Lorain City Schools state report drops two levels from continuous improvement to academic watch

LORAIN, Ohio - Lorain City Schools state report dropped two levels from continuous improvement to academic watch. The district met only one standard out of 26.

One area of concern was eighth grade science where only 32.6 percent of students passed.

There are 7,000 students in Lorain City Schools.

Superintendent Tom Tucker, who has only been on the job eight weeks, plans to take a close look at how to improve the grades.

"It's going to take work, a lot of work. Our teachers are teaching, but we have to find ways to fix the gaps," Tucker told NewsChannel5 Wednesday afternoon.

Tucker said students who need the most help to earn a passing grade will get intervention with more one on one time with teachers to improve their education.

"Classroom size has been an issue, we have large classroom size," Tucker said, referring to student to teacher ratios in some classes.

Lorain has a 4.8 mill levy on the Nov. 6 ballot. Passing the levy would mean Lorain could go from offering half day kindergarten to full day kindergarten, and restore bussing.

This year, Lorain combined the old Admiral King High School with the renovated Southview High School, but that has created travel issues for many students who live completely across town several miles away.

Lorain has not passed an operating levy since 1992.

If the levy fails, schools officials said programs and jobs would have to be cut.

Next Wednesday, Lorain breaks ground on the biggest high school ever built in Lorain. The project is funded with a 2001 bond issue which has built 13 new schools in Lorain.

Among 97 school districts in the Cleveland area, two fell into academic emergency: Lorain and Cleveland.

On a related note, the district will hold a public hearing to give parents, guardians and other members of the general public, including those with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities, an opportunity for comment concerning the district's plans to utilize its IDEIA-B funds for the 2012-13 school year. The hearing will take place at Lorain High School Commons, 2270 E. 42nd St., at 4 p.m. on Oct. 25.

On the Web: Ohio Department of Education: http://1.usa.gov/WmYzLU