Ohio Revising State Learning Standards

OHIO - The Ohio Department of Education plans to update the state's Learning Standards in science, social studies and financial literacy in the next year and is giving Buckeye state residents a chance to have a say. Now through Jan. 9, all Ohioans can submit comments and suggestions about the standards through an online survey.

“Ohio’s Learning Standards define the academic knowledge and skills Ohio students need to succeed in college, careers and life,” said Paolo DeMaria, superintendent of public instruction. “We value feedback and input from teachers, parents and community members as we update the standards to better meet the expectations of colleges and employers.”

Survey takers can review each standard, make comments and indicate whether or not they believe it requires a change. After the survey closes, representatives from Ohio educational organizations serving on advisory committees will review the survey results and identify standards that need to be revised. Separate work groups ofeducators will propose actual language changes to the standards.

When the draft revisions are ready next spring, the Department will hold a second public comment period. Tentatively, the updated science, social studies and financial literacy standards will be ready to use beginning in 2018-2019.

Several superintendents across Ohio crticized the constant shifting of state learning standards, saying they hampered the ability of teachers to educate students.

"Westlake, like other school districts, has been working to adjust to an increase in the number of state tests given each year, higher cut scores, three different tests in three years, online testing issues and a lower than the required 95% participation rate on state tests," said one statement from Westlake.

Solon School District's Superintendent Joseph Regano cautioned that the state accountability system has serious flaws when so few districts and students statewide are showing improving results on the state report card. Due to the continuing changes in the assessment system and dramatic ramping up of cut scores on those assessments each year, the results are losing important context, he said.

Last year, the Department began updating the state’s English language arts and mathematics learning standards. This process is due to be finished in early 2017, so that teachers can begin using the revised standards in 2017-2018.

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