State report card: Cincinnati Public Schools does not meet state standards
Cincinnati Public Schools scored a two-star overall rating on its newly released report card, indicating the district does not meet state standards. This is the first year since the COVID-19 pandemic that the Ohio Department of Education has released overall ratings for schools and districts.
CPS is the largest district in southwest Ohio and the second largest school system in the state. It serves more than 35,000 students in more than 60 schools. It is a majority-minority district with nearly 61% of students identifying as Black and nearly 81% considered economically disadvantaged.
A database of the district's schools and their state report card ratings can be found at the end of this story, or by clicking or pressing here.
Ohio's rating system, which was implemented last year, awards up to five stars in five categories: achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation and early literacy.
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.
This year there are also overall ratings up to five stars. In general, 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.
Three CPS schools scored five stars overall: Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, Rising Stars at Carthage and Walnut Hills High School.
Hyde Park School and Kilgour School were close with four-and-a-half overall star ratings.
But 27 of the district's 61 rated schools received overall ratings with less than three stars.
“Today’s report card from the Ohio Department of Education is one measure our team will use as we implement our strategic priorities to improve student outcomes," Superintendent Iranetta Wright said in a Thursday press release. "We are committed to supporting the whole child, and together with our educators, parents, and community, we will work diligently to ensure a brighter future for our students."
District profile: Cincinnati Public Schools
CPS teachers, on average, have 15 years of experience and make on average nearly $77,600, the updated data shows.
The district's students had a chronic absenteeism rate of 46% last school year, which was worse for Black students, economically disadvantaged students and students with disabilities. Students who miss 18 days or more of classes, regardless of excused absences, are considered chronically absent.
Gap closing was the only component for which the district met state standards, scoring three stars. For achievement and progress, CPS scored two stars and for graduation and early literacy, CPS scored one star. Last year, the district scored two stars in every category but graduation, on which it scored one star.
“Our district’s performance on the Ohio Department of Education Report Card demonstrates a path toward academic growth. I am encouraged to see gains in several performance indicators and the gap closing component,” Wright said. “While proud of progress, it’s clear we are still recovering from the pandemic. The district is focused on implementing our priorities as they will appear in our strategic plan, which will guide our work to achieve our board’s approved goals and guardrails to improve student performance.”
CPS schools score low ratings for graduation rates and early literacy
Only one of the district's schools scored five stars for early literacy: Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students. Hyde Park School, Kilgour School and Clifton Area Neighborhood School scored four stars in that category. Seven other CPS schools that teach young learners met state standards in the category and scored three stars.
But the majority of CPS's 47 schools that teach elementary grades were below state standards for early literacy. Nineteen CPS schools scored one star in the category, and 17 schools scored two stars.
Graduation rates at the majority of CPS schools were also not up to state standards. While the School For Creative and Performing Arts, Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, Walnut Hills High School and Clark Montessori High School received five stars for graduation, only two other schools met state standards in the category: Hughes STEM High School and Shroder High School.
The remaining 11 CPS high schools scored one or two stars for graduation.
Five-star ratings at CPS schools
Five-star ratings at CPS schools were few and far between on this year's report card, as they were last year. Besides the overall five-star ratings and five-star ratings for graduation and early literacy already mentioned above, the following CPS schools scored five stars for achievement:
Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students.
Walnut Hills High School.
Hyde Park School.
Kilgour School.
The following CPS schools scored five stars for progress:
Covedale School.
Carson School.
Frederick Douglass School.
Leap Academy at North Fairmount.
And the following CPS schools scored five stars for gap closing:
Rising Stars at Carthage.
Covedale School.
Frederick Douglass School.
Walnut Hills High School.
School For Creative and Performing Arts.
John P. Parker School.
Hyde Park School.
Kilgour School.
Fairview-Clifton German Language School.
George Hays-Jennie Porter School.
Rockdale Academy.
Chase School.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Report card: Cincinnati Public Schools does not meet state standards
