Resolution to Request the Legislature to Delay
the Required Report Card Composite Score
Proposed by Member Morgan (Resolution passed by a 12/6 vote)
Whereas Board members have heard from many stakeholders about the State Report Card; and
Whereas, those concerns indicate that the measures and reporting format of the State Report Card have led to widespread skepticism about the utility of the State Report Card as a meaningful measure of the performance and quality of individual schools and districts; and
Whereas the Accountability and Continuous Improvement committee was recently tasked by the President of the Board to address these concerns about the measures and reporting format of the State Report Card; and
Whereas the Accountability and Continuous Improvement committee has been expanded to include representative school administrators, teachers, and parents who use the State Report Card and that work commenced on March 22; and
Whereas the work of the expanded committee will result in recommendations in June 2018 to improve the effectiveness of the State Report Card as an accountability tool and as a catalyst for improvement; and
Whereas the legislature is considering a major reform in the report card and it would be prudent to put the overall letter grade – which has not yet been implemented – on hold until that legislative discussion is complete; and
Whereas the Ohio Department of Education, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 3302.03, is required by law to assign a composite letter grade for overall academic performance to each school and school district by September 14, 2018; and
Whereas for the State Report Card to be an effective tool for accountability, it needs to be understood and trusted by those who are in a position to improve performance;
Whereas there is concern among the Board and the stakeholders that the release of the composite score at this time will further increase mistrust of the State Report Card and therefore reduce its ability to serve as an accountability tool and a catalyst for school improvement in Ohio;
Be it resolved that the State Board of Education requests that the Ohio Legislature delay the reporting of the composite score for overall academic performance until 2019 so that time is available to address these concerns and therefore increase the effectiveness of this accountability tool.
