Percentage of students earning an industry-recognized credential doubles over past year; graduation rates reach highest levels in more than a decade
COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Director Stephen D. Dackin announced the release of the 2024 Ohio School Report Cards, which highlight the achievement of districts and schools across the state and their efforts to prepare students for the future.
Summary of Ohio School Report Cards
Districts and schools receive overall ratings of 1-5 stars in half-star increments. This year, nearly 90% of districts earned overall ratings of three stars or higher, meaning they met state expectations for performance.
Districts and schools also receive star ratings in the categories of Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Early Literacy, and Graduation. Additionally, report cards include student-level proficiency rates based on the results of Ohio’s State Tests in English language arts, math, science, and social studies. Notably this year, English language arts proficiency showed significant improvement among elementary students, climbing in third grade (2.2%), fourth grade (5.2%), and fifth grade (3.1%).
“Our teachers continue to make great strides in building reading skills for students, and we believe we have the opportunity to continue improving in this area once all schools in Ohio become fully aligned with the Science of Reading,” said Governor DeWine. “We know the Science of Reading works because we know now exactly how the brain learns to read. This is especially important for our young children, because the earlier they are able to master reading, the better positioned they will be for success in every subject throughout their education.”
Under the leadership of Governor DeWine, DEW is carrying out a number of statewide initiatives to raise literacy achievement. Through significant state investments, including Governor DeWine’s ReadOhio initiative, more schools are using high-quality instructional materials aligned with the Science of Reading.
The report cards also include a report-only College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness (CCWMR) component, which measures how prepared the graduating class is to go on to postsecondary education, enter the workforce, or join the armed forces. Governor DeWine noted that this year’s CCWMR results showed that the percentage of students who earned an industry-recognized credential increased from 10.6% for the Class of 2022 to 19.5% for the Class of 2023.
“In one year’s time, we’ve gone from one-in-ten students earning an industry-recognized credential to one-in-five, which is also worth celebrating,” said Governor DeWine. “In just this one category, we have twice as many students who are graduating with a clear pathway to jumpstart a great career.”
Overall graduation rates are the highest they have been in more than a decade, with 87.9% of the 2023 student cohort graduating within four years and 89.1% of the 2022 student cohort graduating within five years.
The report cards also show an improvement in student attendance, with chronic absenteeism rates declining from the previous year, from 26.8% to 25.6%.
“Ohio’s school leaders, educators, staff, and families are dedicated to helping all students, and we’re seeing the results of their efforts with the progress made in early literacy, reduction in chronic absence, increased graduation rates, and the near doubling of students earning industry-recognized credentials,” said Director Dackin. “We have work to do in math and middle and high school literacy. This work is urgent because there are significant numbers of students who need additional learning supports. We remain resolute in our efforts to make sure every Ohio student is prepared for success.”
The 2024 report card guides provide an overview and explanation of the key components of each type of report card. Links to the guides are available below:
- Traditional Report Card Guide
- Career Technical Planning District Report Card Guide
- Dropout Prevention and Recovery Report Card Guide
Find the data for districts, schools, community schools, career technical planning districts, and schools that receive the dropout prevention and recovery report cards at reportcard.education.ohio.gov.
Everyone plays a role in the success of Ohio schools. Community members are encouraged to learn what’s happening in their local schools. Talking with parents and neighbors, browsing school and district websites, visiting schools, and meeting educators are among the ways to gain a complete understanding of students’ educational experiences. The Ohio School Report Cards are one part of this story detailing the efforts in learning communities throughout the state.