State report cards: No Stark County school district earns a perfect score

Overview of Stark County School District Performance on State Report Cards

No Stark County area school district received a perfect score on the state's report cards, which evaluate how well Ohio students performed academically during the 2024-2025 school year. This is a shift from previous years when several districts in the area achieved top ratings. The report cards provide insights into various aspects of student performance and are used to guide improvements in education.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce released the report cards on September 15. Unlike the traditional A-F grading scale that students receive, the state uses a star rating system for school districts and individual schools. Three stars indicate that a district meets state expectations, while four and five stars mean the district exceeded them. One and two stars signify that the district performed below expectations.

School districts are rated based on six key components: achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation, early literacy, and college, career, or military readiness. The latter component was introduced this year as part of the overall rating, marking a new focus on preparing students for life after high school.

Changes in Ratings Across Stark County Districts

Last year, three Stark County districts—Lake Local, Jackson Local, and North Canton City schools—received a five-star rating. This year, they each dropped to a 4.5-star rating. Tuslaw Local Schools also maintained a 4.5-star rating. In contrast, Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools and West Branch Local Schools both earned a 4.5-star rating, showing consistency in their performance.

Stark’s largest districts, Canton City and Massillon City, saw no improvement from last year's grades, both earning 2.5 stars. Among the 23 Stark-area public school districts, nine saw an increase of at least half a star, with Sebring Local Schools improving from 2.5 stars to 3.5 stars. Seven districts experienced a drop of half a star, while seven others remained unchanged.

Brett Yeagley, superintendent of Lake Local Schools, expressed satisfaction with the results despite the drop in the overall rating. He highlighted the district's strong achievement score of five stars, which reflects student performance on state assessments. However, the district scored three stars in the college, career, and readiness component, indicating areas for improvement.

Understanding the Report Card Categories

Each category on the report card measures different aspects of student performance:

• Achievement: Tracks how students in grades 3-12 performed on state tests and whether they met state thresholds.
• Progress: Shows how much improvement students have made over time by comparing test scores from one year to the next.
• Gap Closing: Measures whether students of different races, income levels, and abilities meet state standards in English language arts, math, and graduation.
• Graduation: Tracks the percentage of students who graduate within four years of entering high school.
• Early Literacy: Evaluates how well the district supports struggling readers and student performance on third-grade reading tests.
• College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness: Assesses how prepared students are for post-secondary education, the workforce, or military service.

Performance of Specific Districts

Several districts in Stark County received notable ratings:

• Alliance City Schools earned 3 stars overall, with a 2-star rating in achievement and progress.
• Brown Local Schools received 3 stars overall, with a 5-star graduation rate.
• Canton City Schools had a 2.5-star rating, reflecting lower performance across several categories.
• Canton Local Schools earned 4 stars overall, with strong ratings in gap closing and graduation.
• Carrollton Exempted Village Schools received 4 stars overall, with a 5-star graduation rate.
• Dalton Local Schools had a 4-star rating, with a 5-star achievement score.
• Fairless Local Schools received 3.5 stars overall, with a 5-star rating in college, career, and military readiness.
• Jackson Local Schools and North Canton City Schools both earned 4.5 stars, showing strong performance across most categories.
• Lake Local Schools maintained a 4.5-star rating, with a 5-star achievement score.
• Louisville City Schools received 4 stars overall, with a 5-star rating in gap closing.
• Marlington Local Schools earned 3.5 stars overall, with a 5-star rating in gap closing.
• Massillon City Schools had a 2.5-star rating, indicating below-average performance.
• Minerva Local Schools received 4 stars overall, with a 5-star gap closing score.
• Northwest Local Schools earned 4 stars overall, with a 5-star rating in gap closing.
• Osnaburg Local Schools received 3.5 stars overall, with a 5-star rating in gap closing.
• Perry Local Schools had a 4-star rating, with a 5-star progress score.
• Plain Local Schools earned 3.5 stars overall, with a 3-star rating in college, career, and military readiness.
• Sandy Valley Local Schools received 3.5 stars overall, with a 5-star graduation rate.
• Sebring Local Schools improved from 2.5 stars to 3.5 stars, with a 5-star early literacy score.
• Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools and Tuslaw Local Schools both earned 4.5 stars, with strong performance in gap closing and graduation.
• West Branch Local Schools received 4.5 stars overall, with a 5-star gap closing score.

Implications for Future Improvement

While some districts showed improvement, many still face challenges in meeting state academic standards. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute noted a slight decline in statewide reading proficiency and an increase in math proficiency. Experts emphasized the need for continued efforts to improve education, particularly in urban school systems where achievement remains low.

These report cards serve as valuable tools for parents, educators, and taxpayers to understand student performance and identify areas needing improvement. As districts work to address these challenges, the focus will remain on ensuring all students are prepared for success beyond high school.