The state report card - what it does and does not show
This year's state report cards are a reflection of new assessments with new indicators, and we'll take our time deciphering what the results mean. The state has openly shared that school districts across the state have experienced a dip in performance due to these new, higher benchmarks.
But while all other districts have been placed in “safe harbor” to give students and schools time to adjust to the new standards and tests, current legislation places Lorain City Schools under Academic Distress. The old law has not kept pace with the increased rigor of these assessments. Therefore, this year’s dip in test scores are more critical then ever in Lorain - they indicate that we are now eligible for a CEO. That's a difficult consequence to accept. Especially when we are outperforming some districts.
Regardless our results on the new report card, we believe that academics is just one aspect of education. We are more than our test scores. We are our people. And Lorain is filled with wonderful, caring educators, support staff, families and community members working every day to help our students to achieve.
We have a solid plan, and evidence of student growth on alternate state-approved vendor assessments. The state report card does not define us, it informs the decisions that we make. And we will continue to stay the course. Sincerely, Dr. Jeff Graham, Superintendent
