Local schools improve Report Card results

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

All four Van Wert County school systems saw improvements on Ohio School Report Cards released Thursday, with Van Wert City Schools seeing the most improvement over last year.

The report card system evaluates school districts in six areas: Achievement (performance on state tests), Progress (growth students are making), Gap Closing (did the most vulnerable students improve), Graduation rate, Improving At-Risk K-3 Readers, and Prepared for Success (how well prepared Ohio’s students are for future opportunities).

Report card scores for each district and each component are as follows:

• Overall district grade: Crestview and Lincolnview B, Van Wert C
• Achievement: Crestview B, Lincolnview C, Van Wert D
• Progress: Crestview and Lincolnview B, Van Wert C
• Gap Closing: Crestview and Lincolnview A, Van Wert B
• Graduation Rate: Lincolnview A, Van Wert B, Crestview not rated because of low class size
• Improving At-Risk K-3 Readers: Crestview C, Lincolnview and Van Wert B
• Prepared for Success: Lincolnview and Van Wert F, Crestview High School D

Van Wert Superintendent Vicki Brunn said that, overall, she was happy with the district’s results this year.

“I’m really happy with where we’re going, as far as Progress and Gap Closing,” Brunn noted. “Those are the only two measures on that report card that I think are important to show that our students are learning each year.”

After receiving a “D” in each of those areas last year, VWCS improved to a “C” on the Progress component and received a “B” on Gap Closing.

Brunn did say she felt the district’s receiving an “F” on the Prepared for Success component was “laughable”, noting that Van Wert has been doing so much in this area — so much, in fact, that State Superintendent of Instruction Paolo DeMaria visited the district last year to look at its programs.

“Everything I think is important, we’re improving on,” Brunn said, adding, though, that the district is continuing its efforts to get even better in the future.

To be fair, the city district also has the biggest educational challenge of the three county schools, with the most diverse student population in the county, as well as the highest number of students listed as economically challenged.

Crestview Superintendent Kathy Mollenkopf said she was pleased with students’ efforts and the district’s results, noting that, overall, this year’s results are very similar to last year.

“Crestview’s overall grade was a ‘B’, which represents an above-average, solid performance by our kids,” Mollenkopf noted. “All of our component grades were A’s, B’s, and C’s; that means our students’ performance is meeting expectations of exceeding expectations.”

The Crestview superintendent noted that the high school did receive a “D” in the Prepared for Success component, but noted she feels that component’s markers aren’t as meaningful to the Crestview student population, in which nearly half of last year’s seniors decided to attend a four-year college.

“While accountability is important, I think it’s more crucial to remember that our Local Report Card represents just a snapshot in time, and many of the truly meaningful and wonderful things that happen within our school district, or any of the school districts in our county, for that matter, are not represented on this yearly report card,” Mollenkopf said. “What’s important is that we are providing quality instruction — rigorous instruction — that’s preparing students for their future.”

Lincolnview Superintendent Jeff Snyder said he was satisfied, overall, with a number of the district’s results on this year’s Local Report Card, including its Gap Closing, Student Progress, Improving At-Risk K-3 Readers, Graduation Rate, and Overall Grade.

“However, in other areas we’ve seen some growth and are still working on the progress and improvement to achieve desired results,” he noted. “Also, while we celebrate the product of student learning, which is reflected in the state school report card results, we must always focus on the process of learning.

“We have also concentrated on the need to enhance, enrich, and empower our students in areas that the report card does not reflect, or even evaluate, such as school pride, a community-centered focus, serving and leading, and a career connection of employability and college readiness,” Snyder added.

Snyder said he feels the Lincolnview faculty and staff are outstanding, adding, “We could not be more proud of their efforts and commitment to the students of our find school each and every day.

“Time will continually show the excellence in our students, graduates, faculty, and staff,” Snyder said. 

Vantage Career Center also did well this year, earning two A’s — in graduation rate and post-program outcomes — a B in achievement, and one C in career and post-secondary readiness.

Superintendent Rick Turner said he was pleased overall with Vantage’s grades, but noted that faculty and staff are working hard to continue improvements at the school.

The state superintendent also said he feels that, overall, Ohio schools improved on this year’s school report card results.

“This year’s report cards show continuous improvement is ongoing and that, across Ohio, we are getting better and better at challenging, preparing and empowering each child,” DeMaria noted. “We are seeing positive results from the focus on equity, partnerships and quality schools for all students. I applaud the hard work by students, teachers, parents and community members that has led to the progress we see. That said, we must keep pushing forward. We will continue to implement Each Child, Our Future, Ohio’s shared strategic plan for education, and keep looking for ways to more effectively serve the state’s 1.7 million students.”

Statewide highlights include:

• Student proficiency increased for the third consecutive year in both English language arts and mathematics. Overall proficiency rates increased by 0.9 percentage points in English language arts and by 0.6 percentage points in math.
• All student subgroups—including students with disabilities, students of color, and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds—increased in proficiency in math and all but one improved in English language arts.
• Across the state, 56.3 percent of schools increased their Performance Index scores this year.
• The four-year graduation rate has reached a new high of 85.3 percent for the class of 2018.
• Approximately 9,125 more students in the class of 2018 earned dual enrollment credits compared to the class of 2017.
• An additional 2,711 students earned industry-recognized credentials this year.
• The number of students scoring remediation-free on the ACT or SAT increased by 2,045 compared to last year.