Test times reduced
Three words that when put together offer a simple summary for what was a school year loaded with complex conversations amongst school administrators, state legislators and – possibly most significantly – countless concerned parents… many from right here in Loveland. During the 2014-15 school year, we worked collectively as advocates for our students, and the result was positive change.[quote_right]Should you have any questions, as always, I’m happy to meet with you.[/quote_right]
PARCC testing, which was at the center of the concerns, is gone, and in its place is AIR – our original vendor for state tests when we administered the OAA and OGT. The test time is now reduced to just one testing cycle and a reduction in the amount of time students are being assessed. As both an educator and parent I am pleased with the progress we have made. It is my strong belief that all parents should allow their students to participate in statewide assessments this year. My own daughter will be taking the third grade assessments; it will give me an opportunity to see how she compares to her peers both locally and statewide.
While together we have made positive progress – the task is not complete.
[quote_left]All students deserve our attention. All students deserve our best. All students deserve our advocacy.[/quote_left]As the educational leader for this district, I continue to advocate for students. My promise to you is to stay in contact with our elected officials to continue to engage in conversation about doing what is best for all students. I will continue what has been groundbreaking work with other superintendents to communicate the outstanding work we accomplish in our classrooms. As school leaders we began discussing our concerns with the limited scope the state report card information provided to parents, and from those discussions the Quality Profile – which is now used in 60 districts across the state of Ohio – was born. And I will continue to advocate as part of the Alliance for Higher Quality Education’s Accountability Task Force to help address the concerns over state testing.
Each year there are areas of improvement in education that need to be shared with our elected officials. This year the Greater Cincinnati School Advocacy Network has had multiple conversations with legislators about the need for charter school reform. Currently, House Bill (HB) 2 has made recommendations to improve the oversight for charter schools. As your educational leader, I am advocating for the same accountability of for-profit charter schools as our public school districts have experienced to ensure as a state we maintain a high quality education for all students in Ohio.
All students deserve our attention. All students deserve our best. All students deserve our advocacy.
Should you have any questions, as always, I’m happy to meet with you.
Dedicated to the future of our students,
Chad Hilliker
Loveland City School District
Superintendent
