New 2016 Ohio School Report Cards Come Out Thursday

by Michelle Faust

The Ohio School Report Cards come out Thursday. The 2016 reports come with a change.

The Report Cards will include an A through F letter grade in 6 areas. The state will score most public and charter schools on test scores, how well they’ve improved, whether elementary students are learning to read, whether high schoolers are graduating, and whether graduates are prepared to go on to work or college.

Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria says the reports reflect changes in student testing.

“This is a report card that represents transition. We’re setting higher expectations for students and that's beginning to show,” says DeMaria.

Last year, the state switched to a new set of standardized tests and gave “safe harbor” to schools, teachers and students.  That means they won’t be penalized for poor performances on the new tests in 2016 or 2017. 

Critics say frequent changes in standardized testing and emphasis on test scores have made state school report cards an imperfect gauge.

Ohio Board of Education President Tom Gunlock says the added information will be a tool for schools to set goals for growth.

“I think this report card provides data and if they use it as a way to identify their issues and figure out what needs to be corrected. It's fine,” says Gunlock.

Gunlock says the data in the new report card will give a more complete picture of how schools are doing.

The 2016 Ohio School Report Card will be online: http://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/