Evaluation of Akron Schools Leader is Short, Designed to Avoid ‘Spectacle’ of Previous Superintendent’s Review

July 11, 2024

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The evaluation of Akron Public Schools’ Superintendent Michael Robinson, conducted after his first year on the job starting last August, lauds him as a dedicated advocate for children and families. The assessment, spanning three pages and approved unanimously by the school board, consists of 517 words. It primarily follows a rubric format, featuring bullet-pointed comments that assess Robinson’s performance against Ohio superintendent evaluation standards and goals derived from the district’s Blueprint for Excellence.

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The evaluation of Superintendent Michael Robinson, totaling three pages and 517 words, contrasts sharply with the 26-page assessment of the previous superintendent, Christine Fowler-Mack. Fowler-Mack’s evaluation included detailed explanations and her responses. Following its public disclosure in July 2022, Fowler-Mack faced significant scrutiny and eventually departed from the district. School Board President Diana Autry emphasized that Robinson’s concise evaluation format aims to avoid repeating the controversy and spectacle surrounding Fowler-Mack’s evaluation.
The evaluation process for Superintendent Michael Robinson and Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Steve Thompson followed guidelines recommended by the Ohio Department of Education and involved a consultant from the Ohio School Boards Association. The feedback from these evaluations was distilled into documented summaries. While Robinson’s evaluation was made public, Thompson’s evaluation was not released despite requests from Signal Akron on both Monday and Tuesday.
In Superintendent Michael Robinson’s evaluation, he received praise for competently performing his duties and establishing positive relationships with community leaders. He was recognized for actively engaging with community members, including parents, to address their concerns. Board President Diana Autry specifically commended Robinson for his extensive communication efforts during Akron Public Schools’ redistricting plan, holding more meetings than required to gather community feedback. Autry highlighted Robinson’s visibility and the positive feedback received from residents as a result.
Feedback in Superintendent Michael Robinson’s evaluation included suggestions for him to strengthen collaborative relationships with community members, staff, school board members, and CFO Steve Thompson. The evaluation emphasized the importance of maintaining professional, clear, direct, respectful, and constructive communication. Robinson was encouraged to effectively inform and engage the public, highlighting the achievements of Akron Public Schools.
In Superintendent Michael Robinson’s evaluation, areas for improvement included developing innovative solutions for aging facilities. The assessment covered Robinson’s performance in vision, continuous improvement, communication, collaboration, policies, governance, instruction, student achievement, and resource management. Robinson was recognized for swiftly creating a strategic plan and gathering input, a process praised by Board President Diana Autry for its speed and focus, which she described as overdue and necessary for the district.
Superintendent Michael Robinson implemented several initiatives to enhance communication and recognition within Akron Public Schools. He centralized marketing efforts to improve internal and external communications, established programs like Principal of the Year and Teacher Feature, which received positive feedback for acknowledging teachers’ contributions. Robinson also launched literacy programs such as a book-of-the-month initiative, focused on improving algebra scores, and expanded pre-Kindergarten options to enhance student behavior and attendance. Additionally, he hired a labor relations director, assumed responsibility for facilities management, and provided professional development opportunities on policies and operations. These efforts were noted as significant achievements beyond specific outlined goals in his evaluation.
Superintendent Michael Robinson, who earns $240,000 annually, chose not to comment on his evaluation. In his statement, he attributed academic gains in the district to collective hard work and expressed commitment to continuing collaboration with board members, union leaders, teachers, staff, and community members to advance the district. Robinson expressed enjoyment of his first year at Akron Public Schools and appreciation for the efforts of the board and staff.
Robinson did not provide a written response to his evaluation, but discussions were held with board members before its approval. Board President Diana Autry emphasized their focus on supporting Robinson’s growth in his role, acknowledging the challenges and changes faced. Autry expressed confidence in Robinson’s leadership, stating they believe he is the right person for the position.
The evaluation did not establish new goals for Robinson; Autry mentioned that new goals will be set before the upcoming school year begins in late August.