By winter, Ohio educators should have access to some of the success secrets of 50 school districts that showed improvement on their Proficiency Test scores last year.

        The Ohio Department of Education has contracted with the Indiana Center for Evaluation of Indiana University to learn what worked for those districts that increased the percentage of children passing the tests from the 1999 to 2000 state report cards.

        “Many of our districts, teachers and administrators are saying "tell us what to do,'” said Joyce Brannan, education consultant for the Department of Education.

        Cincinnati-area districts asked to participate in the study are Lebanon, Northwest, Madison, West Clermont, Sycamore and Goshen.

        The study will be made available to all districts, possibly by February, she said.

        First, feedback will be sought from two officials from each of the districts. Included in the study are districts that vary in and socio-economic makeup.

        The information then will be shared with all the officials, who will rank the practices - professional development or curriculum alignment, for example - they think most important.

        A third phase of the study will include further discussion on the districts' best practices once the responses have been analyzed and broken down into several key principles, said Aaron Kercheval, researcher in the Indiana Center for Evaluation.

        The center will follow up with phone calls and some site visits.

        The $135,000 study was funded with federal money..

Her question for officer: 'Plain and simple. Why?'
More answers expected
Riverfront action moves east
Health cuts could affect Tristate
Child deaths shake neighbors
Garden grows into reminder of tornado
Lebanon aims to keep its looks
Planners stepped on some toes
Upscale development coming soon
Ballpark alone won't save downtown Dayton
Church casts a long shadow
Coaching law meets criticism
Newport complex adds to the riverfront's draw
Ohio seeks keys to schools' success
Police officers' defense fund tops $60K
School stung by audit
Teachers colleges put to the test
Turf issues leave Ky. home without phone service
Ukrainians raise egg decor to art form
You asked for it
Tristate A.M. Report