School report cards released

An annual report on Ohio school districts shows an overall improvement in schools within the four-county area. Ohio's Department of Education on Thursday released its school report cards for the 2022-23 school year. The annual reports assign grades to districts in the state in several different performance categories. The state uses data from state testing for much of the rankings, which use a five-star system with one star being the lowest and five the highest. This year, the state education department brought back its overall ranking statistic for districts — something it suspended in recent years to account for challenges districts faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, indicating a return to normalcy. Despite that return to normal, many students across the state appear to not be returning to the classroom. That's according to statewide chronic absenteeism statistics — which track the percentage of students who miss more than 10 percent of the school year. According to that data, about 27% of Ohio students were chronically absent last school year — a drop from the prior 2021-22 school year, which was at about 30% — but still a significant increase from pre-pandemic school years. For example, in the 2019-20 school year, only about 11% of students were chronic absentees. Defining the results The state education department assigns overall rankings to school districts based on a weighted average of rankings in the following categories: • Achievement: Represents whether students' performance on state tests met established thresholds and how students performed overall on tests • Progress: The growth all students are making based on their past test performances. • Gap Closing: Shows how well schools are meeting the performance expectations for students in English language arts, math and graduation. It also measures how schools are doing in supporting English learners to increase language proficiency, reducing chronic absenteeism for all students and identifying gifted students and providing gifted services. • Graduation: A measure of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and the five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. • Early Literacy: A measure of reading improvement and proficiency for students in kindergarten through third grade. According to a Register review of rankings for both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, most area school districts improved overall in one more more categories. Report card results Here is how area school districts ranked: Note: The following districts fall within the Advertiser-Tribune's and Review Times' coverage area. Crawford County * Buckeye Central: Achievement, 4; Progress, 3; Gap closing, 4; Early literacy, 4; Overall grade, 4 Hancock County * Arcadia Local: Achievement, 4; Progress, 2; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 5; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 4 Seneca County *Bridges Preparatory Academy: Achievement, 1; Progress, 1; Gap closing, 3; Early literacy, 1; Overall grade: 2 * Fostoria: Achievement, 2; Progress, 2; Gap closing, 1; Graduation, 1; Early literacy, 2; Overall grade: 2.5 * Hopewell-Loudon: Achievement, 5; Progress, 5; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 5; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 5 * New Riegel: Achievement, 4; Progress, 3; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 4; Early literacy 5; Overal grade: 4.5 * North Central Academy: Achievement, 1; Progress, 2; Gap closing, 3; Graduation, 1; Overall grade: 2 * Old Fort: Achievement, 4; Progress, 3; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 5; Early literacy, 2; Overall grade: 4 * Seneca East: Achievement, 5; Progress, 4; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 5; Early literacy, 4; Overall grade: 5 * Tiffin City: Achievement, 3; Progress, 2; Gap closing, 3; Graduation, 3; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 3 * Vanguard-Sentinel CTC: Achievement, 4; Career and Post Secondary readiness, 5; Graduation, 5; Post program outcomes, 5; Overall grade: 5 Huron County * Bellevue Schools: Achievement, 4; Progress, 4; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 5; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 4.5 Sandusky County * Clyde-Green Springs Schools: Achievement, 4; Progress, 3; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 4; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 4 * Fremont Schools: Achievement, 3; Progress, 3; Gap closing, 4; Graduation, 3; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 3.5 * Lakota Local Schools: Achievement, 3; Progress, 2; Gap closing, 4; Graduation, 4; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 3.5 Wood County * Elmwood Local: Achievement, 4; Progress, 1; Gap closing, 4; Graduation, 4; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 3.5 Wyandot County * Carey EV Schools: Achievement, 4; Progress, 3; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 5; Early Literacy, 3; Overal grade: 4 * Mohawk: Achievement, 4; Progress, 2; Gap closing, 3; Graduation, 5; Early literacy, 4; Overall grade: 4 * Upper Sandusky EV Schools: Achievement, 4; Progress, 2; Gap closing, 5; Graduation, 4; Early literacy, 3; Overall grade: 3.5 Source: Ohio Department of Education