Hello DRSS parents:
You may have seen in recent news reports that the Ohio Department of Education on Wednesday released the new School Report Cards issuing A-F letter grades in up to nine performance areas. Previously, school Report Cards assessed schools and districts mostly on achievement test results and rated them using descriptors such as "Excellent" or "Academic Watch."
Here is a link to our Dayton Regional STEM School Report Card: http://media.wix.com/ugd/d3564a_500c438bcf44758b7a399d8c2d10bda4.pdf
As you will see, the format is different from previous years and reflects some gaps since we do not yet have the data or because our number of students is too small. A strength that is evident in the report is that we met 100% of the State Indicators. These indicators measure how many students have passed the state standardized tests (OGTs and OAAs). Test results are reported for each student in a grade and subject. At least 75 percent of students must pass to get credit for the indicator. The report also shows areas marked for improvement, particularly Progress, or Value Added, where a grade of F was reported. At this point we are unclear as to the calculation method to assess this grade. We are currently looking into the data utilized, the sample size and the calculation method to gauge our response.
Please know that we remain committed to providing your children - our students - with a rigorous, relevant and meaningful STEM-focused education; and are dedicated to the mission to ensure that they will be well prepared for their pursuits once they graduate from the Dayton Regional STEM School. While report cards, based mainly on state mandated testing, provide one method of evaluating effectiveness, we believe that there are other measures that may more accurately predict the future success of our students.
We will report back to all of our stakeholders once we have a better understanding of the new format of the 2012-2013 School Report Card. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Dr. Jeff Lewis
Principal/CAO
Dayton Regional STEM School
