Thanks to one of our Lobbyists from Kirtland for this article in the Plain Dealer published April 17, 2018. (Hint: highlight the link, then right click your mouse, and then click go the page)

http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/04/should_school_districts_get_an_a-f_grade_state_report_card_overhaul_debated.html#incart_m-rpt-1

So in 2013, the State Board of Education and our politicians changed the grading system to give taxpayers and school administrators a means to compare the performance of each school district; they spent ~$51 Billion from the years 2013 – 2017 of State and Federal funds on educating our children, and now no one likes the grading system since it makes them look bad.

The State of Ohio, the Federal Government and local school districts spent ~$24 Billion in the school year 2016 – 2017, and the overall grade earned by all 607 school districts was a 1.55 – a solid “D”.

The article mentions  that the grading system merely highlights the difference between the demographics of rich and poor districts.  To that I say “Baloney”, the 13 school districts that earned an “A” in the “Achievement” category spent ~$14,127 per student, while the 20 schools that earned a “F” spent ~$19,856.  So it is not about the need to spend more money.

The difference in average spend per pupil and the resulting grades indicate to us that there a much deeper societal problem going on in our public schools.  Hmmm, now exactly when was God taken out of our public schools? How about the breakdown in the traditional family structure, where there is no father present in many homes?

We reap what we have sown!  Our morality keeps sinking lower and lower.

We were deeply disappointed when we recently heard the State Board of Education representatives, at a meeting in Mentor, used this analogy to tell the audience that the State wants “everyone to be able to dunk a basketball”; so they will keep lowering the basket so that everyone can achieve that goal.  They preach ‘equality of opportunity’, but they desire ‘equality of outcome’, regardless of how much it cost the over taxed citizens of Ohio.

They have no shame!  Taxpayers should let their representatives know their opinions on this debacle.

Here is a scathing rebuke by Tom Gunlock, former President of the State Board of Education, mentioned in the article:

“What I thought everyone wanted was higher expectations and better results,” he said.

Instead, Gunlock said, some school officials don’t want to face awkward questions and accountability for areas where they fall short.

“Education has nothing to do with educating kids,” he said. “It’s all about power and money for adults.” (emphasis mine)

(Comment: We would like to thank Mr. Gunlock for his honesty and transparency.)

Here is a link to the Fordham Institutes recommendations on changing the grading system.

https://edexcellence.net/publications/back-to-the-basics-a-plan-to-simplify-and-balance-ohio%E2%80%99s-school-report-cards

Will next year’s grades be even worse….here is an opinion…
https://edexcellence.net/articles/will-next-year%E2%80%99s-school-ratings-be-a-disaster

Categories: Education

Tags: FT