Sept.16,2012 DearSenatorManning, OnbehalfofalloftheLorainCountySuperintendents,weonceagainwanttothankyoufor takingpartinourmonthlymeetings.Weappreciateyourwillingnesstokeepusupdatedon legislativemattersrelatingtoeducationandserveasasoundingboardforourconcerns. AtourlastmeetingonSept.7,severalconcernswerevoicedovertheThirdGrade Guarantee.Belowisasummaryoftheconcernsexpressed.Wewillalsobesharingthese concernswithotherlegislatorsandconcernedstakeholders. 1. Anylegislationthathasasprofoundanimpactonteachersandstudentsasdoesthe thirdgradeguaranteeshouldhavebeenslowlyandcarefullyvettedwithample inputfromlocalschoolleadersandteachers. 2. WhiletheguaranteehasshownpromiseinFlorida,substantiallymoredollars supportedimplementation.Ourfearisthatthesupportnecessarytoimplement theprogramwithfidelitywillnotbeprovided. 3. Howdidthestateboardestablishthecutscores?

cores?Willconsiderationbegivenforthe anticipateddipinscoresoncethenewstandardsareimplementedin201415? Studentsidentifiedforretentioncouldskyrocketunlessconsiderationisgiven totherigorofthenewtests. 4. TheimpactofallowingparentstoseekanexemptionthroughtheIEPor504 processesisproblematic.Ourconcernisthatthiswilladdpressuretoover identify,whichhasfinancialramifications. 5. Retainingastudentinthirdgradebecauseofreading,butplacingthemattheir respectivelevelinothersubjectareas(i.e.,math,art,music)createsascheduling andstaffingnightmare.Considerationshouldbegiventoallowingsucha studenttomoveaheadwhilecontinuingintensivereadingintervention. 6. Manyteachersdonothaveareadingendorsement.Supportisneededtoencourage teacherstocompletetheircollegecoursesforlicensure. 7. Whoistopayforoutsideprovidersofintervention,whichtheguaranteeprovides asanoptionforparents?ODEistellingusitisthelocalschoolsresponsibility. Wasthisthelegislaturesintent?Districtsdonothavetheresourcestosupport this. 8. WiththepossiblefiscalcliffloominginWashington,andthepossiblereductionof 716%ofTitlefunds,districtsmayhavetomakemajorreductionsinstaffingin areaslikereadingsupportprovidedthroughTitleIdollars. 9. Whatwillhappeniftherearentenoughhighperformingteacherstomeetthe mandatesoftheguarantee?Thedefinitionof"highperforming"needstobe lookedatcloselybypeopleineducationthatunderstandwhatqualityreading instructionlookslike.Someflexibilityisneeded.

 10. Weappreciatethatadditionalfundingtosupporttheguaranteeisbeingconsidered. Allfundsmustbedistributedinanequitablemanner.Acompetitivegrant processcreateswinnersandlosers.Everydistrictneedsfiscalsupportto implementtheguarantee. ThesuperintendentsofLorainCountysupporttheneedtoassurethatourthirdgradersare ontrackinreading.ThroughfocusandstrongsupportforexpandingaccesstoqualityPre Kprograms,earlyidentificationandinterventioninitiatives,strongleadership,professional developmentforteachersandincreasedparentalinvolvement,Ohiocanreachitsthird gradeliteracygoalswithoutthethreatorsubstantialcostsassociatedwithgraderetention. WeencourageyoutoreviewabalancedreportonthisissuereleasedbytheEducation CommissionoftheStates,March2012. http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/01/01/54/10154.pdf Onaseparatenote,itisessentialthatthereportcarddatabereleasedimmediatelysothat districtscanbecomebetterinformedastowheretheyneedtofocusimprovementefforts.It ispoorpracticetoholdthevastmajorityofcompliantdistrictshostagebecauseoftheacts ofafew. Again,thankyouforlisteninganddoingyourbesttoprovideaqualityeducationforallof Ohiosstudents. Sincerely, LorainCountySuperintendents AmherstExemptedVillageSchools,SuperintendentSteveSayers AvonLocalSchoolsSuperintendent,MichaelLaub AvonLakeCitySchoolsSuperintendent,RobertScott ClearviewLocalSchoolsSuperintendent,StanMounts ColumbiaLocalSchoolsSuperintendent,GraigBansek ElyriaCitySchoolsSuperintendent,PaulRigda FirelandsLocalSchoolsSuperintendent,Dr.RobertHill KeystoneLocalSchoolsSuperintendent,JayArbaugh NorthRidgevilleCitySchoolsSuperintendent,LarryBrown LorainCitySchoolsSuperintendent,ThomasTucker LorainCountyESCSuperintendent,GregRing MidviewLocalSchoolsSuperintendent,JohnKuhn OberlinCitySchoolsSuperintendent,JohnSchroth SheffieldSheffieldLakeCitySchoolsSuperintendent,Dr.WillFolger WellingtonExemptedVillageSchoolsSuperintendent,JohnNolan