Shaker Heights Schools Get Mixed Grades From the State, District Says Students are More Than a Test Score

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH - The school district has received mixed marks on a report card issued by the Ohio Department of Education. However, Superintendent Dr. Gregory Hutchings, in a statement issued yesterday, argues that the state's assessment, which has become more rigorous, does not capture or define the quality of the schools in Shaker.

The Department of Education grades districts on six categories: Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Graduation Rate, Prepared for Success, and K-3 Literacy. The Achievement category measures the number of students who passed the state's tests and how well they performed on those tests. Progress is based on how students have developed based on their past performance. Gap Closing is based off a school district's ability to help groups of students the state has deemed to be the "most vulnerable." Graduation Rate is based on the percentage of students successfully graduating after four or five years. Prepared for Success is graded on how well students are prepared for college or a technical career. Finally, K-3 Literacy Rate is based on how successful the schools are at getting struggling readers up to speed.

Shaker Heights's grades were:

• Achievement - C
• Progress - D
• Gap Closing - F
• Graduation Rate - B
• Prepared for Success - C
• K-3 Literacy - F

The K-3 Literacy component was only applicable to school districts that had 5% or more of their K-3 students reading below their grade level last year.

Hutchings said in his statement that the district was not surprised by the state's assessment results. In early 2014, the district established a Strategic Planning Committee that analyzed areas of achievement and areas for improvement throughout Shaker Schools. The district now has metrics of its own in place to track progress, and is establishing a more "holistic" curriculum to aid students.

"A Shaker education provides students an educational environment that prepares them for the real world —college, career and life. Our students are what matter most, and they should not be reduced to a test score," he said in the statement.

Hutchings also joined other superintendents from Northeast Ohio in criticizing some of the state's assessment methods.

"The fact is that the Ohio Department of Education has used three new assessments in three years. With that kind of change, it is inevitable that scores go down. Not only do we have a new assessment every year, but the state’s learning objectives and benchmarks have also changed," he said.

He added that he was pleased that the learning objectives are more rigorous, but said it takes time to provide the professional learning necessary to meet those standards.

Solon Schools, which ranked as one of the best in Ohio, has serious concerns with the state's assessment system. The 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. 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.

Westlake City Schools also criticized the system after receiving lower than expected grades.

"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 percent participation rate on state tests," the district said in a statement.

Photo from the Ohio Department of Education