I don't presume to speak for the Worthington City Schools, but here's my take on what to learn from the recent alleged decline in the AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) rating of the district.

First, it's largely a sham and extremely misleading. The scores for our district are almost all better than ever - and in all categories.

Second, the scores are improving despite our community make-up changing significantly. Consequently, a one-size-fits-all approach to structure, curriculum, and instruction will no longer be sufficient. Our district leadership appears to know that or the scores wouldn't be improving. District leaders will likely continue to take steps to address our changing demographics. But along with changes in approaches to teaching and learning, it will take additional resources to do this well.

Third, before becoming alarmed at the announced decline, people must become informed about the system being applied to determine all this. ... While on one hand this system raises awareness of a legitimate issue of the varying needs of a diverse population, on the other hand it ignores so basic a factor as whether we are measuring the right things and in the right way. ...

Educators are and should be accountable for identifying, understanding deeply, and applying those practices that produce the highest level of student achievement for the most students. The leaders of the system are accountable for creating an environment that enables the identification, sharing, understanding and application of those practices. ...

Worthington is a good school district. But the one result of this little wake-up call may be the fact that being good is often the biggest barrier to becoming great. To become great, indeed even to stay good, this community will have to come together and recognize that its public school system is its most important investment.

Bob Barkley