Schools need to be held accountable for the performance of its students, so there must be some means of measuring that performance. Parents, the media, and lawmakers need to know which schools need help and in what areas. But there is little agreement on exactly what sort of system would best do that. 

 

The standing system of A-F grades has been under fire in other states besides Ohio, including Florida and Michigan. Critics say they don't convey enough information, particularly about attributes of a school that go beyond accountability data. Other systems, though, such as the 1-100 index based on seven categories of performance, are criticized as being too complex to be easily grasped. Meanwhile, some note that the emphasis on performance measures pushes administrators into fudging facts and figures.

 

Parents need a wide array of information about a school in order to make an informed decision. Safety and security is top of mind now. School climate and culture, availability of extracurricular activities that interest their child, location and transportation, and services for special needs students are just a few of the criteria that matter to parents. 

 

Regardless of the reporting system a particular state uses, school leaders need to ensure the community understands what the grade means to them, in language free of education jargon. It's up to administrators to convey the depth of benefits the school boasts beyond test scores. Working with state education department leaders to offer ideas may help move the needle toward a format that is clear, accurate and presents a complete picture of schools. In the meantime, with school choice options expanding, administrators might be wise to tell the story of their school through social media and strategic press relationships rather than relying on the state report card to do it. It's important for school leaders to present the full picture of the pros of their school, as well as where improvement is called for, accurately and openly.