HAMMONDSVILLE — The Edison City Board of Education received an overview of its state report card results, which showed significant increases in a multitude of areas.

During the Oct. 18 regular session at Stanton Elementary School, the board heard from Amy Bordash, the district’s gifted coordinator, about the latest results from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce that were released last month. Bordash said the district’s overall rating rose from three to four stars between 2022-23 and 2023-24, and the results were based on student test scores.

“Each test is given different points based on the level of proficiency students achieve.” she explained.

Bordash added that Edison won 75.9 percent of a possible 90 percent in 2021-22, and the number rose steadily to 77.7 in 2022-23 to 81.6 percent for 2023-24. She noted that progress was measured by looking at the value added gained from state assessments and is a combination of two years of data weighting to get overall progress. Edison earned one star in each of the reports for 2021-22 and 2022-23, but increased to three stars for 2023-24.

She also achieved the report’s closing the gap category, which focuses on achievement and growth in English/language arts, chronic absenteeism, English language learner proficiency, gifted achievement, progress and service, and graduation rate. Edison earned five stars for closing the gap in 2021-22, which dropped to four stars for 2022-23; however, it reverted to five stars for 2023–24. Meanwhile, the graduation rate received four stars in 2021-22 and 2022-23, but dropped to three stars for 2023-24.

Bordash has continued to address early literacy, which measures the progress of students in grades K-3 in reading improvement and proficiency, and the district has maintained a three-star rating for the past three years. She added that the college and career readiness portion includes data from various areas, including honors degree, ACT scores, industry-recognized credentials, dual enrollment credit, military enlistment, acceptance into an apprenticeship in a post-secondary program, pre -apprenticeship and apprenticeship completed, career. -technical assessments and the Ohio Means Jobs Readiness seal and 250 hours of on-the-job learning experience. The category includes Advanced Placement scores, but they are not applicable to the district. Edison’s college and career readiness scores rose from 42.9 percent in 2021-22 to 45.8 percent in 2022-23, but nearly doubled to 71.4 percent in 2023-24.

Meanwhile, she said improvements have been made to the gifted program.

“A new MAP assessment program is used to test students in all grades for both math and reading, and the previous STAR assessment was only approved by the state to identify reading. During the first round of MAP testing this fall, we identified two new math gifted students. We also added seven areas of identification for students who were already identified as gifted, three in reading and four in math. she commented. “We will test again in the winter and spring and continue to monitor the progress of all students.”

Bordash said he is currently training an additional staff member at Edison Junior High, which serves seventh-graders and is also transitioning to online gifted testing to allow students to be identified more quickly and potentially to start receiving services earlier.

In terms of state gifted results, she said 92 percent of the district did not meet the ID and service benchmark; approximately 83.4 percent of the districts did not meet the performance indicator; and 11 percent did not meet the added value indicator. She said the performance index was calculated based on the results of the top 2 percent of districts in the state.

“Students must have previous test scores to be included in the value-added indicator and the required number is at least 15 students identified and tested in their identification area. This means that any third grader who is identified as gifted and counted in the performance index will not count toward gifted progress because they have had no prior testing history.” Bordash continued.

Overall, the district made progress in all areas except graduation rate, which she said was an area of ​​focus moving forward; early literacy maintained three stars but rose from 65.5 percent proficient in third-grade reading to 84.6 percent district-wide; significant progress has been made in the college and career readiness category, which does not yet count on the balance sheet, but could as early as 2024-25. She wasn’t sure if it would be part of the state results, but the numbers indicated that the amount increased from 45.5 percent to 71.4 percent in the result.

Among other business, the board:

• Heard reports from Stanton Principal Kodi Peterson and school student representatives Ryan Wilson and Braylee Tingler;

• Approved a number of personnel matters, including the resignation of assistant baseball coach Nolan Marcus; substitute teachers Connie Cecario, Chessa Cunningham, Danielle Irvine, Lachelle Miller, James Morelli, Shana Schubert, Briana Staats and student teacher Mara Eisnaugle; uncertified substitute Lachelle Miller as secretary/assistant; volunteer wrestling Carl Glenn, volunteer cheerleading coach Danah Beaver and assistant baseball coach James Panella on the extra roster; the retirement-re-employment of bus driver Jim Zorbini; resignation of bus driver Aric Bernhart; and the resignations of Edison High School teachers Monica Potenzini and Carla Filbert, who both plan to retire June 1;

• Approved a trip for the boys basketball team to Cleveland on Dec. 21-22;

• Approved an agreement with the Jefferson County Educational Services Center for Title I services;

• Approved donations from Ron Smyth to the Ron Smyth Lady Wildcats Basketball Scholarship for $100; Edison Baseball Alumni to Baseball Alumni Scholarship, $750; and Columbiana County Volleyball to Todd Smith Scholarship, $250;

• Set the next regular meeting for November 21st at 6pm at Edison High School.