Lakewood’s Grant Elementary Named Ohio School of Promise

[Betsy Voinovich]

Wow, great news for Grant School.

From Christine Gordillo:

Lakewood’s Grant Elementary Named Ohio School of Promise

School Honored for Success in Closing Achievement Gap in Math & Science

Grant Elementary is one of an elite group of schools in the state to be named a School of Promise by the Ohio Department of Education for its efforts in closing the achievement gap among students during the 2102-2013 school year. Only six schools in Cuyahoga County and 141 in the state have been given this significant award.

As an incentive to help close achievement gaps in Ohio, the Ohio Department of Education developed the Schools of Promise program to identify, recognize and highlight schools that are making substantial progress in ensuring high achievement in reading and math for all students, many from economically disadvantaged homes.

Roxann Ramsey-Caserio, the district’s Director of Teaching & Learning K-12 and last year’s principal at Grant, attributed the school’s success to “teacher collaboration and setting forth a positive learning environment for all students. Ramsey-Caserio cited teachers sharing best practices and using data to make decisions on personalized instruction as part of the backbone for success. “Grant also has a phenomenal and very professional staff,” she added.

Schools of Promise must have a 75 percent or better average proficiency rate on the Ohio Achievement Assessments and the Ohio Graduation Tests for the 2012-13 school year. Grant’s rates ranged from 80 percent to 100 percent among third through fifth grade math and reading. Schools must also have: a 75 percent proficiency rate in two subgroups; an A or B grade for their annual measurable objective (AMO) for narrowing performance gaps between groups of students on the local school report card; an A, B, or C progress grade on the local school report card. The schools must also serve 40 percent or more economically disadvantaged students.

Dr. Richard A. Ross, Superintendent of Public Instruction for the state, said Schools of Promise “overcome challenges, sometimes significant challenges, to provide a high-quality education to Ohio children.“ In a letter to current Grant Principal Philis Muth, Ross stated that “Grant Elementary is proving every day that failure is not an option for any student.”

Congratulations, Grant!

Betsy Voinovich