By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer
On September 12, the Ohio Department of Education released the school district report cards for the 2013-14 school year, the second year using letter grades. Although the Ohio Districts will not receive overall grades until 2016, the breakdown ratings are released yearly. The Royalton Schools showed an improvement over last year’s grades and met all of the 24 indicators, which measure student proficiency.
“To say that I am proud of the gains that our district made would be an understatement,” said School Superintendent Greg Gurka. “Our entire staff of certified teachers, classified support staff and administrators, has worked collaboratively to fulfill our vision of being a model in identifying individual student needs and providing comprehensive supports to meet those needs. As I told the staff yesterday, the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child is certainly alive and well here in the North Royalton City School District. Your efforts as parents and community members are an important part of that effort and I want to thank you for all of your support of our students, staff and programs.”
The following is the breakdown:
Indicator Rating: 2013-14, A; 2012-13 A
Performance Index 2013-14 B; 2012-13 B
Graduation Rate 2013-14 A; 2012-13 A
AMO/Gap Closing 2013-14 B; 2012-13 B
Value Added – overall 2013-14 A; 2012-13 A
Value Added – gifted 2013-14 A 2012-13 C
Value Added – lowest 20% 2013-14 A; 2012-13 C Value Added – students with disabilities 2013-14 B; 2012-13 D
“The data we have seen at this point tells us our students are showing strong academic growth,” said Gurka. “Teachers are effectively differentiating instruction to meet the needs of all learners, especially those with disabilities.” He went on to note that “yes, we still have a tremendous amount of work to do. Student needs are ever-changing and we will continue to examine data and make instructional decisions based on that data. As I stated, our vision of identifying these needs and providing support to meet those needs is forefront in our efforts and all part of our mission to inspire and empower learners.” For a complete breakdown and explanation of the North Royalton Report Card, go to http://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/Pages/District-Report.aspx?DistrictIRN=044545
The District Performance Index, measuring student performance on state assessments, was ranked at 107.3 this year, compared to 105.4 for the 2012-13 school year, ranking North Royalton ninth out of 31 in Cuyahoga County and 44 out of 610 in the state of Ohio. The per pupil expense ranks the district 26 of 31 in the county.
“While we are very proud of the gains that our district has made, we also know that our schools system is about many more things than simply test scores,” said Gurka. “That is why we participated with school districts across the State to develop a comprehensive, community-oriented companion to the State’s School District Report Card called the “Quality Profile.” The Quality Profile goes beyond the details of the state’s report card, examining elements, such as standardized testing results, and is divided into six categories: academics, arts, student leadership and activities, fiscal stewardship, parent and community involvement, and student services. The profile gives a better definition of the programs and values of that individual school district.
“This Quality Profile reflects a complete, qualitative overview of our district. We know there is so much more to a child’s growth than a test score. The efforts of our parents and community members are an important part of our success and I want to thank everyone for their support of our students, staff and programs,” said Gurka. The North Royalton City Schools Quality Profile can be found online at http://bit.ly/QualityProfile_NRCS_2013_14