How did southwest Ohio schools do on state report cards?
Most southwest Ohio school districts met or exceeded state standards last school year, according to report card ratings that were released Thursday morning.
But seven of the region's 49 districts fell short: Winton Woods City Schools, Lockland Local Schools, New Miami Local Schools, Cincinnati Public Schools, Middletown City Schools, Mt Healthy City Schools and North College Hill City Schools.
You can find scores for individual CPS schools by clicking or pressing here. A database of every school district's ratings can be found at the bottom of this story.
State report cards: How did your district do on Ohio state report cards? Here's how to read the results
This is the first year since the COVID-19 pandemic that the state has released overall ratings for its public schools. Last year it rated the schools only based on five components: achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation and early literacy. The state rated schools on those categories this year, too, in addition to providing overall star ratings.
Schools can score up to five stars overall and in the individual components. A three-star rating indicates the school or district met state standards. More than three stars means the school or district exceeded state standards, and below three stars means they fell short of state expectations.
Here's a short explainer on what those categories mean:
Achievement − student performance on state tests and whether they met established state thresholds, for grades 3-12.
Progress − the growth of all students by comparing last year's state test scores to their performance on previous state tests.
Gap closing − looks at several data points to assess whether student subgroups based on race, ability and economic status are meeting state standards.
Graduation − the four-year and five-year adjusted cohort graduation rates.
Early literacy − information from third grade reading tests, fourth grade promotions and literacy improvement from kindergarten to third grade.
Five-star overall ratings went to 11 local school districts: Loveland City Schools, Madeira City Schools, Mariemont City Schools, Sycamore Community City Schools, Wyoming City Schools, Indian Hill Exempted Village Schools, Ross Local Schools, Forest Hills Local Schools, Springboro Community City Schools, Mason City Schools and Wayne Local Schools.
As a region, school districts struggled the most in meeting state standards for progress and early literacy. Of the 49 districts in Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren counties, 37% did not meet state expectations for progress and 29% didn't meet state expectations for early literacy.
The region had about 20% of districts fall below state achievement standards and 18% fall below in graduation, according to state data.
As a region, all four of those categories saw improvements since last year's ratings, with more districts rising to meet and exceed state standards.
Only 10%, or five districts, fell below state gap closing standards: New Miami Local Schools, Winton Woods City Schools, Middletown City Schools, Lockland Local Schools and North College Hill City. Winton Woods and Middletown are new to the list this year, having met this state standard last year.
Mount Healthy City Schools and Cincinnati Public Schools were on that list last year but scored three stars this year in gap closing. That was the only component for which CPS met state standards this year.
The Enquirer took a look at report cards for the region's top 10 largest districts after Cincinnati Public Schools: Lakota Local Schools, Mason City Schools, Hamilton City Schools, Fairfield City Schools, Northwest Local Schools, West Clermont Local Schools, Oak Hills Local Schools, Forest Hills Local Schools, Milford Exempted Village Schools and Springboro Community City Schools.
Here's what we found.
Lakota Local Schools
Lakota Local Schools is the second largest district in the region and the eighth largest school system in Ohio, serving nearly 17,000 students in 22 schools in Butler County. Nearly 60% of Lakota's students are white and about 24% are economically disadvantaged.
State data shows 16% of Lakota's students were chronically absent, which means they missed 18 days or more of classes, regardless of excused absences. Those rates were more than 24% for Hispanic students and students with disabilities, and more than 27% for economically disadvantaged students.
The average teacher salary at Lakota is $80,005, according to state data.
The district's graduation rate, which correlates to 2022 graduates, exceeded state standards at 94.6%.
Here's how the state rated Lakota. Each category is out of five stars:
Overall − three-and-a-half stars.
Achievement ‒ four stars.
Progress ‒ two stars.
Gap closing ‒ four stars.
Graduation ‒ four stars.
Early literacy ‒ three stars.
Mason City Schools
Mason City Schools is the largest school district in Warren County, serving nearly 9,900 students in four school buildings. Half of the district's students are white and a little more than 10% are economically disadvantaged. One-third of Mason's students are Asian or Pacific Islander.
Nearly one-third of Mason's students were considered chronically absent last school year. In the 2021-22 school year, none of Mason's students were considered chronically absent.
The district's average teacher salary is $90,764, according to state data. And the district had a 97.7% graduation rate for 2022 graduates.
Here's how the state rated Mason City Schools:
Overall − five stars.
Achievement ‒ five stars.
Progress ‒ four stars.
Gap closing ‒ five stars.
Graduation ‒ five stars.
Early literacy ‒ three stars.
Hamilton City Schools
Hamilton City Schools serves more than 9,000 students in 12 schools in Butler County. About 57% of the district's students are white and all of its students are considered economically disadvantaged.
The district upped its graduation rate from 79.4% in the 2021-22 school year to 82% this spring.
Teachers at Hamilton City Schools make an average salary of $61,451. Those teachers have an average of nine years of experience, whereas other districts in the region have more experienced teachers. Mason City Schools, for example, has teachers with an average of 17 years of experience.
Here's how the state rated Hamilton City Schools:
Overall − three-and-a-half stars.
Achievement ‒ three stars.
Progress ‒ four stars.
Gap closing ‒ four stars.
Graduation ‒ one star.
Early literacy ‒ one star.
Fairfield City Schools
There were nearly 8,900 students enrolled at Fairfield City Schools' 10 school buildings last year, according to state data. The district's students are 45% white and about 24% Black, and nearly half of all students are economically disadvantaged.
The district had a graduation rate of 92.3% and chronic absenteeism rate of 22%.
Its teachers make an average salary of $69,144 and have an average of 15 years of experience.
Here's how the state rated Fairfield City Schools:
Overall − three-and-a-half stars.
Achievement ‒ three stars.
Progress ‒ three stars.
Gap closing ‒ five stars.
Graduation ‒ three stars.
Early literacy ‒ three stars.
Northwest Local Schools
Northwest Local Schools is the second largest school system in Hamilton County after Cincinnati Public Schools. It serves more than 8,000 students in 11 schools. About 40% of the district's students are white, nearly 36% are Black and more than three-fourths of the student body is economically disadvantaged.
More than 36% of students were chronically absent last year. Rates for students with disabilities were worse, nearly 47%.
The average teacher salary in the district is $70,391. Last year's graduation rate was 92.6%.
Here's how the state rated Northwest Local Schools:
Overall − three stars.
Achievement ‒ two stars.
Progress ‒ two stars.
Gap closing ‒ four stars.
Graduation ‒ four stars.
Early literacy ‒ two stars.
West Clermont Local Schools
The largest school system in Clermont County, West Clermont Schools serves about 7,700 students in nine schools. About 84% of the district's students are white and more than one-third of the student body is economically disadvantaged.
Nearly one-third of West Clermont's students were chronically absent last school year. Among the district's economically disadvantaged students, more than 44% were chronically absent.
The average teacher salary in the district is $66,014. Last year's graduation rate was 89.8%.
Here's how the state rated West Clermont Local Schools:
Overall − four stars.
Achievement ‒ three stars.
Progress ‒ four stars.
Gap closing ‒ four stars.
Graduation ‒ three stars.
Early literacy ‒ three stars.
Oak Hills Local Schools
Oak Hills serves more than 7,300 students in nine schools in Hamilton County. Most students in the district are white and 28.6% are economically disadvantaged.
The district's graduation rate was 95.5% and its chronic absenteeism rate was 26%. Economically disadvantaged students were more likely to be chronically absent, with rates nearing 41%.
Teachers in the district make, on average, $82,862 and have an average of 14 years of experience.
Here's how the state rated Oak Hills Local Schools:
Overall − four stars.
Achievement ‒ four stars.
Progress ‒ two stars.
Gap closing ‒ five stars.
Graduation ‒ four stars.
Early literacy ‒ three stars.
Forest Hills Local Schools
Forest Hills serves more than 7,000 students in nine schools in Hamilton County. Most of the district's students are white and about 12% are economically disadvantaged.
The district had a chronic absenteeism rate of 12.6% last school year, which was much worse for students who are economically disadvantaged. Students in that category had a chronic absenteeism rate of nearly 30%.
The district pays its teachers, on average, $83,789. Its graduation rate last year was 96.2%
Here's how the state rated Forest Hills Local Schools:
Overall − five stars.
Achievement ‒ five stars.
Progress ‒ four stars.
Gap closing ‒ five stars.
Graduation ‒ five stars.
Early literacy ‒ five stars.
Milford Exempted Village Schools
Milford is the second largest school system in Clermont County, serving about 6,100 students in 10 school buildings. Most of the district's students are white and nearly 19% are economically disadvantaged.
The district's chronic absenteeism rate was about 19% last school year. Those rates were much higher for Black and economically disadvantaged students, at 26.8% and 34.5%, respectively.
The average teacher salary in the district is $76,848. Last year's graduation rate was 97.6%
Here's how the state rated Milford Exempted Village Schools:
Overall − four-and-a-half stars.
Achievement ‒ four stars.
Progress ‒ four stars.
Gap closing ‒ five stars.
Graduation ‒ five stars.
Early literacy ‒ three stars.
Springboro Community City Schools
Springboro Schools serves more than 5,700 students in six Warren County school buildings. Most of the district's students are white and less than 9% are economically disadvantaged.
The district's graduation rate was 98.8% last school year and its chronic absenteeism rate was 9.4%.
Teachers in the district make, on average, a salary of $71,291 and have an average of 16 years of experience.
Here's how the state rated Springboro Community City Schools:
Overall − five stars.
Achievement ‒ five stars.
Progress ‒ five stars.
Gap closing ‒ five stars.
Graduation ‒ five stars.
Early literacy ‒ three stars.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio report cards: Most southwest Ohio schools are meeting standards
