The Ohio Department of Education release of 2021 state report card results showed Talawanda ranked in the Top 10 of all county schools in many grade levels and subject areas, Gregg said.
“The overall rating for districts in the 2020-21 school year was waived due to the COVID-19 crisis. However, there were still areas that were rated and released by the state,” she said. “One of those areas is the Performance Index — which translates into achievement for state report cards. The Performance Index measures the achievement of every student, not just whether or not they reach ‘proficient.’ "
Talawanda ranked fifth in the county in that Performance Index rating with a 67.3 percent.
Kramer Elementary and Bogan Elementary are both ranked in the Top 15 elementary schools among 37 for Performance Index in Butler County. Kramer came in ninth while Bogan was 14th. Marshall ranked 26th but that may be at least partially explained by the upheaval during the school year with the construction project to build a new school.
Talawanda Middle School was ranked in the top five out of 15 middle schools in Butler County for Performance Index.
Talawanda High School is ranked second for Performance Index out of all Butler County high schools.
Talawanda High School ranks in the middle of the pack — fifth out of nine high schools — in the county in enrollment, finishing in third place in both Prepared for Success and Attendance Rate while pulling in fourth place for four-year graduation rate at 94.5 percent.
The high school also ranks in the Top 5 among all Butler County high schools on End of Course exams. The state’s report shows the high school ranked second in that area in both Algebra I and high school government. THS students are fourth in geometry and fifth in the county in both biology and English II.
Gregg praised the staff for the results in the face of the pandemic but said work still needs to be done. She outlined a series of next steps for the district to take in order to meet the goals of the future.
Those steps are:
· Grade level and department level collaboration across all buildings in the district to continue aligning standards.
· Update pacing guides in Math K-12 in order to align standards and new curriculum.
· Continue meeting within buildings with Student Assistance Program to ensure success in the areas of academics, attendance and health and wellness.
· Broaden the College Credit Plus offerings at THS as well as STEM courses at TMS.
· Form a district-level literacy committee to examine reading and writing resources and programs.
· Work with special education staff to implement research-based interventions and programs to ensure student success.
“Talawanda students, staff, parents and building administrators showed perseverance and dedication during one of the most difficult times in education. They demonstrated resilience and determination,” Gregg told the board. “While we understand that there is room for improvement, we are proud of the work that is done each and every day to grow and support our students.”
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