AW School District Rated Excellent By State Of Ohio
BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
The state’s report cards came out on the first day of school, and Anthony Wayne Local Schools’ staff and students had a good reason to cheer.
The district again received an excellent rating overall, and Fallen Timbers Middle School was named excellent with distinction.
Anthony Wayne High School and the three primary schools were rated excellent, while the junior high was named effective.
Superintendent Dr. Jim Fritz outlined the factors that contribute toward the schools’ rating, which is issued by the Ohio Department of Education:
• State indicators include standardized test scores and attendance and graduation rates.
On third- through eighth-grade achievement tests, 75 percent proficient is the requirement. At Anthony Wayne, most scores were above 90 percent. On the Ohio Graduation Test, 85 percent must pass; last year’s sophomores and juniors passed with rates well into the 90s.
Because of these scores, plus a 96.3 percent attendance rate and 97.9 percent graduation rate, the district met all 26 indicators.
• The performance index is a weighted average of all tested subjects and grades, including untested, limited, basic, proficient, accelerated and advanced performance levels. In this area, the district’s performance index grew from 104 in 2009-10 to 106.4 in 2010-11.
“Students scored higher than last year. What I’m most proud of is that 66 percent of our students scored accelerated or advanced. That’s a 6 percent increase from last year,” Fritz said. “That’s a testament to the parents, students, community and hard work of the staff.”
• Value added ratings show the progress the district has made. Districts rate either below, at or above average growth. The district’s scores show the district met its expected growth rate overall.
• Adequate yearly progress, or AYP, is a federal measure of goals set for reading and math proficiency and participation, attendance rate and graduation rate. This applies to all groups, including various racial groups, economically disadvantaged, students with disabilities and those with limited English proficiency.
Overall, the district met AYP. The junior high was ranked effective in part because it didn’t meet AYP, as seventh-grade students’ scores in reading and math fell by a fraction of a percent. Fritz noted that part of that is just the nature of the test, which is cumulative in nature and might include material not covered yet. Statewide, seventh-grade students’ scores are typically lower, he said.
With sixth-grade students performing above expected growth, Fallen Timbers’ value added score was above expectations. This helped boost the school into the excellent with distinction category.
“I appreciate the hard work of our staff members and students, as well as the tremendous support of our parents,” principal Gary Gardner said. “I feel very fortunate to have teachers who collaborate well and are always looking for ways to improve, students who come to school ready and willing to learn, and parents who instill the value of education in their children.”
Attaining an excellent or excellent with distinction rating each year becomes challenging, Fritz said. Once kids score at such high levels, there’s a smaller window for improvement.
“There’s an expectation in this district that we continue to have an excellent district. It becomes difficult to maintain with higher levels of performance,” he said.
But the staff continues to look for ways to identify data, spot trends in learning and work with specific groups, such as those needing IEPs (individual educational plans), to improve performance. The district has also beefed up its response-to-intervention program in reading and math, he said.
While the district celebrates the report card results, Fritz points to the state indicators and notes that all this will change in the next few years, as the ODE is revamping its standards and manner of testing by the 2013-14 school year.
Instead of using Ohio Achievement Assessments and the Ohio Graduation Test, state testing will consist of a series of online assessments conducted in smaller sessions throughout the year, rather than conducted in one week.
The OGT will assess college and career readiness and end-of-course exams including math, social studies, science and language arts.
“I think we’re doing a very good job at educating our students, based on the state standards. We’re prepared for new testing and regulations,” Fritz said.