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Performance scores improve in schools
(by Sue Hoffman - August 24, 2011)
Performance scores improve in schools
By SUE HOFFMAN
School districts in the Chagrin Valley had higher performance index scores on their 2010-11 state report cards compared to last year. The latest report cards were released this week by the Ohio Department of Education.
Performance index scores are the state's weighted measure of student achievement over time. Despite higher scores, two districts -- Solon and West Geauga -- were rated "excellent" rather than "excellent with distinction," as they had been in the past.
The "with distinction" tag is added to a district's final designation if students exceed their anticipated academic achievement for two consecutive years. Individual student academic growth is the "value-added" measure on the state report card.
"Value-added can be difficult if even a small number of students fail to reach the same level of performance as the year before," West Geauga School Superintendent Thomas Diringer said Monday. "For example, if a youngster had a nearly perfect or perfect score on a particular assessment one year, he or she would need to duplicate that effort, minimally at the same level, to meet the standard for value-added for the following year.
"Many districts lost the distinction last year. I would expect even more to lose it this year," he said.
"With our students achieving at such high levels, the bonus rating becomes more difficult to earn each year," said Superintendent Joseph V. Regano of the Solon School District, which had the top performance index score in the state last year and the fourth highest this year.
"Value-added is a good measure, Mr. Regano said, but it should not trump the performance index score." He said several schools that received "excellent with distinction" ratings because of value-added did not meet all of the state indicators and had performance index scores as low as 98 or 99.
Solon's performance index for the 2010-11 year was 110.7. West Geauga's was 106.5.
The Chagrin Falls and Orange districts continued to receive their "excellent with distinction" ratings with performance index scores of 109.2 and 107, respectively. Kenston, with a performance index score of 107.2, was rated "excellent," once again missing out on the "distinction" tag because of value-added. Kenston met the value-added measure but did not exceed it.
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