Thisdocumentisavirtualpetitionofsortsandthenumberofsupportersincreasesdaily.

AnOpenLettertoOhioLegislators,StateofOhioSchoolBoardMembersandtheOhioDepartmentof
EducationLeadership:

ManystakeholdersthroughouttheStateofOhioarepartneringwithourteachers,students,school
boards,parentleaders,felloweducatorsandotherstoexpressourconcernanddispleasureregardingthe
currentrealitythatwefaceinoururban,ruralandsuburbanpublicschooldistricts.Whileourdistrictsareas
diverseasourstate,weareunitedinourmessagetoyou.Wehaveaveryclearandcommongoalmore
thoughtfulandcollaborativedecisionmakingfromthosethatwehaveelectedtorepresentus.Wehave
joinedtocreateacoalitionwiththehopesofpersuadingyoutonotonly
listen
tous,but
hear
and
involve
us.

Thecurrentconditionsofstudentassessmentandaccountabilitycoupledwiththeopportunitythatthe
FederalEveryStudentSucceedsActprovidedthecatalystforthiscommunicationtoyou.Werespectfullyask
thatyoulistenverycarefullyandthenconcentrateonhearingwhatwehavetosay.

LocalStakeholdersNeedaGreaterVoiceandAreYourAllies

AtsomepointintimeOhiosDepartmentofEducationanditsLegislativeandExecutivebranchesof
governmentbecameoneinthesamewithregardstoOhiosEducationalSystem.Weareconcernedthatthere
isalackofchecksandbalancesbetweentheGovernor,theOhioLegislature,theStateBoardofEducationand
theOhioDepartmentofEducation.Ourcurrentdecisionmakingandlawcreationsystemhasthegovernor
andlegislaturesimultaneouslyrunningOhiosschoolswithaDepartmentofEducationthatisbeholdento
bothentitiesandoftenappearscaughtinthemiddle.Asaresult,allthreeunitsagreewithoneanotherand
thereisverylittleopportunityforinput,constructivecriticismanddebate.Ohiodesperatelyneedsanew
statesuperintendentwhoisacredibleleadercapableofbalancingtheperspectiveofallthegroupsthatare
advocatingforhighqualitypubliceducation.

OnCreatingThoughtfulLegislation

Overthepasttwoyearstherehasbeenlegislationwrittenthathasrequiredrewrites,amendments
andmediareleasesinordertoclarifythelegislationorexplaintheunintendedconsequencesithascreated.
Examplesincludethe3rdGradeReadingGuarantee,CollegeCreditPlus,andsoon.Webelievethatifthere
wasmoremeaningfulcollaborationwiththoseofusinthefieldthenumberofunintendedconsequences
wouldbegreatlyreducedandOhiowouldhaveamoreefficientlegislationwritingprocess.

OntheEveryStudentSucceedsAct(ESSA)

Aspublicschooladvocatesweseethepotentialrelieffromoveraccountabilityandthe
reestablishmentoflocalcontrolthatiscontainedintheESSA.Thereareafewpointsthatwewantedtomake
onthisact:

HiringacharterschooladvocateandformerlegislatorfromtheOhioHouseofRepresentativestobe
theDepartment'sSeniorPolicyAdvisorisconcerningtoschoolsuperintendents.WeasktheOhioLegislature
andtheOhioSchoolBoardMemberstoseelocalstakeholdersasallieswithsimilarinterests.Inordertofully
realizethispotentiallypowerfulrelationshipitwillbeimportantforyoutolisten,hearandinvolveus.

Commentsonthetimelinetoimplement

ThereisNoNeedtoRush
FullESSAimplementationmustoccurin20172018andwhilewe
recognizeOhiowillneedtocreateatransitionplan;thenextStateSuperintendentshouldbe
responsibleforcreatingourstatestransitionplan,notaformerlobbyistandlegislator.Inorder
toensureasmoothtransition,apersonthathasworkedwithinapublicschooldistrictneedsto
beatthehelmcreatinganddirectingtheimplementationofOhiosmodeloftheESSA.Those
currentlywritingeducationalpolicyinourstateseemtobedoingitbehindacloseddoorand
believethatgatheringinputfromstakeholdergroupsoccursbyemailingasurveytothefield
andneversharingtheresultswiththosethatcompletedthesurvey.Weinthefieldneedmore
meaningfulinputintotheimplementationofaFederallawthatwillhaveasignificantimpactat
thelocallevel.Failuretodosowillresultinmoreinefficientlegislationbeingcreated.Wewant
OhiotoreviseitsselfimposedESSAtimelineandextenditsothatacoalitionofstakeholders
canhavemoremeaningfulinput.
Teachersareourgreatestresourceandrushinginitiativeshas,unfortunately,becomea
traditionineducation.Teacherslooktolocalleadershipforguidanceinimplementingnew
initiativesandwhenwecannotexplaintothemwhyandhow,itbecomesproblematic.
Educatorscanhelpwiththedevelopmentofeducationallyanddevelopmentallysound
timelinesforimplementation.Pleaseinvolveus.

Testing

SchoolDistrictsAdministerTestsToo
Pleaserecognizethatanytestingdecisionthatismade
andthetimeitwilltaketoadministerthoseassessments(whichtakesawayinstruction)willbe
inadditiontoeachdistrictscurrentandlocalstudentassessmentprogram.Aseducatorswe
havearesponsibilitytogatherstudentlearningdataaslearningisoccurringtomake
instructionaladjustments.Wealsoevaluatelearningmasteryattheendofaunitof
instruction.Ohiosstateaccountabilitysystemisinadditiontowhatalreadyexistsatthelocal
level.Ifalawismadetolimittestingtimeitshouldbedonewiththestateassessmentsandnot
impedeonourabilitytogatherrealtimeinformationtomakelocalinstructionaldecisionsfor
students.

ExerciseLocalControl
WhilewerecognizetheESSArequireshighqualitystudent
assessmentsinmath,reading/languageartsandsciencethereisroomforSEAcontrol.Ohio
hasreferredtoitselfasalocalcontrolstateandourhopeisthatOhiosdecisionmakerswill
listenandhearthoseofusinthefieldstopthestatedrivenovertestingofchildren.
Overemphasisontestingresultsincurriculumshrinkageandtestprep.Ittakesawayfroma
teachersabilitytobeinnovativeandcreativeintheclassroom.ChildreninOhiodeserve

classroomsthatareengaging,requirecriticalthinking,andallowthemtoexploretheir
interests.Instructionaltimewithteachersshouldservetopreparestudentstobemore
collaborative,morecommunicativeandmorecreativenotbettertesttakers.Beingthebest
testtakersintheworldshouldntbeourgoal.BeinginnovativehasbeenourNationsstrength.
WerecommendthatOhioengageintheminimumamountoftestingrequiredunderthenewly
createdESSAbecausewecannotfulfillourdesireatthelocalleveltocreateinstructional
environmentsthatfostercommunication,collaboration,creativityandcriticalthinkingwhen
theaccountabilitysystemfailstoseethevalueintheseskills.

UsersoftheAssessmentResultsDontTrusttheSystem
Thetestingenvironmentsand
conditionsinmanyschooldistrictslastyeardealtasignificantblowtothecredibilityofOhios
assessmentsystem.TheassessmentsysteminOhiodoesnotprovideresultsbacktoeducators
intimetoimpactinstruction.Itreportsonlearninganddoesnotprovidemeaningfulfeedback
tothedistrictoffice,thebuildingprincipalortheclassroomteacher.Inaddition,theformat
thattheassessmentresultsaredeliveredtoschooldistrictsdoesnotallowteachersand
buildingleveladministratorstoeasilyanalyzethedata.Asthenewassessmentsystemis
constructed,pleaseconsideronethatwillalloweducatorstousethedatamoreefficientlyand
effectively.Wespendfartoomanylocalresourcespurchasingsoftwareandhiringconsultants
totryandunderstandassessmentdataforteststhatwedidntdesign.

FixtheTestFormatDeliveryIssues
Thereisconsiderabledistrustfrommanyinthefield
regardingtheimpactthatthetestformathadontheresults(e.g.online,paper/penciland
mixed).RecentinformationthatwasreportedattheNationalleveldemonstratedasignificant
differencebetweenthosethattookthetestinatraditionalformatversusthosethattookthe
testelectronically.AgrassrootseffortthatwasorganizedbyMikeMolnar,ExecutiveDirectorof
EducationalServicesfortheAmherstExemptedVillageSchoolDistrict,hasshownavery
disturbingtrendbetweenthosedistrictsthatadministeredtheassessmentsinapaper/pencil
formatversusonline.Thetestformatissuewillneedtobeaddressedquicklyandthestate
shouldconsideramoratoriumonissuingaccountabilityratingsfordistrictsuntilithasbeen
proventhattheformatthatisusedtotakethetestdoesnotunfairlyimpacttheaccuracyof
achievementperformances.Inaddition,thestateshouldrevokeanyaccountabilityratings
connectedtotheValueAddedmetricuntilafullinquiryhasbeenconducted.
WhilemanywilllooktoblamePARCC,itwouldbepresumptuoustoassumethatthe
fluctuationsinOhiosstudentprogressmeasure(knownasValueAdded)noticedacrossthe
statewereduetostudentsnotknowinghowtousetechnologyfortesting.Therewerecore
testdeliveryissuesandasignificantdifferencebetweenthecomplexityoftheitemsononline
assessmentsversuspaper/penciltests.Inaddition,simplyconnectingtothetestplatformwasa
significantchallengeformanydistricts.Ourstateassessmentsystemmustbestablebefore
usingittogradetheperformancesoftheschooldistricts.Theverylargeswinginreportcard
gradesservesasanindicationthatsomethingisntright.Stopthepoliticalspindoctoringwith
statementssuchasOhiohasraisedthebar;Studentsneedtolearntechnologytobebetter
testtakers;andsoon.Owntheproblemandfixit.


Inclosingwebelievethatthereisacommonground.Werecognizethataseducationalleadersthere
mustbeanaccountabilitysysteminplaceinordertomeasureanddemonstratethattheresourceswhichare
beinginvestedintotheeducationalsystemsthroughoutOhioareindeedmakinganimpact.Theconflicting
statementsissuedbytheleadersfromourstateconfusethevotersinourcommunity.Forinstance,State
RepresentativeFedorandStateSchoolBoardMemberWagnerindicated,everygradeonthesereportcards
istaintedbyunverified,arbitrary,poorlydesignedandimplementedteststhathavebeenthrownoutbythe
OhioLegislature.Atthesametimetheinterimstatesuperintendentsays,Ohioannualreportcardsshow
howourschoolsaredoingandwheretheycanimprove.Inadditionhewrites,Ifyouareaparent,theschool
reportcardwillgiveyouareliablereadthoughnottheonlyreadofhowwellyourchildisbeingserved.
Areliableread?Reliabilityinassessmentisobtainedwhenthereisconsistencyinthesystemandthecurrent
systemdoesnotportrayoneofconsistency.JohnQ.Taxpayerisntsurewhotobelieveandgiventhelackof
publictrustingovernmentheislefttofillintheblanksonhisown.Ohioshouldandcandobetterthanthat.

Thankyouforyourtimeandconsideration.

Respectfullysupportedandonbehalfofmany,

Dr.JimLloyd,SuperintendentfortheOlmstedFallsCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.MichaelSheppard,SuperintendentfortheBereaCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.BobScott,SuperintendentfortheAvonLakeCitySchoolDistrict
Dr.MichaelZalar,SuperintendentfortheNorthOlmstedCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.JeffPatterson,SuperintendentfortheLakewoodCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.GeoffPalmer,SuperintendentfortheWestlakeCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.ScottGoggin,SuperintendentfortheMidviewLocalSchoolDistrict
Mr.SteveSayers,SuperintendentfortheAmherstExemptedVillageSchoolDistrict
Mr.MichaelLaub,SuperintendentfortheAvonLocalSchoolDistrict
Dr.KeithKelly,SuperintendentfortheMayfieldCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.GregGurka,SuperintendentfortheNorthRoyaltonCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.BobHunt,SuperintendentfortheChagrinFallsExemptedVillageSchoolDistrict
Mr.ToddYohey,SuperintendentfortheOakHillsSchoolDistrict
Mr.DavidHile,SuperintendentfortheLickingValleyLocalSchoolDistrict
Mr.SteveAnway,SuperintendentfortheOldFortLocalSchoolDistrict
Mr.ToddOsborn,SuperintendentfortheLibertyUnionThurstonLocalSchoolDistrict
Dr.AndreaTownsend,SuperintendentfortheNewBremenLocalSchoolDistrict
Dr.ThomasTucker,SuperintendentforthePrincetonCitySchoolDistrict
Mr.RonSexton,SuperintendentfortheWilmingtonCitySchoolDistrict
Dr.RobertFerrell,SuperintendentfortheMilfordExemptedVillageSchoolDistrict

SchoolBoards
Mr.JoeBertrand,PresidentoftheBoardofEducationfortheOlmstedFallsCitySchools
Mrs.LindsaySooy,PresidentoftheBoardofEducationfortheOldFortLocalSchoolDistrict
Mrs.JacquelineArendt,PresidentoftheBoardofEducationfortheNorthRoyaltonSchoolDistrict

Organizations

Mrs.BeckyHiggins,PresidentoftheOhioEducationAssociation
Mrs.KellyWalker,PresidentoftheOlmstedFallsCitySchoolDistrictPTA