t where the staff, the parents or the community would like them to be, they’re a starting point.

“ … we’ll get better,” the superintendent said.

With no reflection on him, the residents of the Youngstown city school system have heard that song before – numerous times.

It is clear that drastic action needs to be taken – urgently.

Also failing to make the grade were Campbell and Warren school districts.

The results that were released last week are preliminary. They were based on new standardized testing that began last spring.

It was the first time that Ohio students took the PARCC, as required by the Common Core curriculum. The bar has been set higher than previous standardized tests such as the Ohio Achievement Assessments and Ohio Graduation Tests.

School districts will have the chance to review and update data before they submit it to the state for Ohio School Report Card calculations.

The complete listing for area school districts can be found on Vindy.com.

While the argument rages nationally about the Common Core curriculum, there is a bill in the Republican-controlled Ohio House of Representatives to block Common Core standards in Ohio’s public schools.

Before Republicans, who also dominate the Ohio Senate, move to get rid of Common Core, they should talk to officials of the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Board of Regents.

If they do, they will find out that Ohio has a disturbingly low college attendance rate for high school students, and will also learn that many high school graduates who do enroll in four-year institutions are not prepared for the rigors of academia.