“EXCELLENT WITH DISTINCTION”
Mayfield Schools earn top rating from the Ohio Department of Education on state report card

Mayfield City Schools was rated EXCELLENT WITH DISTICTION for the 2008-09 school year by the Ohio Department of Education during the release of the ODE’s annual report card on Aug. 25th.

This year marks the first time Mayfield has earned EXCELLENT WITH DISTINCTION, an honor achieved by only 116 of Ohio’s 610 school districts.

“We can attribute the success of the state tests to our commitment to deliver relevant, quality instruction to students every day,” said Susan Beatty, Director of Curriculum. “Our consistent success on the state-mandated tests is an outgrowth of our commitment to the students and families of Mayfield Schools.”

Superintendent Dr. Phillip Price said he while he is “delighted” Mayfield Schools received the state’s top rating, he concedes there is still much room for improvement.

“It’s not about having the highest score in the state. It’s about getting individual kids to where they need to be in their learning,” Dr. Price said.

Mayfield By the Numbers:
The gains the district achieved led Mayfield to jump two ratings categories from Effective to Excellent with Distinction
• Performance Index: 85 percent of Mayfield students scored proficient or above.
• State Indicators: Mayfield students exceeded the Graduation Rate (94.2 percent) and Attendance Rate (95.1 percent). The district met 26 of the 30 indicators (86.7 percent).
• Value Added: Mayfield Schools made progress above what would be expected for the last two years, leading to the Excellent with Distinction rating.
• Adequate Yearly Progress: Mayfield Schools have met AYP for two consecutive years.
• The four state indicators Mayfield did not meet are 5th grade Mathematics, 5th grade Social Studies, 8th grade Social Studies; and 8th grade Science. In each of these areas less than 75 percent of students scored at the state proficient level.

While the top rating proves to be a significant measure of achievement, Mrs. Beatty is quick to point out that the state test is only one measure for Mayfield Schools.
“While we do pay attention to the results from previous tests and make every effort to address areas of concern, we do not focus on teaching the tests,” she said. “Mayfield teachers deliver a standards-based curriculum and use local assessment data to monitor progress throughout the year.”
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Ohio Department of Education Report Card Measures:
• Mayfield improved two ratings categories from Effective to Excellent with Distinction
• None of our schools are in school improvement because the district has consistently met AYP.
• Mayfield Schools are diverse – eight subgroups met AYP for two consecutive years at the district level.
• On the Ohio Graduation test, Mayfield students scored above the students from like districts on every test.

Mayfield Schools have initiated new literacy practices that strengthen students’ ability to access, understand and use information, making them better readers, writers and thinkers. Mayfield Schools continually evaluates all of its programs and resources to ensure the district is providing the education students need to become 21st century learners.