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Valley educators urge caution in evaluating report card grades
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
The letter grade doesn’t tell the whole story when it comes to state report cards, Mahoning Valley educators say.
“There are a lot of variables that go into that,” said H. Jared Cardillo, director of instruction for Boardman schools.
The Ohio Department of Education is expected to release the annual report cards Thursday. Grades will be assigned to districts and schools on six components: Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Graduation Rate, K-3 Literacy and Prepared for Success.
Each component includes measures that also earn a grade.
There is not, however, an overall grade for districts this year.
Mahoning Valley school superintendents issued a statement this week through the Mahoning County Educational Service Center cautioning parents and community members not to “jump to conclusions” based on the letter grades.
The ESC represents school districts in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Portage counties.
“It’s a new test this year,” Cardillo said. “It’s the third test in three years.”
In the 2015-16 school year, the state used the American Institutes for Research test. The year before, it was the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers test. The previous year, it was the Ohio Graduation test.
Some districts’ students took the tests last year on computers rather than with pens and paper for the first time. Some studies have shown a dip in scores when that happens.
People comparing a school’s or district’s letter grades on this report card to the letter grades of the previous year aren’t really comparing apples to apples, Cardillo said.
Matthew Bowen, Campbell superintendent, agreed.
“We understand the importance of hard work, planning and staying the course,” he said. “We will not abandon the district’s improvement plan where increased student engagement and aligned local academic achievement have been measured. Through staff professional development and parent engagement we will continue to close achievement gaps for all learners. To be honest, we look forward to seeing consistency in the accountability measures being administered throughout the state.”
Cardillo said Boardman is still reviewing the data from the state. For example, students who take Advanced Placement tests don’t have to take the end of course exams.
Part of Boardman’s data review is to ensure that occurred, Cardillo said.
“There are still some things we’re trying to make sure are correct,” he said.
Cardillo said Boardman will continue to do what district officials think is best for students.
He said the district is not making excuses.
“We’re simply using this as baseline data and continue to do whatever is necessary” to help students be successful in college and their respective careers, he said.