The Plain Dealer

1/29/2008

Scott Stephens

Plain Dealer Columnist

All children might be created equal.

But when it comes to access to qualified teachers, money talks.

That’s according to a new University of Missouri study that finds poor children simply don’t have as much access to qualified teachers as affluent students. In fact, compared to 46 countries, the United States has the fourth-largest gap in teacher access.

Equally troubling: The study found high-achieving countries have a larger percentage of students taught by highly qualified teachers than low-achieving countries.

“When students are not taught by highly qualified teachers, their opportunity to learn is considerably lower,” said Motoko Akiba, assistant professor of educational leadership and policy analysis at Missouri.

Distinguished schools:

Five Solon schools and four North Olmsted schools were among 96 schools statewide to be named 2006-07 “Schools of Distinction.”

In all, 26 schools from Northeast Ohio got the honor and will receive a banner to drape across their front door from the Ohio Department of Education.

Chagrin Falls High School is one of four schools in the state to make the list for the third straight year.

“These schools also set high expectations for their students, including students with disabilities, and enlist parents and community members in adopting a whatever-it-takes’ attitude to help children learn,” said State Superintendent Susan Tave Zelman.

At least 75 percent of all students at the schools, including students with disabilities, scored proficient or above on state tests in reading and mathematics last year.

For a county-by- county list of the schools, go to ode.state .oh.us and search “Schools of Distinction.”

Plugged in:

Cleve land Heights-Univer sity Heights Superin tendent Deborah Delisle has been named one of the 10 tech-savvy superinten dents of the year by eSchool News.

The awards have been given since 2001 to superintendents demonstrating innovative and effective use of technology in their districts.

Among the district’s many initiatives is a program started this year that will eventually provide laptops for students in grades 6-12.

Delisle and the other superintendents receiving the award will be honored with a plaque and a story in the eSchool News’ February print edition.

High notes:

The Brunswick High School band is one of two bands in the state selected to perform at this year’s Ohio Music Education Association annual conference.

All of the state’s schools are invited to submit an audition recording of the band’s performances. In 2007, 175 schools submitted audition recordings. The recordings were screened through a blind audition process by a panel of professional musicians.

The band will travel to Cincinnati’s Duke Energy Convention Center to perform this feature concert Feb. 8. In addition to the one-hour concert, the band has been specifically requested by Los Angeles composer Steve Hommel to perform his compositions as part of a clinic for teachers at the conference.

The band will perform six major compositions.

You can preview the concert at a free performance on Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. at Brunswick United Methodist Church.

Plain Dealer reporter Angela Townsend contributed to this column.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

sstephens@plaind.com, 216-999-4827

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