SEE WHAT’S GOING ON IN FOUR AREA DISTRICTS
September brings the release of “School Report Cards” for public schools in Ohio. The report cards note letter grades for districts and individual schools in a number of accountability measures along with reports of other information that is not graded.
From their appearance, the report cards appear to be a full summary of the effectiveness of a given school, but they are far from it. Schools have been asked to provide a great deal for students in addition to the skills and aptitudes required by new testing requirements. The positive impact of public schools in Dayton communities cannot be adequately captured by the report card.
Schools expand their services to students and families each year to respond to the needs of communities. Changes in society have created the need for an increasing number of social services to be provided within schools. Many schools offer clinical counseling for students during school to help students work through mental health issues in order to minimize missed class time from traveling to appointments during the school day.
Schools also have programs to provide food, clothing and social services information to help care for the increasing number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Educational initiatives in schools help to steer students away from the dangers of opioid abuse and teach coping skill for students faced with the trauma of family members dealing with addiction. Schools are the home of numerous initiatives aimed at solving societal problems
Public schools are also expected to develop the mindset and attitudes that will help students navigate an increasingly diverse technological society and contribute positively to their communities. Students receive instruction in “cyber safety” to reduce vulnerability to online predators. Schools continually encourage students to promote positive character traits rather than bullying behavior, hate speech and other negative interactions with others.
An initiative that is increasingly difficult amid the examples students see and hear daily. Social media, radio talks shows, “reality” television shows and other media bombard kids with messages that run counter to the positive messages that schools emphasize to help students work with others in school and after graduation. Schools provide learning opportunities in collaboration, tolerance and service in addition to instruction in the areas assessed by state testing.
The bar for achievement continues to be raised for students at all levels. Children are expected to learn concepts at a much younger age than generations past and schools are expected to make sure that all students reach the higher expectations regardless of the challenges of the individual student or the surrounding community. An additional expectation for today’s students is that they can demonstrate their learning through online testing. Schools are working hard to develop the computer skills necessary for students to type extended responses and perform other computer skills so that lack of these skills does not hide a student’s aptitudes in math, language arts or science.
Your public schools strive every day to meet the needs of the community and the individual needs of all students while creating a supportive environment for school spirit, developing confidence and enthusiasm for learning, involvement in activities, and a sense of belonging in a community: the traditional school qualities that form a foundation of success for students.
Schools are filled with dedicated and caring professionals who provide these services and many more to students every day. The measures on state report cards are important and do provide some insight into the effectiveness of a school, but they do not define a school. Each district serves its community in ways that go beyond the report card. Public schools provide the foundation necessary for our kids to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex world.