BY JOHN A. DARNELL JR.
      associate editor
      A review of the Ohio School Report Card recently-issued by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) shows the state agency gave the Boardman Local School District a #4 rating on a scale of 1 thru 5 (in other words a ‘B’).
      Among the shortcomings of the local district was instruction on American government at Boardman High School where the ODE gave the school a #2 (D grade) noting “significant evidence that the district fell short of student growth expectations”
      The ODE report card also says “the district fell short of student growth expectations by a larger magnitude in all grades in science, in fourth grade mathematics and high school biology.”
      When compared to the state report card filed in the school year 2003-04 (when the ODE declared the local system as excellent), the Boardman Local School District shows a decline in enrollment of more than 1000 students over the past two decades.
      According to statistics provided by the ODE, in the 2003-04 school year, enrollment in the Boardman Local Schools was 4,838 students, including 23.6 per cent who were deemed economically disadvantaged,
      Current enrollment in the Boardman Local Schools, as noted by the ODE statistics is 3,705 students, including 47.6 per cent who are deemed economically disadvantaged.
      The ODE gave Boardman Local Schools a 5-star rating for “gap closing” that shows how well schools are meeting the performance expectations for students in English language arts, math and graduation. Gap closing also measures how schools support English learners to increase language proficiency, reducing chronic absenteeism for all students, as well as identifying gifted students and providing gifted services.
      ODE gave Boardman Local Schools a 4-star rating for its graduation rate (95.8 per cent) and also for early literacy---exceeding state standards in early literacy in kindergarten through third grade.
      ODE also noted the Boardman Local School District has implemented a “positive behavior intervention and support framework in compliance with the Ohio Revised Code.”
      Of the school system’s total enrollment, 16.5 per cent of the population, or 611 students, have disabilities.
      Per pupil spending in the Boardman Local Schools is $10,605, below the average state per pupil funding of $11,896, the ODE said.
      Boardman High school received a 3.5-star rating from the ODE that noted enrollment is 1,146 students.