MANSFIELD — Mansfield City Schools was applauded by the Ohio Department of Education during the board’s regular meeting Tuesday evening.
Despite bleak marks on the district’s 2015-16 report card, ODE Representative Clarie Huff-Franklin said she was impressed by the progress the district displayed since receiving those marks in March and again most recently in September.
“The district is on a trajectory to have better student achievement,” Huff-Franklin told the board.
In 2015’s report card, the district received a C grade for its performance index. The 2016 report card, released in September, gave the district a D in that area and a D in achievement — a new category.
The district received F scores in all other categories in its most recent ODE report card. But administrators, including ODE representatives remain optimistic.
“I really applaud you for the collaboration,” Huff-Franklin said, adding that Mansfield school district has served ODE as being an example to other districts that are not so cooperative when it comes to ODE intervention.
The praise came after district administrators presented the board and ODE members with a status update on the progress made by adopting the Ohio Improvement Process. From its adoption has come a five-tiered plan that includes Leadership, Student Achievement, Governance and Fiscal Management.
Each section of the OIP is being headed up by administrators and teams, according to Curriculum Director Stephen Rizzo.
In other news, the board approved two resolutions that will begin the process to get two renewal emergency tax levies on the May ballot.
In September’s regular board meeting, district treasurer Robert Kuehnle said the district will have a $13 million deficit in five years if the tax levies do not pass.
One levy will raise $3.9 million every seven years. The other will raise $4 million every five years.
The board of education’s next meeting will be held at the Raemelton Administration Building on Tuesday, Nov. 22.
