Local lawmaker responds to state inaccuracies on East Cleveland schools report card

State Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today responded to inaccurate report card grades given to East Cleveland schools by state education officials. The false information was uncovered by a WEWS investigative news report late Tuesday.

“The school district report cards are not just confusing and inaccurate, they are often times just plain wrong,” said Smith. “That is why there is bipartisan support to end the state takeover of local schools that relies on such a faulty measure.”

When contacted by East Cleveland Schools to correct the false information on the report card, state officials refused to more accurately reflect the school’s and student’s progress, indicating it would not have changed the final outcome. The state plans to take over the local school district and install a state-appointed CEO to make most decisions.

“While East Cleveland has clearly demonstrated academic improvement in the face of extraordinary circumstances, the state of Ohio and their ‘Columbus Knows Best’ attitude will displace local elected leaders and community stakeholders who know their community best with an unaccountable bureaucrat,” added Smith. “In Youngstown and Lorain, these state takeovers have not led to better academic results for our children and our communities. Now we realize that might be based on bad data.”

East Cleveland will be the third school district taken over by the state since 2015.