Northeast Ohio’s School Report Card

Posted Friday, August 28, 2009

As kids head back to class this week, school districts received their own report cards. More schools across Ohio are getting an A+ in academics and schools in our region fared well in the main with 14 districts out of the seven-county area moving into the highest category, "excellent with distinction." But the largest school district in the area, Cleveland Metropolitation School District, didn't make the grade this year. It's under "academic watch" for a second year in a row. Also, a new consultant's report says Cleveland has too many schools given years of population loss. Our region's school report card, Friday morning at nine on 90.3.

Guests

Edith Starzyk, Education Reporter, The Plain Dealer
Joy Brewington, Data Analyst, Catalyst-Ohio
Dr. Eugene Sanders, CEO, Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Dr. Helen Williams, Program Director for Education, Cleveland Foundation
Douglas Heuer, Superintendent, Cleveland Heights-University Heights School District
Joe Regano, Superintendent, Solon City Schools

Additional Information

Report cards chart progress in Ohio school districts, by Edith Starzyk, The Plain Dealer

Please follow our community discussion rules when composing your comments.

Jim in Avon 10:08 AM 8/28/09

Greetings from Avon, that consistently excellent-with-distinction system in northeastern Lorain County.

One calculation of school systems’ effectiveness that I never see reported—and that taxpayers would love to know—would compare the districts’ rankings with their per-pupil expenditures.

Avon, along with being one of the best, also makes its dollars go the furthest. The most recent figure I recall is, about $7100 per child. Yet, since testing began, it has ranked among the best in the state.

How does it do this? Well, for one thing, teachers teach—middle- and high-school teachers have teaching responsibilities during six of each day’s eight periods. They work as hard as—and in many cases, harder than —the scholars they help mold.

As a result of the district’s successful efforts, voters here support the schools at the polls. Voters rightly expect results for the dollars collected. Avon gives them those results.