Shaker Heights Schools Tout $2.5 Million Savings In Report

SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH — The Shaker Heights School District has released its "Measuring What Matters" report, examining the school districts successes from last year and looking forward to the 2017-2018 season. The report was released in advance of the state's controversial report cards for school districts, which are expected to be released at the end of this week.

Last year, Shaker's Superintendent Gregory Hutchings joined a chorus of other education leaders throughout the region criticizing the state's testing standards. "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 a statement.

The district then encouraged residents to check out its own report, for what the district described as a more "comprehensive" look at a Shaker education. (To stay up to date on local stories, subscribe to the Patch Shaker Heights newsletter. As news breaks and the story develops, you will be the first to receive updates from Patch.)

This year, the district's own report has been released prior to the state's report cards.

“The Shaker Schools offer a holistic, high-quality education that cannot be measured by single state test score. That's why we produce “Measuring What Matters,” our annual report to the community on academic progress, fiscal stewardship and the many accomplishments of our students in arts and athletics," Scott Stephens, executive director of communications and public relations told Patch.

In the 2017-2018 Measuring What Matters report, the district touts some of its financial savings exercises from last year. For example, the district was able to bring in some special needs students in the city that were not being educated at Shaker Schools, reportedly saving $40,000 per pupil.

The district also consolidated bus routes (an annual savings of about $100,000 according to the school system), refinanced its existing debt obligation (saving $400,000 over the next decade), and switched to self-insurance (saving about half a million annually). Ultimately, the district says it ended the year $2.5 million under its expenditure budget.

The report also notes the high school's graduation rate increased to 92 percent, up from 84 percent in 2012.

"Three-fourths of High School freshmen scored proficient or higher on the state English exam, an increase of 13 percentage points from the previous year. Nearly 93 percent scored proficient or higher on the state geometry exam, an increase over the previous year," the report says.

The district also touted its IB Programme, and focused on its international flair. The full report can be read here.

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