COLUMBUS - Districts and schools throughout the state continue to make gains in student achievement as highlighted by the 2009-2010 report cards released Aug. 27 by the Ohio Department of Education.
Minerva Local School District was rated Excellent again this year, and Brown Local School District maintained its Effective rating.
In Minerva, the elementary school improved to Excellent, the middle school maintained its Excellent rating, and the high school was ranked Effective again.
Malvern's schools maintainted their rankings, with the elementary rated Continuous Improvement, the middle school, Excellent, and the high school, Effective.
"Educators, students, parents and communities should be proud of the promising academic gains we continue to see in Ohio schools," said Deborah S. Delisle, superintendent of public instruction. "More districts have earned a rating of Effective or higher on the 2009-2010 report cards, and no additional districts were ranked in Academic Emergency. I thank all of Ohio's educators for advocating tirelessly for students, encouraging them to take rigorous coursework and providing them with the supports they need to be successful in postsecondary education, careers and citizenship."
Nearly 88 percent of school districts and more than 68 percent of school buildings received ratings of Effective or higher on this year's report cards. Ohio saw the percentage of districts achieving a rating of Effective or higher increase from 85 percent in 2008-2009. Eighty-one districts and 305 school buildings earned the rating of Excellent with Distinction. This rating, which appeared for the first time on the report card in 2007-2008, is achieved by districts and schools that otherwise would have been rated Excellent but exceeded the Value-Added standard for two consecutive years.
"I have made it a priority to ensure that all Ohio students, regardless of their zip code, have access to a world-class education," said Delisle. "The fact that more districts are earning ratings of Effective or higher is an indication of the commitment educators across the state have to enhancing the teaching and learning processes."
Overall, Ohio saw a six percentage point increase in the number of performance indicators met. The number of performance indicators met by students statewide for 2009-2010 was 18 out 26 possible indicators, or 69 percent. The state achieved 19 out of 30 indicators in 2008-2009, or 63 percent.
The statewide average for all students' test scores, known as the Performance Index Score, has increased by 0.4 points, from 92.9 in 2008-2009 to 93.3 in 2009-2010.
The state made gains in the percentage of students proficient in third-grade reading; fifth-grade math; sixth-grade math and reading; seventh-grade reading; eighth-grade reading and science; and eleventh-grade math, social studies and science.
Ohio's graduation rate for 2008-2009 (the most recent year of available data) is 83 percent, which is a slight decrease from a graduation rate of 84.2 percent in 2007-2008.
"Although there is much progress to celebrate, we cannot forget any student who falls short of academic goals," said Delisle. "The link between education and the economy continues to grow stronger, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure all Ohio students graduate from high school with the skills they need to be successful.."
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