Leader Sykes responds to State Report Card System

Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today responded to the Ohio Department of Education’s release of school report cards.

“I am very concerned with the Department’s system of ranking our schools. Having a state agency assign an arbitrary letter grade to our local school districts is not a fair way to encourage academic improvement and heighten morale as has been demonstrated by the continued failing grades assigned to some of our poor and urban districts,” said Leader Sykes. “The kids and teachers who learn and work in these districts do not need more negative labels thrust upon them year after year from big city bureaucrats who live and work hours away. These communities need local control because only they know what is best for their schools and what tools they need to see every child succeed.”