The 64 students who failed the OGT can retake it
in August.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — City high school seniors who failed to pass the Ohio Graduation Test won't get to participate in graduation ceremonies, despite pleas from parents and students to let them walk across the Stambaugh Auditorium stage.
The city school board has refused to alter district policy to allow those students to take part in commencement Friday, even though they would be getting only an empty folder and no diploma.
"We just want to uphold the integrity of the diploma," said Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent. "We get no joy in holding these kids back."
Those students who were unable to pass all five portions (math, reading, science, social studies and writing) of the test can take part in a summer intervention program and retake in August those parts of the test they failed, she said, adding that the school district will have graduation exercises, complete with caps and gowns, in September for those who pass.
There were some long faces in the crowd as people left a special school board meeting Tuesday, obviously disappointed the board took no action on requests to allow those particular students to join their classmates at Friday's ceremony.
Pleas
Five of those students were in the board meeting room when Regina Perry of East Florida Avenue asked the board to allow her son and others to take part in graduation.
Those children worked hard but failed one or more parts of the test and now say they feel "worthless," Perry told the board. The message they are getting from some is that they are "too stupid," she said, adding, "Don't let them leave with that negative message."
Some area schools are allowing seniors who failed the OGT to still take part in graduation ceremonies, she said.
"It would just mean so much to us if they would be able to walk," said Lawanda Cox of High Street, a Woodrow Wilson High School senior who said she successfully completed the OGT.
Those students will continue to work to earn their diplomas, but can never get back the chance to walk across the stage with their classmates, said Eva Smith of West LaClede Avenue, who said her daughter is one of those affected.
How many passed
Youngstown had 404 seniors take the test this year, the first time passing the OGT is a requirement for graduation.
A total of 64 city students failed one or more parts of the test and won't graduate. Four others failed one or more parts of the test, but were able to satisfy an alternative set of requirements allowed by the state and will get their diplomas at graduation.
Among other things, they could not have missed the passing score on the test sections by more than 10 points, must have a 97 percent attendance rate in all four years of high school, have a grade point average of at least 2.5 and completed the state high school curriculum requirements in the subject area of any test section they failed.
The school board heard the arguments, but, in the end, took no action on the requests.
Layoffs
In other matters, the board did vote to lay off 33 teachers as part of a 153-job cutback in staff for next school year.
Webb said the district had initially expected to lay off twice that many teachers to comply with a state fiscal oversight commission's directive to reduce staff by 153 positions, with 92 of those spots being teachers. Forty-two teachers, however, took a retirement-incentive package, and 24 other young teachers took a resignation incentive package to help reduce the employee rolls. The district has to refill about seven of those positions, leaving 33 teachers to be laid off.
The 153 cuts will save an estimated $8.5 million next year.
The state placed Youngstown under fiscal emergency in November, and the district is expected to run a $15 million general fund deficit this year.
gwin@vindy.com
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
The 64 students who failed the OGT can retake it
in August.
By HAROLD GWIN
VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN — City high school seniors who failed to pass the Ohio Graduation Test won't get to participate in graduation ceremonies, despite pleas from parents and students to let them walk across the Stambaugh Auditorium stage.
The city school board has refused to alter district policy to allow those students to take part in commencement Friday, even though they would be getting only an empty folder and no diploma.
"We just want to uphold the integrity of the diploma," said Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent. "We get no joy in holding these kids back."
Those students who were unable to pass all five portions (math, reading, science, social studies and writing) of the test can take part in a summer intervention program and retake in August those parts of the test they failed, she said, adding that the school district will have graduation exercises, complete with caps and gowns, in September for those who pass.
There were some long faces in the crowd as people left a special school board meeting Tuesday, obviously disappointed the board took no action on requests to allow those particular students to join their classmates at Friday's ceremony.
Pleas
Five of those students were in the board meeting room when Regina Perry of East Florida Avenue asked the board to allow her son and others to take part in graduation.
Those children worked hard but failed one or more parts of the test and now say they feel "worthless," Perry told the board. The message they are getting from some is that they are "too stupid," she said, adding, "Don't let them leave with that negative message."
Some area schools are allowing seniors who failed the OGT to still take part in graduation ceremonies, she said.
"It would just mean so much to us if they would be able to walk," said Lawanda Cox of High Street, a Woodrow Wilson High School senior who said she successfully completed the OGT.
Those students will continue to work to earn their diplomas, but can never get back the chance to walk across the stage with their classmates, said Eva Smith of West LaClede Avenue, who said her daughter is one of those affected.
How many passed
Youngstown had 404 seniors take the test this year, the first time passing the OGT is a requirement for graduation.
A total of 64 city students failed one or more parts of the test and won't graduate. Four others failed one or more parts of the test, but were able to satisfy an alternative set of requirements allowed by the state and will get their diplomas at graduation.
Among other things, they could not have missed the passing score on the test sections by more than 10 points, must have a 97 percent attendance rate in all four years of high school, have a grade point average of at least 2.5 and completed the state high school curriculum requirements in the subject area of any test section they failed.
The school board heard the arguments, but, in the end, took no action on the requests.
Layoffs
In other matters, the board did vote to lay off 33 teachers as part of a 153-job cutback in staff for next school year.
Webb said the district had initially expected to lay off twice that many teachers to comply with a state fiscal oversight commission's directive to reduce staff by 153 positions, with 92 of those spots being teachers. Forty-two teachers, however, took a retirement-incentive package, and 24 other young teachers took a resignation incentive package to help reduce the employee rolls. The district has to refill about seven of those positions, leaving 33 teachers to be laid off.
The 153 cuts will save an estimated $8.5 million next year.
The state placed Youngstown under fiscal emergency in November, and the district is expected to run a $15 million general fund deficit this year.
gwin@vindy.com
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
City high school seniors who failed to pass the Ohio Graduation Test won't get to participate in graduation ceremonies,...
