The Ohio Senate on Wednesday passed House Bill 555 by a vote of 27 to 6, a Republican-backed education bill that calls for a more demanding evaluation system for schools, along with other significant changes.
The bill would revamp the state’s system of grading K-12 public schools. It would grade schools using 15 measures — called a “dashboard” — and give each district a cumulative grade of A, B, C, D or F. The grading system is meant to be tougher on schools and would replace the current report card that ranks schools from “Excellent with Distinction” to “Academic Emergency.”
The new grade card would begin in the 2014-15 school year.
Some Senate Democrats were unhappy with the legislation, saying that the changes in the grade card are coming at the same time that “Common Core” standards will take effect. Sen. Joe Schiavoni, a Youngstown-area Democrat, said the changes are “too much too fast” and are creating “moving targets” for school districts laboring to come to terms with the new curriculum requirements.
The changes made by the Senate are expected to be approved by House lawmakers and then signed by Gov. John Kasich.
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