Bringing Clarity to the Way Ohio Measures Academic Progress
For parents, choosing where to send their children to school is one of the most important decisions they will make. They want their children to have a safe environment in which to learn and grow, and one that will provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and the workforce.
To help parents, school officials and others gauge the academic progress of their local schools, legislators implemented a report card system for school districts in 1997. These annual report cards allow people to evaluate and compare a district’s performance on proficiency tests, attendance and graduation rates. Since then, the system has been modified to take into account changes in state and federal education laws.
Currently, the rankings are determined based on a combination of four factors: student performance on 30 state indicators involving proficiency tests in third through eighth grades and the Ohio Graduation Test as well as attendance and graduation rates; a performance index which measures the achievement of every student during the school year; a value-added measure that reflects how much progress students have made in the past year; and whether or not the district met Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), a federally required measure of reading and math proficiency in 10 student subgroups.
Based on a district’s performance in these areas, they are assigned one of the following rankings: “Excellent with Distinction,” “Excellent,” “Effective,” “Continuous Improvement,” “Academic Watch” or “Academic Emergency.” Parents use these report cards to help determine where they send their children to school and districts rely on the results to help them pass levies.
While I believe we need to hold our schools accountable for ensuring our children are making progress in their education, I feel the current system unfairly punishes high-achieving schools based on the performance of a handful of students. When the annual district report cards for the 2008-2009 school year were released earlier this fall, Lebanon City Schools received a rating of Continuous Improvement –down from its previous Excellent with Distinction designation.
The reason for this drop in the ratings is due to the district failing to meet AYP for reading in two student subgroups – Hispanic and Limited English Proficient – and under the current ranking system, districts that fail to meet AYP for three or more consecutive years can be ranked no higher than “Continuous Improvement,” regardless of their performance in other areas. I spoke with the Ohio Department of Education about this issue, and learned that the two subgroups involved have almost entirely the same students. Simply put, Lebanon is getting penalized twice for the same group of students. This drop in ranking can give parents the impression that a school’s academic quality has dropped, when in fact it has not. A similar situation also occurred this year in the Kettering School District, which qualified for an “Excellent” ranking but was dropped to “Continuous Improvement” due to not meeting AYP in two student subgroups.
A closer look at Lebanon’s report card further highlights this inequity. For the 2008-2009 school year, Lebanon had a 98.1 percent graduation rate, met 29 of 30 state indicators, received a score of 101.6 on the performance index and scored above average for the value-added measure. Another district ranked “Continuous Improvement” for the same year met 0 out of 30 state indicators, received 80.4 on the performance index and did not pass all subgroups for the last three years and failed in seven subgroups this past year. This clearly indicates the current rating system does not provide the accurate, consistent assessment tool that is needed to properly express the academics of a school district.
To address this situation, my colleagues and I in the Senate recently passed Senate Bill 167, which would reform the rating system for Ohio school districts to prevent a school from dropping more than one classification simply for not meeting federal AYP standards for certain subgroups of students. Under Senate Bill 176, schools failing to meet AYP three or more years in a row in the same subgroups may only have their ranking lowered to “Effective” instead of the current “Continuous Improvement.”
Penalizing a successful, high-performing district based on essentially one subgroup failing to meet AYP seems very severe and inequitable – and potentially undermines the confidence placed in this accountability system altogether. Lebanon, by all other categories included on the state report card, is a high performing and very successful school district. This year’s rating of Continuous Improvement does not properly reflect the quality school system in Lebanon and, as a result, can cause great harm to the community. Senate Bill 167, in my opinion, addresses this issue while holding schools accountable and still providing a clear and accurate report of the academic conditions of a school district.
Senate Bill 167 has moved to the Ohio House of Representatives for further discussion, and I am hopeful that it will pass in the coming months so that next year’s school report cards can provide a more accurate picture of student progress and we can avoid situations like those in Lebanon and Kettering.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Celebrating the Season in Southwestern Ohio
The holiday season is a busy time of year – between putting up decorations, attending parties, travelling to see relatives and rushing to complete our holiday shopping, December seems to fly by with hardly a notice. However, I believe this season is about more than simply gift-giving; it is a time to gather together with those in our lives who mean the most to us. Here in southwestern Ohio, there are a number of activities taking place that provide a great way to create lasting memories with family and friends.
For 27 years, the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo has delighted children and adults alike as millions of lights decorate exhibits and facilities throughout the zoo. Although the weather has turned cold, many of the zoo’s residents, such as polar bears, snow leopards and sea lions enjoy the winter weather and are much more active. The festival also offers visitors the chance to see Santa and his reindeer, travel on the North Pole Express or watch a holiday-themed puppet show. New this year is the Wild Lights Show, which features a 21-foot tall, computer-controlled tree that lights up to the beat of popular holiday songs.
The Festival of Lights takes place nightly at the Cincinnati Zoo from 5-9 p.m. until January 3, although the zoo will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission tickets to the festival, as well as tickets for the puppet show and movies in the Special FX 4-D Theater can be purchased at the main entrance or online at www.cincinnatizoo.org.
In downtown Cincinnati, Fountain Place is hosting a number of events that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Those with a camera can have their picture taken with Santa Claus at the North Pole. Santa is available Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and on Sundays from noon-6 p.m. In addition, photo opportunities will be available December 21-24 from noon-6 p.m.On Saturdays starting at 6 p.m., take your seats for Macy’s Downtown Dazzle, which features strolling entertainers, holiday characters and holiday music. The event is capped off with Santa rappelling down the side of an office building and a spectacular fireworks display. Following the fireworks, you can eat a cookie and hear a story from Mrs. Claus.
At the center of Fountain Square you will find the 7,000 square-foot ice rink that has been the site of many memorable family outings over the years. The rink is open daily now through the end of February, although the rink may close temporarily due to the weather. For hours of operation and the status of the ice rink, please call (513) 9790-4738 or visit www.myfountainsquare.com/
To help get you to all the fun at Fountain Place, the Holly Jolly Downtown Trolley stops at all major holiday attractions along Fourth and Fifth Streets every 10 minutes on the weekends. Tickets for the trolley, which runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. on Sundays are free, and boarding takes place in front of the Westin Hotel across from Fountain Square.
Families wishing to visit Santa can hop aboard The Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad’s North Pole Express, which transports guests in vintage train cars from the 1930s for a visit with Santa and his elves while enjoying a holiday snack. The North Pole Express runs several times each day on Saturdays and Sundays through December 20. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call (513) 933-8022 or visit www.lebanonrr.com. After your train ride, you can visit Ohio’s oldest hotel – the nearby Golden Lamb – for a snack or a tour.
Finally, if you want to celebrate the winter season without getting cold, Snowland at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason allows you and your family to celebrate the season while splashing around an indoor waterpark that’s always a toasty 84 degrees. You can also visit with Santa, make holiday crafts and watch it snow in the Grand Lobby each day. In addition, the kids can earn a diploma from the North Pole University for Elves as they learn about animals from the North Pole and practice their chimney-sliding skills. You can make reservations at the Great Wolf Lodge by visiting www.greatwolf.com/mason/
The Beach Waterpark in Mason has also been transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with lights, a skating rink, carriage rides, petting zoo and toboggan slide. Holiday Fest takes place through January 10. For hours of operations and to purchase tickets online, please visit www.thebeachwaterpark.com.
These are just some of the events taking place in our region, and I hope you and your family and friends are able to get out and enjoy the holidays. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.
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“Christmas in October”
By Jan Beedle
Santa Claus, Indiana, is a nippy name that brings thoughts of snowflakes, snowmen, little elves and lots of toy making. I suppose it is not too early to ponder cards, because it takes so long to get them ready and send them.
Trying to cut down on the card list is not an easy chore. There have been years when I bypassed the duty and expense altogether, but the guilt will not evaporate from my conscience. The following year I made up for it by sending lengthy notes from a lengthier list. Then, there were the form letters…
Having worked in retail in one capacity or another for years, I guess it was natural that I managed the first Christmas shop at the Elder Beerman Budget Store in Middletown sometime in the mid-1970s. It was fun at the time, because I decorated three large trees, put together window displays and used the Beerman budget to accomplish it – no wonder it was so much fun.
Not starting the decorating until after Thanksgiving was soon enough to get ready for the busy holidays. It gave us time to reap the benefits of the harvest season without rushing through it. Presently, Christmas decorations and cards are everywhere. Halloween and Thanksgiving were barely celebrated, but I would enjoy Christmas music and Hallmark Hall of Fame movies. I was ready for “Over the river and through the woods…” a bit longer, before I hear “Jingle Bells.” Do not get me wrong – I love Christmas, but I want to enjoy all the fall festivities first.
Santa Claus, Indiana, was originally Santa Fe, but since there was already a Santa Fe, Indiana, listed by the United States Postal Service, the townsfolk had to think of a new name. Several unique stories circulate about how the people settled on Santa Claus. The best story tells that the town leaders were sitting around a warm stove in a little log church. All of a sudden – a puff of cold wind blew the doors open. Sleigh bells could be heard in the distance. One of the children in the room exclaimed, “Santa Claus.” Residents agreed to the name. The year was 1852. The name stuck and it is the only town in the world with a Santa Claus postmark.
If you want to send a letter, the zip code is 47579. As far as I know, all letters receive an answer by Santa’s busy elves. I plan to send one this year to see what the reply might be. Sometimes I am naughty and sometimes I am nice, so I could get opera creams or a bundle of switches. I already got the lumps of coal years ago, but used them for Frosty’s eyes.
A giant Santa Claus statue marks the entrance to the unusual town. Eight other large Santa statues dot the community. Across town is Santa Claus Cemetery. I definitely need to check out the tombstones – bet they are interesting.
A housing development, Holiday Village, has New Year’s Eve St., Good Friday Blvd. and Easter Circle. These names take the mystique out of Santa Claus. Streets in the old town carry the names of Christmas Blvd., Candy Cane Lane, and Mistletoe Drive. Christmas Lake Village continues the tradition, but hides behind security gates.
According to roadsideamerica.com and the Spencer County, Indiana archives, Santa Claus Land, built in 1946, was the world’s first theme park. I question the validity of the information because I researched the old LeSourdsville Lake Park, which had been around since 1922. My sister and others remember visiting it as a theme park in 1945. I know that Cedar Point has been a park since the 1940s. Earlier this year, I researched the old Myrtle Beach Pavilion and found it to be much earlier. Disneyland opened nine years after Santa Claus Land.
I don’t know how any festival of lights could compare to the beauty and wonder of Niagara Falls Festival of Lights. Hubby and I took the trip five years ago. It was spectacular, but the extravaganza is no longer available. The festival in Santa Claus offers twelve lighted neighborhoods in Christmas Lake Village. We could relish Breakfast with Santa, musicals, crafts, and a jubilant Christmas parade. At least I have plenty of time to plan. Think I would like to find out if I can catch the holiday spirit… won’t you join me?
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State Representative Pete Beck Announces Holiday Card Contest Winner
Mason Resident Depicts “A Winter’s Sunday in Lebanon”
Columbus – State Representative Pete Beck (R-Mason) announced today that he has chosen artist Frankie Wheeler’s “A Winter’s Sunday in Lebanon” for his first annual holiday card contest. Wheeler’s watercolor rendition of the Golden Lamb in Lebanon will hang in Beck’s office at the state capitol.
“The 67th House District has many beautiful qualities, and the very talented artists in this contest did an amazing job of portraying them,” Beck said. “Ms. Wheeler’s painting will make a great greeting card and an excellent addition to my office decorations.”
Representative Beck and the Mason Area Arts Council teamed up to create a contest for his first holiday card to be sent as state representative of the 67th House District. Artists were asked to submit work that they felt embodied the county.
Wheeler, originally from Charleston, WV, moved to Mason in January of 2009. Since then, she has become a member of the Mason Area Arts Council’s painting group, the Mason Area Painters. Eighty-seven-year-old Wheeler says she’s been painting all her life and can’t remember a time when a paint brush wasn’t in her hand.
“My family and my art have made up my life all of these 87 years,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler won $500 for her first prize award. Second place went to Jody Ball’s “Finding the Perfect Tree” and 3rd place was awarded to Maury Mountain’s “The Batche Building.” Beck also awarded honorable mention to two Mason students, Raga Maddela and Brooke Woods.
The original Golden Lamb was built in 1803. The brick building where the Golden Lamb moved to and currently resides was built in 1815. The Golden Lamb is recognized as the oldest continuously operating business in the state of Ohio. Many prominent citizens have stayed at the Golden Lamb, including visits by 12 presidents.
For more information about the Mason Area Arts Council visit www.masonarts.org or contact Executive Director Meredith Raffel at 513-573-0007.
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