Each fall, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce releases report cards for public (district and charter) schools across the state. They’re one of the many ways families compare school options, often contributing to public funding decisions, and serve as an important metric by which we hold ourselves accountable to the community we serve. They also only tell part of the story. No single standardized test or rating can capture the successes of our students and our schools.
This year’s Ohio School Report Cards continue to demonstrate the strength of our students, educators, and school communities. I’m glad to report that both campuses meet Ohio’s state standards, outperforming nearly every public school (district and charter) within a 3-mile radius, and outperforming every large urban district in Ohio in 4th, 7th, and 8th-grade English Language Arts.
Here are some highlights worth celebrating from both of our schools:
Near West Intergenerational School ranked #2 out of 15 nearby public schools, behind only a selective school for gifted students. The school outperformed neighboring schools on nearly every measure, across grades and subjects, including 100 percent proficiency in fourth-grade math and 80 percent proficiency in both seventh-grade English language arts and math, qualifying the school for another three-year designation as an Ohio High-Quality Community School.
“Our team is proud of the strong results our students are showing across nearly every measured subject and grade,” said Interim Principal Shauntina Thornton. “We’re also always looking for ways to grow, and early literacy and gap closing is where we’re putting extra energy this year.”
The Intergenerational School – East ranked #2 out of 11 nearby public schools, with 8th-grade students ranking #1 locally in English Language Arts. The school’s overall rating increased by one-half star and demonstrated some of the strongest Gap Closing results on the east side of Cleveland.
“These significant gains belong to our whole community: our students, teachers, staff, and families who have stayed focused on growth together,” said Principal Aziz Ahmad. “We’re proud of how far we’ve come, and we know there is more work ahead, especially in early literacy. We are well poised to continue to improve.”
Just like the report card model we use with our own students, we treat the state’s report card as a tool for growth. Numbers are only part of what makes a school right for a family. Ours is a story about students learning at their own pace, in small, multi-age classes, in a community that spans generations. We’re proud of what both of our schools accomplished this year, and we remain committed to continued growth and improvement in literacy, mathematics, and science.