Nothing happened, and nobody really cared

   Written by: Matthew Deevers, PhD – Executive Director 

Ohio released the 2020 school report cards last month. Due to spring closures and the suspension of state testing caused by the pandemic, however, the report cards were nearly blank. The system of public accountability and school rankings just stopped.

Nothing was there. 

Nobody wrote an article highlighting top schools or condemning so-called failing schools. Nobody tacked up a new banner on the outside of a building. Nobody announced that another district would fall under state control due to persistently failing grades.

Nothing happened.

But nobody seemed to be waiting on the school report cards. Nobody was withholding opinions or forestalling decisions until they saw a school’s letter grade.

Nobody really cared.

They say the pandemic may be the end of the traditional workweek, or the business suit, or even the handshake. There are things we have been doing out of habit rather than necessity. I wonder if our system of publicly grading and ranking schools is a habit we no longer need.