COLUMBUS — The 2019 Ohio School Report Cards released Thursday by the Ohio Department of Education show ongoing improvement statewide, continuing the positive trend seen in recent years. Academic achievement is rising across Ohio in many areas and with most subgroups of students.

“This year’s report cards show continuous improvement is ongoing and that, across Ohio, we are getting better and better at challenging, preparing and empowering each child,” said Paolo DeMaria, superintendent of public instruction. “We are seeing positive results from the focus on equity, partnerships and quality schools for all students. I applaud the hard work by students, teachers, parents and community members that has led to the progress we see. That said, we must keep pushing forward. We will continue to implement Each Child, Our Future, Ohio’s shared strategic plan for education, and keep looking for ways to more effectively serve the state’s 1.7 million students.”

Statewide highlights include:

• Student proficiency increased for the third consecutive year in both English language arts and mathematics. Overall proficiency rates increased by 0.9 percentage points in English language arts and by 0.6 percentage points in math.
• All student subgroups—including students with disabilities, students of color, and students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds—increased in proficiency in math and all but one improved in English language arts.
• Across the state, 56.3 percent of schools increased their Performance Index scores this year.
• The four-year graduation rate has reached a new high of 85.3 percent for the class of 2018.
• Approximately 9,125 more students in the class of 2018 earned dual enrollment credits compared to the class of 2017.
• An additional 2,711 students earned industry-recognized credentials this year.
• The number of students scoring remediation-free on the ACT or SAT increased by 2,045 compared to last year.

This is the second year in which districts and schools receive overall letter grades. The overall grade is calculated using results in the six components: Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Improving At-Risk K-3 Readers, Graduation Rate and Prepared for Success.

Nearly 80 percent of districts received a “C” or higher, with more than 30 percent receiving a “B” or higher.

Approximately 70 percent of school buildings received a “C” or higher.

The overall grades of 666 schools also improved from last year, with 86 of these schools improving by at least two letter grades.

In addition, 106 districts improved their overall grades from last year. Among these, 12 districts that earned an “F” last year, improved to a “D” (85 percent).

“I’m particularly proud of all the districts that have improved their overall grades,” said DeMaria, “I know they will continue their focus on improvement so they can continue to advance even further and ensure that every student is successful.”

Report cards are not the only measure of the success or accomplishments of a school or district. Visits to schools and talking with students, teachers, parents and graduates can paint a more complete picture of the educational experience. As a way to highlight each district’s unique qualities and attributes, the Department includes a link on the district report card to a district-created webpage containing more information. Visit https://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/ for more information.