Thursday, December 16, 1999
Princeton sues state over incorrect data
Information given for report card
BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The Ohio Department of Education will unfairly print false, damaging information about the Princeton City School District in its coming school district report cards, the Princeton school board claims.
The district sued the department, its governing board and Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Tave Zelman on Tuesday in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. The lawsuit seeks an injunction ordering the department to accept Princeton's corrected data.
The district discovered “thousands” of errors in information it submitted for the state report cards, which are distributed to parents in 607 of Ohio's 611 districts. Four districts are too small to be included.
Although it corrected most of those errors, administrators were unable to fix more than 100 errors in time for the department's Nov. 5 deadline. The department has refused to accept Princeton's corrections, saying it's unfair to extend the deadline for one district, district counsel John W. Hust charged.
The remaining errors are serious enough to boot the 6,500-student district from “continuous improvement” to “academic watch.” Districts on academic watch are required to develop three-year improvement plans and participate in state intervention programs, which Princeton estimates could cost $500,000.
“This has big consequences for us,” Mr. Hust said. “The purpose of these report cards is to provide information and accountability to the public. But this is official misinformation. It's a triumph of form over substance. They're not interested in what the results are, they're just interested in whether deadlines were met.”
Department Spokeswoman LeeAnne Rogers declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said education officials are confident the report cards' information will be accurate.
“We work with districts to improve the submission process and accuracy,” she said.
Princeton administrators traced some errors to an employee who they say input incorrect data. That employee resigned in October, Superintendent Dennis Peterson said.
Other errors involve special education students who were exempted from state proficiency tests but were recorded as failing the exams, Mr. Peterson said. All the errors involve proficiency test scores.
The cards measure 27 performance indicators, including state proficiency test scores, attendance rates, discipline and graduation rates. They show results for the most recent year, as well as a three-year average.
Lawmakers instituted the cards two years ago to increase accountability in public education. The first two years were trial runs and next year's cards will be the first official ratings. The department plans to release report cards by February.
Suit claims police hurt ailing man
We'll give our kids' eyeteeth for cola cash
Police ready for millennium madness
Tristate officials on the job - just in case
How to prepare for Y2K
Peace bell event worries officials
Council: Shirey can stay
Pete Rose Way closing till spring
Town braces for legal battle over Ten Commandments
1,900 Oak Hills students stay home after bomb threat
Officer charged with striking man in dispute
Princeton sues state over incorrect data
Shooting shocks Vevay
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Vote for Top Events of the Century
Wine collector irked by shipping ban
Portrait artist put on pedestal
GET TO IT
Hearing aids will help budding scientist
Lithograph inspired by tornado of '99
Bonds may allow for school renovations
Butler seeks livelier Mill Creek
Car leads police to robbery suspects
coats collected for needy kids
Deerfield, Mason at odds over water tower
Hamilton school head honored as best in Ohio
Law keeps police officers' personal information private
Lebanon, developer to try new land deal
TRISTATE DIGEST
Turf battle pits activist, community
Two groups seek county funds
Villa Hills meeting tense
White Castle OK protested
