Rate of districts exceeding state expectations is 9 in 10

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(The Center Square) – On Monday, public school districts in Ohio brought home their report cards.

State law requires the annual evaluation, “to provide parents, caregivers, community members, educators, and policymakers information about district and school performance – to celebrate successes and identify areas for improvement,” the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce said in a statement.

Unlike most student report cards in Ohio which range from A to F, districts are rated with stars on a scale of one to five, with half-star increments. The report cards released Monday were based on 2024 data.

“This year, more than 90% of districts earned overall ratings of three stars or higher, meaning they met or exceeded state expectations for performance,” the state said in a news release.

The state considers six factors in the ratings: achievement; progress; gap closing; early literacy; graduation; and college, career, workforce, and military readiness.

“I applaud the continued dedication from school leaders, educators, and staff who are working hard to provide Ohio students the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life,” second-term Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. “We must keep working to ensure our students grow in all areas of academic achievement and career readiness. This is especially important as schools strengthen literacy instruction through the Science of Reading and as we continue investing in opportunities that prepare students for their futures after graduation.”

Math achievement hit a five-year high. English language arts proficiency had a slight decline.

“As schools adjust to new materials and instructional practices aligned to the Science of Reading, brief shifts in performance are a normal and expected part of the process,” the state said.

For the third year in a row, chronic absenteeism dropped and is now the lowest since the COVID-19 era.

“The Ohio School Report Cards are never an end point, but a building block for data-driven decisions that guide where to focus state and local resources, and, most importantly, how best to support Ohio students," Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen Dackin said in a statement.

The state’s largest school district, Columbus, receive a two-star rating, which means it “needs support to maintain state standards,” according to the report card.

“Our students are responding when we invest in strong instruction and provide quality wrap-around support, and they are rising to the challenge of state testing,” Superintendent and CEO Dr. Angela Chapman said in a statement. “These gains reflect the determination of our students and the dedication of our teachers to ensuring our scholars can build the confidence and skills they need to succeed in school and reach their leadership potential."