Sunday, July 30, 2000
GRADES: What it means to you
There is no magical way to evaluate different schools, but it can be done more easily these days than even a few years ago in Ohio. The growing public demand for accountability and better schools has opened more school information to the public. It's still difficult to dig out and confusing to compare or interpret, but more people are getting better at it.
• TO START: Get a copy of your district's 2000 Ohio District Report Card. It was distributed statewide for the first time last year and will help you evaluate how well your schools are meeting the state's new performance standards. Get a copy from your district or from the Ohio Department of Education web site at www.ode.ohio.gov (click on report cards) or by phone at 877-772-7771. You'll also find many more facts about Ohio schools at the Web site.
• FOR MORE: Ohio Auditor Jim Petro's office has created a “benchmarking” series of reports to help monitor the financial health of each district. Data is a few years old, but charts and graphs track five-year trends and compare them to statewide averages. It raises financial red flags and is a useful tool for school planners and for taxpayers. Contact the Web site at www.auditor.ohio.gov/auditor or call 800-282-0370.
• SPEAK UP: Call your local school board office and ask questions or for specific information. Visit your district and school Web sites regularly; tell officials the kind of information you want to know regularly on it or in newsletters, etc.
To respond to these editorials, write Readers Views, Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202; fax 513-768-8610, e-mail letters@enquirer.com.
