Ohio is revolutionizing the way its schools measure student progress by adding itself to the short list of states using "value-added" technology. A Columbus-based non-profit, Battelle for Kids, has been conducting a pilot project using a value-added instrument in 42 Ohio school districts. The state has appointed a task force to work toward implementing value-added statewide by 2007-2008.

A major problem faced by many districts and states using value-added technology occurs when students switch schools, but Ohio is avoiding that problem by giving each student a number, allowing monitoring of a child's performance regardless of how many times he or she changes schools.

Ohio's system can also monitor the performance of individual teachers; however, no plans have been made about tying value-added to teacher performance and salary.