Monday, June 25, 2012

Watchdog Reporting: Columbus Dispatch: Columbus school district’s attendance data ‘not logical’

From AP's weekly report on Watchdog Journalism

The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reports that while Columbus fifth-graders come to school nearly every day, roughly half of them can’t pass their math, reading and science exams. Linden-McKinley STEM Academy has had near-perfect attendance for the past three school years. But only 54 percent of Linden-McKinley students graduate, and fewer than 2 in 5 can pass the state science exam on the first try. If showing up is half the battle in helping students succeed, why aren’t more Columbus schools winning? It’s a question raised in the wake of allegations that Columbus schools retroactively alter students’ attendance data, which could affect their standing on the state-issued school report cards. Student attendance rates are among the benchmarks used to determine school and district quality.

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