Many school districts find success despite spending less

Some top-ranked area schools spend less than average per student.

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By Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer Updated 8:49 AM Wednesday, November 16, 2011

More than half of the Dayton area’s 40 school districts spend less than the state average per pupil, and 12 of those districts rank in the top 100 in Ohio based on overall test scores, according to the Ohio Department of Education’s first statewide ranking.

Oakwood City Schools has the area’s best ranking on student performance — No. 8 out of 611 districts statewide. Meanwhile, Springboro Community Schools has the 11th-lowest spending per pupil — $7,926 — while ranking 49th in test scores.

Springboro Superintendent Gene Lolli said he was happy the rankings came out. “That tells the public how well we are doing,” he said.

A major factor in driving down his district’s cost per pupil were concessions teachers made in June to freeze their pay, as well as reduce health care benefits in their new contract, Lolli said.  

Those moves came after the district experienced its fifth straight levy defeat.

“I think the teachers have kept focused and they still put kids first, bottom line,” he said.

The preliminary ranking data show that 24 of 40 area school districts in Montgomery, Greene, Miami and Warren counties spend less than the $10,144 average expenditure per pupil. Springboro spends the least among local districts while Jefferson Twp. Local’s $14,779 average is 20th-highest in the state.

Dayton Public ranked 607th on test scores, one slot below Jefferson Twp. and better than only four districts in the state. Warrensville Heights in Cuyahoga County is last, while Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools in Hamilton County is No. 1.

“The ranking list is a powerful tool we can use to see how local schools stack up with similar communities around the state,” State Superintendent Stan Heffner said. “Next year, this list will be coupled with financial data to give the public a clear way to see who is delivering the most return on the community’s educational investment.”

Bellbrook-Sugarcreek joins Springboro as the only area district ranked in the top 50 in test scores while spending less than $10,000 per pupil. Bellbrook-Sugarcreek is ranked No. 27 in test scores.

The Ohio Department of Education called this a draft ranking and said the official list will come out next September, based on each district’s Performance Index score. The scores combine students’ results on all tested subjects in grades 3-8 on Ohio’s Achievement Assessments with the 10th-grade Ohio Graduation Test.

Brookville Superintendent Tim Hopkins said he was pleased to see his district rank No. 100, in the top 16 percent in the state.

The district, which received an “Excellent” rating on the most recent state report card, has a $9,379 cost per pupil expenditure, which is $765 below the state average.

“I would hope that shows our community and public they are getting a pretty good bang for their buck,” he said.

But some school officials, including Northridge’s superintendent, are not thrilled with the new ranking system.

“Performance index is just one category that school districts are rated on (for the report card),” Northridge Superintendent David Jackson said. “For them to rank them based solely on one thing, to me doesn’t show the complete picture.”

Northridge also is an “Excellent” district, having jumped two levels on the last report card to achieve that A rating. But on this new ranking list, it is 567th — 44th from the bottom — with a performance index score of 90.3 points out of a possible 120, its best ever.

“There are districts that obviously make their claim to fame on performance index,” Jackson added. “I think taking students and moving them further and showing a lot of student growth is more our claim to fame.”

Northridge has the 57th-highest cost per pupil at $12,433.

Data/graphics reporter Gerald Fullam contributed to this report. Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2094 or mkissell@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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