BY The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Some high school graduates may not be ready for the challenges of work and college despite better student achievement, the outgoing state schools superintendent said.
John Goff, who will retire Thursday after 3 1/2 years as state superintendent of public instruction, said he is troubled by the results of two reports released this year.
The Ohio Skills Gap Initiative said 7 percent of seniors are prepared for learning and performing most skilled entry-level jobs.
The Third International Mathematics and Science Study reported that U.S. students performed near the bottom in math and science among participating nations.
"Despite our record and progress in improving the quality of education in Ohio's schools, the answer to the question 'Will our children be ready?' is 'maybe,' " Mr. Goff wrote in a 116-page transition report to Bob Taft, who becomes governor on Jan. 11. In the report, Mr. Goff suggests several ways to improve education for Ohio's 1.8 million public-school students:
Requiring academic standards in a curriculum that is well-taught and regularly checked with state and local tests.
Increasing community support by raising public awareness about the importance of the standards.
Using public partnerships.
Investing enough money and other resources.
Mr. Goff said the recent state budget improves the fairness of school funding, but "at the same time, I believe that additional investments alone will not get the job done.
"We need all four components of the strategy I have outlined if we are to make the gains in teaching and learning that are needed," Mr. Goff wrote.
Mr. Goff also said education leaders must improve learning in Ohio's poor urban and rural areas, where achievement is lowest. "They aren't learning," he said. "That's one-third of the state, and Ohio will never get better without improvement from these groups."
Earlier this month, the 19-member state Board of Education appointed Susan Tave Zelman, an educator from Missouri, to succeed Mr. Goff.
She was among education leaders from around the state who met with Mr. Taft at a daylong meeting to discuss issues. Mr. Taft said he planned to work with them to make improvements.
