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Analysis Shows Link Between Test Results And Poverty Levels
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Despite various changes to state testing and district report cards, an analysis suggests there remains a strong correlation between the results and poverty levels in Ohio.
The Columbus Dispatch reports Howard Fleeter, an analyst for the Ohio Education Policy Institute, examined report card numbers for the past four years and found little change in the results.
Fleeter says Ohio’s school districts face a greater challenge when a majority of its students are economically disadvantaged.
Districts that scored 70 or less on the performance index measure – which accounts for student performance at different levels – had an average of 82 percent of students living in poverty.
The figures show that as scores rise, poverty drops. Districts that scored above 100 on the index had 9.5 percent average poverty.