Crescent-News.com - Schools get report cards

By JENNY DERRINGER

derringer@crescent-news.com

The results are in and overall, Ohio students continue to improve academically. The Ohio Department of Education released results of the 2007-08 local report cards Monday with many districts improving their ratings.

Among the top performing schools in northwest Ohio were Ayersville Local, Central Local, Ottawa-Glandorf Local and Archbold Area, which earned the highest rating of "excellent with distinction."

In the past, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) report cards rated districts as excellent, effective, continuous improvement, academic watch and academic emergency based on their performance in multiple areas.

The excellent with distinction rating was added this year to recognize high-performing districts and schools that continued to enrich their students, according to ODE, which reported that 74 districts and 158 schools earned the new designation.

The new rating has been given to those that had "growth in their value-added results for two consecutive years."

Districts earning an excellent rating on their 2007-08 report cards were Hicksville Exempted Village, Gorham-Fayette Local, Pettisville Local, Wauseon Exempted Village, Antwerp Local, Fort Jennings Local, Kalida Local, Miller City-New Cleveland Local, Ottoville Local, Pandora-Gilboa Local and Bryan City schools.

To succeed on the local report cards, districts' goals were to be proficient in 30 indicators, which included standardized tests in grades 3-8 and Ohio graduation tests in grades 10-11, in addition to attendance and graduation rates.

Also factored in were the performance index, or PI, which measures the achievement level of all students; and whether the schools met adequate yearly progress. AYP measures whether schools and districts have gaps in achievement among up to 10 groups of students (all students, Native American, Hispanic, white, limited English proficient, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, multi-racial, economically disadvantaged and students with disabilities).

Among the top-ranked schools in Defiance County was Ayersville Local.

"I feel like a football coach on a winning Friday night," said superintendent Tod Hug. "This is a win for the community, the staff, parents and students. It's a culmination of a lot of hard work for the past five years."

Hug noted that the state requires districts to be held accountable for their performance and Ayersville is showing "what it's doing to be successful," noting that his goal was 30 indicators, up from 29 the previous year.

Hug added that the district needs to get better in some areas, particularly with AYP. This is the second year Ayersville has not met AYP. This was due to test scores particularly in the area of students with disabilities.

"This is going to be our challenge," stressed Hug, "getting AYP in the third year. We will do our best to hit that area."

In Putnam County, Miller City-New Cleveland Local Schools has once again earned 30 out of 30 indicators and had one of the highest performance index scores in northwest Ohio (108.2).

Superintendent William Kreinbrink credits to all those involved at every level of education. He also works closely with the Putnam County Educational Service Center, which offers in-service programs for the district's instructors.

"It seems to be working really well," said Kreinbrink, "and we keep the parents informed."

For the upcoming school year, the Putnam County administrator hopes to maintain the high level of achievement for the students as well as the district.

In Defiance County, the local report card gives Defiance City Schools an effective rating, the same as the 2006-07 school year, though the number of indicators met was down one from last year to 24.

"I'm not going to waste a lot of energy getting upset over a one-item swing either way," said Defiance superintendent Mike Struble. "But we met AYP this year. We need to keep focused and do the right thing. I believe we can meet the excellent rating."

Struble did note that with a construction project underway and a move to the new elementary school mid-year, it is difficult to keep focused.

Assistant superintendent Ian MacGregor also added that within the district, three of its individual schools were rated as excellent for the 2007-08 school year -- the high school and Spencer and Brickell elementary schools.

Statewide, the ODE reported that nearly 85 percent of districts were rated as effective or higher. In addition, this is the third year that the state didn't have a district in academic emergency. Only nine districts were placed on academic watch, down from 34 for the 2003-04 school year.

All of this hard work is a result of the federal No Child Left Behind Act and the state's effort to hold accountable all of its districts and students. Each state sets its own goals with the end result of having all students be proficient in reading and math by the 2013-14 school year.

"Overall results show that educators are working hard and making significant progress in helping all students meet the high expectations of our educational system," said Susan Tave Zelman, state superintendent of public instruction. "We are proud to see more districts and schools receiving higher designations this year."

For more information on individual district or building results, visit ODE's website at www.ode.state.oh.us.