PERRYSBURG — Following the annual board of education retreat, members have decided to revisit their strategic planning, emphasizing data collection and analysis.

During a March working group meeting, the board decided to use Integrated Comprehensive Systems for Equity, at a cost of $63,250. It was the lower quote of two finalists.

“We have a lot of data, but we’re in our hamster wheels,” said Brent Swartzmiller, executive director of teaching and learning.

While Perrysburg’s English and math standardized testing data show the students test among the best in the state, breakdowns of demographic categories show that English learners, multiracial, Black, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged and students with disabilities each tested lower than the student average.

“We don’t have the time to put it all together,” board member Lori Reffert said of the large amounts of additional data beyond standardized testing results that’s collected across the district. “It’s not all rainbows and unicorns … the gaps are concerning.”

By “gaps” Reffert was referring to the demographic categories of students that were not testing as well as the average.

The data analysis concept emerged out of the board’s revision of the mission statement.

“Ensuring ALL students achieve their greatest potential” is the most recent version of the district’s mission statement, which was changed to include the word “all” using capital letters.

“The word ‘ALL’ placed in all capital letters screams that we need to reach each and every one of our very unique and diverse students,” Swartzmiller said.

Integrated Comprehensive Systems for Equity was previously used by the district to review special education services 10 years ago.

The firm is to provide a final report to district leadership for review and approval, which will then be shared with the board. The firm will also share a presentation of the report with board and address questions.

After the review process, the Ohio School Board Association will be back to begin a strategic planning process.

Additionally, Randolph Drewyor, Perrysburg Schools treasurer/chief financial officer, together with the board finance committee, is working on financial best practices.

The facility master planning process is also underway and the administration is engaging students, staff and community members with focus groups, while pulling data from district and state sources.

In other business, the board has moved the work session to 7 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month, starting in April.

Board member Kelly Ewbank made a motion to temporarily suspend the board policy that members must be physically present to attend meetings, which is now an option with the passage of Ohio House Bill 51.

The motion failed for lack of a second.

Reffert noted that the House Bill language permits the change, but that it is not required.