State School Board does nothing, calls it a success.

 Esteemed President of the Board, Kasich appointee Tom Gunlock.

So, the state board's plan of action regarding their graduation debacle is inaction.

They have voted to establish a committee to study potential problems with the graduation requirement as well as potential solutions. April was given as a vague end point to their study. Until that time, Ohio's juniors are left to wring their hands in worry, and wonder why they're expected to grind through the rigors of their high school education, while those in power have yet to do anything to fix the system that fails them.

The concern and skepticism of those invested in the situation is well merited as the record does not suggest that the board is capable of, or even intends to actually study the problem. 

Myself and other stakeholders have been contacting public officials since February about a potential problem. Board members raised concerns as early as June suggesting real issues with test results, and the possible train wreck of graduation rates. Over the last two months the board has been presented with graduation projection simulations by the ODE, concerns and corresponding data from hundreds of local superintendents, and no doubt countless letters from students, parents, educators, and administrators.

After months of input, the state board, in their wisdom, has decided that now they will investigate the matter.

It has become difficult to determine what is most frustrating about this situation. Is it the muleheaded reluctance of many members of the board to consider factual information from experts in the field? Perhaps it is the insistence of board members like President Tom Gunlock and Todd Jones in placing the blame on students and teachers with anecdote and hyperbole. Both also insist that these assessments actually provide some proof of student college and career readiness, when decades of statistical analysis of scores indicates they are best at measuring economics.

Jones and Gunlock insist that lowering the points necessary for graduation would be akin to handing out diplomas without merit, kind of like being appointed to a position in state government because your family is old friends with the governor, and they consistently make sizable donations to the right candidates. Was it $30,000 to Kasich's campaign, Mr. Gunlock? 

In reality, a high school diploma is actually earned through 4 (or 13 if we measure K-12) years of coursework, reading, research, writing, projects and presentation, collaboration with one's peers, problem solving, and the critical analysis of new information in order to fit it in with one's existing schema as a student informs their skill set and world view. And yes, there are tests as well, the most valuable of which are created by classroom teachers based on standards driven class content. The thing is, student success is not measured solely by these test scores, and certainly not by a single test score. Students in thoughtful educational environments are provided a variety of opportunities to prove competence because quality education is a process. 

Unfortunately, members of the school board are failing to understand the most basic elements of the process and merits of education. Their decisions are based on a long ago refuted philosophy that standardized tests create increased rigor and excellence in education. Those of us working in the field know that programs, personnel, and students do those things.

What is worse is that many members of the Ohio Board of Education do not have to answer to constituents because they have been appointed. Their willful ignorance of what might be best for students, and inability to admit that they are complicit in the creation of a system that is failing Ohio's kids will go unanswered. Their insistence on blaming teachers and students, instead of listening to them, has no recourse.

In November, Senator Peggy Lehner said regarding the graduation crisis, if the school board can't fix it, then she and the legislature will. Now she appears smitten by this idea to form a committee. She mentioned leading a task force on testing issues in 2014 and said it had "tremendous value." Unfortunately, educational stakeholders would largely contest the relative value of her task force. In a recent study by the Ohio Department of Education for the state's transition under new federal guidelines according to ESSA they report  "Ohio's assessment system received the most significant pushback of any of the issues that were discussed." As reported by the Plain Dealer in discussion of chief issues to come out of the ESSA meetings, a senior policy advisor for the ODE said, "The amount of testing was at the top, followed closely by concerns around charter schools."

To make a long story short (too late), I'm not sure this new committee is necessary. I can think of two committees already in existence that could solve the issue...

Committee #1: The several hundred local Superintendents that met in Columbus last month.

Committee #2: Schoolteachers.

I really don't care if it's the state school board or the legislature that fixes this issue. Whoever it is should keep in mind that Ohio is one of only 13 states that require the passage of standardized tests in order to graduate. It is not required by federal law.

And there is your solution. Committee meeting adjourned.