Title
To urge the Ohio General Assembly to enact H.B. 67 to ensure students will not be penalized by State Assessments and kept from graduating high school during the 2020-2021 school year.
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council continues to support Columbus City Schools (CCS) and the District’s efforts to deliver the educational programs and services to the school children of the District; and
WHEREAS, the State of Ohio requires annual, statewide standardized testing in accordance with federal mandates; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has created instructional challenges and forced CCS educators and staff to quickly adapt to new practices during the 2020-2021 school year; and
WHEREAS, the administration of standardized tests may create additional, unnecessary health risks and challenges to some students; and
WHEREAS, the CCS District and its educators already conduct formative assessments - assessments that, during a pandemic, are far more helpful and accurate in addressing student needs; and
WHEREAS, the results of the statewide, mandated standardized testing will not be known until after the school year has ended and will be of little assistance to students or CCS District’s need to address any disrupted learning opportunities its students may face this school year; and
WHEREAS, education professionals in the CCS District and formative assessments are best able to assess those COVID-19 related needs; and
WHEREAS, Columbus City Council supports the efforts of the CCS District to ensure every CCS District student is able to succeed; now, therefore, be it
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: that Columbus City Council urges the Ohio General Assembly to enact H.B. 67 so that Columbus City Schools students, and students across Ohio, not be penalized by their inability to participate in state assessments in meeting requirements for graduation. Given the challenges of the past two school years, those students who have met or who are on track to meet the curricular requirements for graduation during these trying times be permitted to graduate this school year provided the principal, teachers, and counselor of each student believe that they are prepared to do so.