The ranking in the paper was a surprise to m. It appeared that Aurora ranking had gone down. Here’s a bit of an explanation from a letter posted on the school website:
AURORA BOARD OF EDUCATION APPEALS TO STATE BOARD TO CORRECT AMBIGUITIES IN STATE “REPORT CARDS”
To: Members of the State Board of Education:
From: Members of the Aurora Board of Education
Date: August 28, 2008
We, the members of the Aurora Board of Education, urge you to seek answers to mounting questions over why high-achieving school districts like the Aurora City School District are ranked below lower performing districts as a result of the state superintendent’s newly created report card category: “Excellent with Distinction.”
This year, Aurora’s test scores were higher than in previous years and showed significant growth. Due to the fact that last year the growth score alone was not in the “above” range, our district is not awarded the “distinction” rating this year. It is highly disappointing that this one factor can overshadow significant growth in other areas and negate the outstanding overall achievement of our district with what appears to be a lower overall rating.
Superior districts like Aurora, Beachwood and Orange now find themselves having to explain to their communities what appears to be a “drop” in our report card grades. In these three districts and in numerous high performing schools throughout the state, our schools are ranked BELOW lower performing schools with the new formula–beneath schools that failed to meet all of the performance indicators (as we did), beneath schools that had significantly lower test scores, and beneath schools that had lower performance index scores. The fact that high performing schools like Aurora could be ranked lower than districts with lower scores across the board is mind-boggling; it is therefore difficult for superintendents and board members to justify the apparent “drop” in grade to a disappointed public that calls to question “why?”
This is particularly disturbing in a year when Aurora is celebrating news that we had met 30 out of 30 performance indicators and that our test scores were among the highest in the state: first place in 7th grade math scores, third place in 6th grade math, 15th in 8th grade math, and 10th in 8th grade science. ODE’s new “grading system” clearly negates such significant achievement while more substantially rewarding marked “improvement” in lower performing schools, giving them a level of “distinction” denied to us.
When the results were published in both the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Akron Beacon Journal this week, the confusing new report card category, “Excellent with Distinction” is creating public image problems for many high-performing districts. The new “distinction” category is making traditionally “A” schools appear on the new chart as “B” schools. There is, therefore, no easy way for the state superintendent or for any one of us to explain what appears to citizens as a drop in a school’s overall grade when scores, across the board, show significant growth and improvement.
Quite frankly, the new report card formula is highly flawed, if higher performing districts can be ranked beneath lower performing schools with such ambiguity. The value-added factor, AYP status, performance index scores and performance on the 30 indicators are actually good measures of district success; however, the manner in which schools are being divided has proven to be not only inappropriate, but harmful.
We hope the State Board of Education will address the obvious imbalance the new formula creates and the problems it is causing for excellent schools. There are numerous superintendents and board members state-wide who are hoping you will meet with the State Superintendent to reassess this confusing change in report card ratings. Clearly, the new category that includes AYP and value-added factors distorts the overall academic achievement of Ohio’s public schools. Our students and teachers work too hard to be sent a message that schools that meet fewer standards and that score lower on state tests will be awarded “distinction” status above them.
Superintendent Russ Bennett can answer any questions you may have more specifically by calling (330) 954-2119. We hope the State Board of Education will review this situation and create a report card system that adequately depicts the quality of our schools.
Sincerely,
Aurora Board of Education:
Gerald P. Kohanski, President
Ann Morrison, Vice President
Pam Mehallis, Member
Bev Kuch, Member
John Sloe, Member
Seems to me that the Aurora Schools do not want to be judged in the same manner that they judge others. I remember that when the schools were questioned as to why one student was given one opportunity that another student was not given though their grades were comparable the student was told that there were subjective matters taken into account along with grades. Sounds like the schools just got a taste of their own medicine.
In response to Longtime Resident
Between your comments on Bus Stops and now Grading in our schools. It seems like all you have to contribute is negativity to our fine city. Maybe Longtime Resident should reside somwhere else.