AKRON, Ohio – Akron Public Schools Superintendent David James delivered his final State of the Schools address Thursday, ahead of his retirement in June, in which he reflected on his 13 years in the role and previewed what’s ahead for the district.
James, speaking at a virtual Akron Press Club event, discussed the previous year of all-online learning due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The district last week began so-called “remote plus” learning to transition struggling students back to in-person learning first, with most students able to return to school on March 22, after teachers have been vaccinated. A district spokesman said about 80%, or 3,000, of the district’s employees have requested to get the vaccine.
“I want to thank our Board of Education members and our staff for working through this pandemic,” James said. “Everyone has been dedicated and flexible, showing the utmost concern for the safety of our students, staff and the community at large. For that, you have my eternal gratitude.”
Here are some other takeaways:
The district’s finances
At his 2020 State of the Schools address, James floated the idea of a putting a levy before voters for the first time in nearly a decade. And a few months later, the district projected a year-end deficit of $15.4 million. But by November, the financial report showed a revised deficit of $2.2 million, James said.
Some reasons for the change:
· The district avoided some expenses this year in transportation, fuel and utilities.
· More than $14 million in CARES Act funding was received, including $10 million in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds.
· Another $42 million is expected in a new round of ESSER funds included in the recent Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.
James said there is “much to consider” before seeking to put a tax issue on the ballot, including the costs related to returning to in-person learning, the district’s financial position at the end of 2021 and community support, including how taxpayers are affected by recent reappraisals.
More College and Career Academies, including for middle schools
Over the last four years, Akron has incorporated College and Career Academies into its high schools, with specialized tracks for students based on their vocational interests. The district has collaborated with about 360 businesses and other organizations to provide students with experiential learning and other opportunities, James said.
“With the support of Ford Next Generation Learning, the United Way of Summit County, the GAR Foundation, ConXus NEO, the Greater Akron Chamber, Summit Education Initiative, and our business partners, we are in the midst of a transformational change in our community,” James said. “Our students now have the opportunity to get exposure to the various career fields our local employers have to offer and will have a better chance to enlist in the military, enroll in college, or gain employment.”
On Dec. 9, Goodyear was named as an academy partner for Ellet CLC and the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM High School, bringing the district’s total to 12 named academy partnerships:
- Summa Health Academy of Leadership and Innovation at Buchtel CLC
- Huntington Academy of Global Industry and Designs at Buchtel CLC
- Bridgestone Academy of Applied Engineering and Technology at East CLC
- Key Bank Academy of Business and Health Services at East CLC
- Cuyahoga Valley National Park Academy of Global Marketing and Media at Ellet CLC
- Goodyear Academy of Applied Engineering at Ellet CLC
- Goodyear Academy of Advanced Technology and Design at National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM High School
- Three Kent State University academies at Firestone CLC: the Academy of Advanced Technology and Engineering, the Academy of Design and the Academy of Performing Arts
- FirstEnergy Academy of Emerging Technology and Design at Kenmore-Garfield
- Akron Children’s Hospital Academy of Health and Human Services at North High School
James announced Thursday the district will expand the academies to middle schools, to “promote a positive school climate, integrate social-emotional learning and shift instruction to an inquiry-based model,” using what James called “small learning communities.”
“And – different from the high school academies – in middle school, we rely heavily on nonprofit and philanthropic organizations to provide career exploration and service-learning opportunities.”
The Akron Community Foundation has helped lead planning sessions and provided money to launch the middle school academies, including money for a full-time staff person to coordinate middle school partnerships. The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation also has been a main funder, James said.
The middle school students will develop individualized plans to prepare for the high school academies, with options to take higher-level classes and earn high school credit while in middle school.
Metrics of student success
James said high school freshmen who end the year with 6.5 credits, at least a 3.0 GPA and who miss fewer than eight days of school are more likely to graduate from high school ready for college or a career.
From 2018 to 2020, the percentage of high school freshmen earning 6.5 credits increased from 41% to 64%; earning at least a 3.0 GPA increased from 26.1% to 29.1%; and missing eight days or fewer remains at 55%, James reported.
“Based on data from our most recent state report card, from 2019 to 2020, our four-year graduation rate has increased from 79.8% to 80.2%,” James said. “And for students enrolled in our career and technical pathway programs, their four-year graduation rate increased from 94.6% in 2019 to 97.8% in 2020.”
Students also earned more college credits this year – 9,297 – compared to last year’s 7,764, James said.
Akron students in 2019 earned 1,451 industry credentials before leaving high school, but that number dropped to 1,239 in 2020.
“And please remember that in March of last year, we switched to virtual learning,” James said. “In 2018, the number of credentials earned was under 100.”
Reflecting on retirement and looking ahead
James, who has worked for the district for 30 years, joked that he was planning on retiring after embezzling millions of dollars for a tropical escape.
“With the State Auditor’s Office looking at our book’s each year, I wouldn’t get too far with that one,” he said.
Janes said promised himself years ago that he would “try to lead with integrity and respect and not overstay my welcome.
“That, to me, is a very important aspect of leadership, you have to plan for and know when to exit,” he said. “No leader can be everything an organization needs, because over time, the organization changes and so does the leader. And with reflection, a leader will know when it is time to go, to turn over the role to another, so the organization can grow and achieve higher levels of performance. It’s not about the individual; it is about the collective.”
Some of his favorite memories, James said, are watching seniors cross the stage at graduation, attending the annual science fair, transforming schools into community learning centers and building new buildings. He spoke about his time as a student in Cleveland, memorizing times tables and state capitals, and how much the world has changed in recent decades.
“Today, and more importantly tomorrow, I believe our students need to be equipped to know how to solve complex problems that cross disciplines,” James said. “I am not saying that memorizing facts and figures is not important. What I’m saying is that what you do with that information is most important.
“The connections we make, the inferences we gain from analyzing data and finding solutions to our complex problems is what students need to know how to do.”