We are frustrated some members of the Hamilton County Board of Education, at least one state legislator and members of the community still do not understand the gravity of improving the district’s lowest performing schools.
For more than a decade, the state Department of Education has prodded, suggested, hinted, cajoled, wheedled and otherwise tried to convince local officials of the need to turn around schools where test scores show students aren’t making adequate progress in reading and math, are scoring below their counterparts across the state and have nowhere near the wherewithal to make it in college.
Local nods of heads have always followed these messages – yeah, yeah, we hear you – but the seriousness of the problem seems never to have taken hold.
Now, having known for several years that this failure would result in the schools being taken over by the state, local officials are still balking, pushing back and asking for more time.
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on your perspective, the time is up.