Ohio Senate panel OKs letter grades for schools - WICU12/WSEE Erie, PA News, Sports, Weather and Events

Ohio Senate panel OKs letter grades for schools

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A bill bestowing A through F grades on Ohio school districts, buildings and specialty programs has cleared its final committee hurdle in the Ohio Legislature.

The Senate Education Committee approved the bill Tuesday, after making a slew of technical changes. A full Senate vote is expected Wednesday.

The bill would give letter grades to school districts, school buildings, community schools, STEM schools and college-preparatory boarding schools based on more than a dozen performance measures.

Grades would be phased in to replace the current five-tier system of excellent, effective, continuous improvement, academic watch and academic emergency. No overall grades for districts would be given this coming year.

Community schools serving mostly academically challenged students would see a different scale developed.

The House passed an earlier version of the bill.

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