'Time To Overhaul Ohio's School Rating System': Solon Politician

SOLON, OH — State Rep. Phil Robinson introduced bipartisan legislation to overhaul Ohio's school report card system this week.

Ohio currently grades both individual schools and school districts using grades from "A" through "F" (similar to an actual report card). Robinson's legislation would replace the grades with new performance ratings.

“Our current state report card system isn’t working for schools, students, and our communities. With nearly 60 co-sponsors, this bipartisan legislation will begin to help address the long-lasting, systemic issues in Ohio’s education and end the piecemeal changes approach that has been failing our students,” Robinson said.

Robinson, who calls Solon home, crafted House Bill 200 with state Rep. Don Jones, a Republican from Freeport. They worked on the legislation with several school superintendents and school advocates and unveiled House Bill 200 on Wednesday.

The legislation would also require the State Board of Education to adopt rules to establish performance criteria for performance ratings and a method to assign them to performance measures. It does away with overall grades of buildings and districts, only rating each component.

“At the heart of every community is a school and our children. Ohio’s promise of better lives and brighter futures begins in the classroom. In the same way that our children are more than a letter grade on a test, we know our schools are also more and can only better serve our children with a better evaluation system," Robinson said.

House Hill has 58 co-sponsors and now awaits assignment to a standing House committee.