Planning, preparing and adding are coming to Dublin City Schools in 2012.

The district might have to focus on funding and levy issues this year (see related story), but that won’t be all.

“We have to be very careful to not focus only on passing the next levy and funding issues,” Superintendent David Axner said. “We know there will be future cuts from the state and we know funding public schools will become more and more difficult. If we focus on that, we will fall behind academically.”

“What I feel going forward will be a big thing for us is maintaining a high level of achievement in light of the economic times,” Dublin Board of Education president Lynn May said. “We need to make sure we give our students everything we can to be successful in education, and I think everyone across the board would agree with that.”

According to Axner, education will still be the priority despite fiscal issues. In fact, the district is looking ahead with three-year strategic plans, with some having already gone before board members.

“Every single department is doing a three-year strategic plan. They should be complete by June,” Axner said. “Every single department in the district will have a three-year plan formalized to put us in good shape going forward.”

The district also will be preparing for future tests.

“Two main things we’re preparing for now is the advancement of a national core curriculum that’s coming through,” Axner said. “Forty-four states, including Ohio, have agreed to implement the core curriculum.”

The new Common Core State Standards will be phased in, starting with kindergarten and first grade.

“Along with that, we’re preparing for new state assessments that kick off in 2014 which will match the core curriculum we’re trying to implement,” Axner said.

Changes to testing will put state tests online, but they’ll also have students thinking differently.

“The idea with the curriculum is it will be less items to teach, but a deeper understanding of what you’re teaching,” Axner said. “It will be much more authentic as far as assessment.”

A more authentic assessment means students will have fewer multiple-choice questions.

“It’s more creative thinking versus marking a multiple-choice answer,” Axner said.

Also coming down the line for Dublin City Schools in 2012 is the addition of online learning.

“We are going to move forward going with much more online learning,” Axner said. “First, we’ll give students more opportunities to take an online class and two, to be a little more efficient with students and give them flexibility. That will be a major push in 2012 and (2013).”

One of the biggest opportunities for online learning will be at the high school level where some classes don’t entirely fill up.

According to Axner, the district can still run the class at its three high schools, but use one instructor. Using online education, the district can make the class available at all high schools.

“That’s what we want to do more of so a Latin class or a history class (or) an (International Baccalaureate) class could be taught at one building, but also be shown in two other high schools,” he said. “That’s what we’re moving toward.”

Online learning could help the district be more efficient, but it could also prepare Dublin students for the future.

“There’s no one going onto college right now without taking some online classes,” Axner said. “We just want to make sure they’re prepared.”

The district should have the capability to use online education by the summer, Axner said.