Key Facts About South-Western City Schools

Transcription

1 Key Facts About South-Western City Schools With 20,753 students, the district has the sixth highest student body in the state and the second highest in Franklin County. Enrollment is stable, but more students need help to succeed. Nearly 50 percent of students are economically disadvantaged, up from 35 percent five years ago. Sixty-one percent of the district s schools were rated A+, A, or B on the 2009 state report card. The district has the third lowest expenditures per pupil among the 16 school districts in Franklin County. This guide was funded by KidsOhio.org, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the education of Ohio children. To download and share this guide, visit

2 Where is the South-Western City Schools District? The South-Western City Schools district, as shown in the map, is located in the southwest quadrant of Franklin County. The district comprises 127 square miles. This diverse district includes residents of Columbus, Grove City, and several townships. The district has been called a microcosm of the state due to its urban, suburban, and rural make-up. Who are the students of South-Western City Schools? Enrollment is stable, but student needs are on the rise. With nearly 21,000 students, South-Western City Schools (SWCS) has the state s sixth highest student body and Franklin County s second highest. SWCS has more students than urban districts Canton, Dayton, and Youngstown. While the district s enrollment has remained relatively steady over the past five years, students have greater needs. Nearly 50 percent of SWCS students are economically disadvantaged, up from 35 percent five years ago. The rates of students with disabilities and students with limited English proficiency also increased. Research shows that students from homes with economic hardships, as well as those with disabilities, limited English, and those who switch schools during the school year, require greater resources, such as more personal attention from teachers. The next chart illustrates the growing needs of SWCS students. While the district s enrollment remained steady over the past five years, students have greater needs. 2

3 How does South-Western compare to other Franklin County districts in terms of demographic information? The next two charts depict how South-Western compares to the other 15 Franklin County school districts in terms of 2009 demographics. South-Western has the second highest enrollment, the seventh highest minority rate, the fifth highest rate of economically disadvantaged students (tied with Hamilton), the highest rate of students with Limited English Proficiency (tied with Whitehall), and the fifth highest rate of students with a disability (tied with Reynoldsburg). Detailed demographic data for each district are listed in the chart on page 4. South-Western and Other Franklin County School Districts: 2009 Demographic Data Measure South-Western RANK among 16 Franklin County Districts Enrollment 20,753 2nd Highest Minority Rate 26.9% 7th Highest Economically Disadvantaged Rate 49.7% 5th Highest (tie) Limited English Proficiency Rate 12.4% The Highest (tie) Disability Rate 14.3% 5th Highest (tie) 3

4 Note: Rates rounded to make comparisons easier. How did South-Western students perform on 2009 state tests? Academic achievement is improving, despite greater student needs. While South-Western s overall poverty rate of nearly 50 percent is higher than the state s average of 40 percent, 19 of 31 schools (61%) were rated A+, A, or B by the state on the 2009 state report card. Of the remaining 12 schools (39%), 10 were rated C and two were rated D. 4

5 The district s Performance Index score, which is a combined measure of performance on all 2009 state tests, has increased by 10 points since the beginning of the decade. Seven SWCS schools were among the top half of 3,526 schools in the state, based on Performance Index score. The following three SWCS schools scored among the top 25 percent of all schools in the state: Harrisburg Elementary School, Buckeye Woods Elementary School, and Grove City High School. In 2009, as illustrated in the following chart, the district ranks 534 th among 610 school districts in terms of Performance Index score. However, the district ranks 150 th among 610 school districts in terms of the state s value-added academic growth expectations. This means, the district ranks among the bottom 15 percent in test scores, but among the top 25 percent in students meeting or exceeding one year of academic growth. Seven schools were among the top half of 3,526 schools in the state. South-Western Ranks Higher on Education Progress than on Absolute Test Scores Rank #1 BUT... Ranked 150 Ranked 534 Rank #610 5

6 All...elementary and intermediate schools met or exceeded...growth expectations, four middle schools did not All 22 of South-Western City Schools elementary and intermediate schools met or exceeded the state s academic growth expectations in One of the district s middle schools met expectations; the other four middle schools did not meet growth expectations. High schools do not receive this designation from the state. As shown in the chart below, South-Western City Schools outperformed the state as a whole in terms of value-added academic growth expectations for school year Seventy-four percent of SWCS schools exceeded growth expectations; while 61 percent of all Ohio schools did. How does South-Western compare to the other 15 Franklin County districts academically? The next chart illustrates how the South-Western school district compares to other school districts in Franklin County on the 2009 state report card. South-Western has the fourth lowest Performance Index score and the fourth lowest number of standards met out of 30. The district has the second lowest graduation rate among Franklin County districts, but the rate has been above that of the state as a whole for the past six school years. In 2008, SWCS graduation rate was 87 percent; the state s overall rate was 85 percent. 6

7 South-Western and Other Franklin County School Districts: 2009 State Report Card Measure South-Western RANK among 16 Franklin County Districts Performance Index score 90 4th Lowest Standards met (out of 30) 16 4th Lowest Graduation Rate (2008) 87% 2nd Lowest Source: Ohio Department of Education, Downloaded from The district shares a C-rating with Columbus. One district, Whitehall, had a lower rating of D. Twelve districts exceeded the state s value-added academic growth expectations. South- Western, Columbus, and Gahanna met the state s expectations, and Whitehall did not meet expectations for growth. Detailed report card results for each district are available at How does South-Western compare to other Franklin County districts in terms of finances? As illustrated in the following chart, in 2009 South-Western had the seventh lowest average teacher salary and the fifth lowest median income among the sixteen Franklin County school districts. The district had the third lowest per-pupil expenditures in 2008, which is the most recent comparable data. In terms of residential and business school taxes, the district ranked fifth and eighth lowest. South-Western and Other Franklin County School Districts: District Finances Measure South-Western Rank among 16 Franklin County Districts Average Teacher Salary $60,414 7th Lowest Expenditures Per Pupil (2008) $9,336 3rd Lowest Median Income $32,462 5th Lowest RESIDENTIAL School Taxes per $100,000 of Real Property Valuation $1,061 5th Lowest BUSINESS School Taxes per $100,000 of Real Property Valuation $1,724 8th Lowest Sources: Ohio Department of Education, 2009 and Franklin County Auditor, All data is from 2009 unless noted. Franklin County districts include Bexley, Canal Winchester, Columbus, Dublin, Gahanna-Jefferson, Grandview Heights, Groveport Madison, Hamilton, Hilliard, New Albany, Reynoldsburg, South-Western, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Whitehall, and Worthington. 7

8 KidsOhio.org was founded in 2002 in response to requests from civic, education, and business leaders for an independent, data-driven organization that would work to improve all local schools. Our work is based on a fundamental belief: accurate, objective and timely data are essential to effective policy and decision-making. KidsOhio.org Board Members and Leadership: Abigail Wexner, Board Chair Chad Jester Linda Kass Jeffrey Lyttle Frederick Ransier, Esq. Ilana Horowitz Ratner Elizabeth Ruppert, M.D. Barbara Trueman Mark Real, President These and other KidsOhio.org publications are available at 22 East Gay Street, Suite 600 Phone: Columbus, Ohio Web: 8