New report cards will reflect Ohio raising the bar

Just that scenario is playing out this week across the state as Ohio’s Department of Education releases its report cards for school districts. Many districts that traditionally have been rated “excellent” — or even “excellent with distinction” – will receive Bs. Other districts will get even more disappointing grades, including Fs.

Parents and communities should be concerned about the grades – and what’s being done to bring them up. But some background information is needed to understand the new school report cards.

Ohio has raised its standards in bold and important ways for our children. When demands increase, it always takes time to adjust. The lower grades are an inescapable part of the process of asking our schools, teachers and children to aim higher. We must aim higher if we expect Ohio to reverse its ongoing shortfall of post-secondary graduates.

Historically, Ohio has focused on increasing high school graduation rates, which was the mid-20th century definition of success. Ohio’s new standards, on the other hand, are more specific and ambitious about the skills young people need to possess and their ability to apply that knowledge.

Going forward, a high school diploma will mean a graduate can succeed in college without first taking remedial classes. Or a diploma will mean a graduate is ready to join the workforce with the necessary entry-level skills.

Achieving these goals, though, requires a more rigorous curriculum and more difficult tests to make sure students really are progressing.

Ohio’s new expectations are reflected across most subjects, including math, reading and science. For example, until now, three math courses were required for a high school diploma. But the content to be mastered wasn’t spelled out. The class of 2014 will be required to pass at least four math courses, and one of them must be Algebra II. This change will improve college and career readiness for graduates.

Expectations for reading proficiency are also higher– a critically important decision. Consider that almost 43 percent of Ohio’s fourth-graders in a recent year were rated “accelerated” or “advanced” on the state’s proficiency test. But these same students score much lower on national and international tests. Simply stated, Ohio’s bar has been set too low.

Going forward, school districts’ grades will be based on measures that include:

This is precisely the kind of data we must have to judge our success in giving our children the education they need and deserve.

In 2011, 352 districts — more than half of Ohio’s school districts – were rated A-plus or A. If that grading system truly measured student achievement, then a great majority of Ohio’s high school graduates either would be going to college and graduating on time or getting a post-high school credential, certifying that they have a skill valued in the job market.

But, in many districts, just a third of students go on to college and graduate in six years. We can’t let two-thirds of our kids be qualified only for lower-paying work when there is a demand for highly skilled workers in Ohio’s economy.

Labor economists estimate that 62 percent of jobs will require either a college degree or a post-high school certificate by 2018. These are the good jobs that will pay the living wages that our students will want and need … but will Ohio’s students be prepared?

As Ohio public schools transition to the newest set of higher standards, school officials must use the results to effect real change to increase student success. Initially, school report card grades will be lower. Grades must and will improve quickly and steadily.

In essence, school personnel must do more; parents must make every effort to send their students to school ready to learn; and students must be prepared to work harder at school and at home. The stakes are high!