Illustration by Nadya Ustuzhantceva via Adobe Stock
To understand today’s education benchmarks, we have to go back in time. In 1965, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. ESEA’s most prominent feature was Title I, designed to help low-income students overcome the achievement and accessibility gap between them and their middle-class suburban peers. Johnson believed quality education was essential to overcoming the poverty gap.
Nearly 60 years since ESEA became law, education in the United States has transformed dramatically. Over the years, ESEA was reauthorized several times and amended by other legislation. In 2002, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was signed by President George W. Bush. NCLB attracted controversy, primarily because of strict accountability measures and subsequent penalties imposed upon schools. Schools were required to achieve “Adequate Yearly Progress” in reading and math, irrespective of any other curriculum areas.
In 2015, Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander introduced the Every Student Succeeds Act, or ESSA. Signed into legislation later that same year by President Barack Obama, ESSA was designed to address issues surrounding the practical application of NCLB, emphasizing greater control for school districts, community-determined measures for gauging performance, and more flexibility within the federal achievement framework.
Community members worked with their states to create those measures of accountability, to be submitted for approval by the beginning of the 2017–2018 school year. According to the National Education Association, a labor organization that was one of the leading forces behind the passage of ESSA, state accountability measures had to include: reading and math assessments, graduation rates, another statewide indicator of success for middle and elementary schools, English language proficiency, and at least one indicator of school quality and student support.
The latter indicator, referred to by the NEA as the Opportunity Dashboard Indicator, allowed for more flexibility in quantifying the sum value of a school district.
The 2017–2018 school year saw the first year of ESSA implementation. Individual states, including Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, have further fine-tuned ESSA regulations through additional legislation. However, COVID-19 knocked schools and districts everywhere for a loop. Indiana even paused its rating system due to the pandemic’s impact.
As the world stabilizes in a post-COVID era, so, too, do the classrooms of America. Each state in the Greater Cincinnati tri-state area currently uses different accountability ratings systems. Here, we offer a primer on what those systems measure—and what it all means for you and your student.
OHIO SCHOOL REPORT CARD
Ohio’s accountability measures for rating schools and districts were implemented in 2018. House Bill 82 further amended the accountability law, taking effect in 2021. This amendment changed the previous rating system used to assess Ohio schools from letter grades (A, B, C, D, and F) to a scale of 1 to 5 stars, 1 being the worst and 5 being the best.
RATING SYSTEM: 1–5 STARS
Formerly: A–F grades
Introduced: 2021
The overall star rating includes the following components:
- Achievement
- Progress
- Gap Closing
- Early Literacy
- Graduation
★★★★★ Significantly exceeds state standards
★★★★ Exceeds state standards
★★★ Meets state standards
★★Needs support to meet state standards
★ Needs significant support to meet state standards
A sixth component, Readiness, is included in the report data available online, but doesn’t contribute to the star ratings. Readiness encompasses college, career, workforce, and military preparedness. This component will be included in the report card for the 2024–2025 school year.
CALCULATION
For Individual Components
Each component has its own star rating and uses its own metrics, which are assigned weights to calculate the number of stars that component receives.
For Overall Star Rating
The points from each Individual component are added together using another set of weights. The result is the overall star rating assigned to each school and each district.
1. ACHIEVEMENT
Measures the academic achievement of students on State Tests, and whether that performance met established state thresholds. It assesses the level of achievement, not just proficiency, for students, but also tracks the percentage of students who scored proficient or higher on each Ohio State Test by grade level and subject.
Why It Matters
Knowing a school/district’s level of achievement helps you compare it to both the state average and other schools/districts.
2. PROGRESS
Measures the growth/ progress rates of groups of students year to year, using results from Ohio’s State Tests. The most recent school year’s growth is weighted higher than the previous school year.
A statistical analysis, the Overall Value-Added Progress Measure, measures growth/progress rates based on a growth index, which tracks whether expected growth/progress occurred, and the effect size, which tracks how much growth occurred compared to the whole state.
Why It Matters
This shows you how effectively that school/district can help your student grow academically.
3. GAP CLOSING
Measures how well performance expectations are met for students in different categories, including: Gifted Performance; Chronic Absenteeism Improvement; English Language Proficiency Improvement (specifically for English learners); Graduate Goals by Student Subgroup; English Language Arts and Math Achievement by Student Subgroup; and English Language Arts and Math Progress/Growth by Student Subgroup.
Why It Matters
By evaluating how well a school helps different student groups succeed, you can understand if the school/district provides a fair and effective education for all students.
4. EARLY LITERACY
Measures reading improvement and proficiency for K–3 students. How many students are proficient or higher on the reading portion of Ohio’s State Test for grade 3 English language arts? What is the percentage of third-graders promoted to fourth? How well are schools/districts supporting struggling readers to get on track?
Why It Matters
Foundational reading skills are crucial for academic success. Knowing how well a school/district helps young students develop those skills helps you determine whether that school/ district will set your kids on a path to success.
5. GRADUATION
Measures how successful a school or district is in getting a student to on-time graduation. There are two graduation rates assessed here: the four-year cohort, or percentage of students who graduated within four years of starting the ninth grade, and the five-year cohort, or percentage of students who achieved the same within five years.
Why It Matters
The percentage of students graduating on time is an indicator of the support students receive throughout their four years in that school.
KENTUCKY SCHOOL REPORT CARD
Kentucky Senate Bill 158 passed in 2020, further clarifying ESSA accountability measures for the state’s school report cards. Added to the report cards was the measure of “change,” which was not put into effect until the 2022–2023 school year. “Status” signifies current year performance and “change” indicates the difference between the current and prior year.
RATING SYSTEM: FROM LOWEST TO HIGHEST PERFORMANCE
RED—ORANGE—YELLOW—GREEN—BLUE
Formerly: 1–5 stars
Introduced: 2021
Six Key Topics Are Evaluated on the Report Cards:
- Overview
- Academic Performance
- Educational Opportunity
- Transition to Adult Life
- School Safety
- Financial Transparency
1. OVERVIEW
The total student body count and attendant demographics, and the percentage of students who drop out or repeat a grade. The total number of teachers and their level of involvement is assessed, as is parental involvement. Are students taught equitably? How many students participate in advanced coursework? How many are suspended or expelled, or chronically absent? How many computers are available? Is there sufficient WiFi access?
Why It Matters
All this helps parents get a sense of a school’s size, diversity, and overall feel.
2. ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
How are students progressing toward state goals? How are English language learners performing? How are students performing on the ACT college admission test? How prepared are students entering kindergarten? How are students performing in career and technical training programs?
Why It Matters
Detailed student population breakdowns by various categories can help you see if there are programs and resources to support your student’s specific needs.
3. EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Can students participate in Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or Cambridge Advanced International courses? Are dual credit enrollment opportunities available? Are there Gifted and Talented opportunities? What about students who want to participate in visual and performing arts, world languages, health education, physical education, or career studies courses?
Why It Matters
The breadth and scope of opportunities a school offers shows you how well it prepares students for the future.
4. TRANSITION TO ADULT LIFE
How prepared are students for what comes after graduation? How many students graduate from a given school? How many are participating in career and technical education opportunities, like apprenticeships, career pathways programs, or earning industry certifications? After graduation, how many students go into the military, college, or the workforce?
Why It Matters
What does your student want to do next? This measure shows if the school can support their aspirations.
5. SCHOOL SAFETY
School safety analyzes the safety of schools and districts. How safe are they? What kinds of behavioral events occur at a given school, and how are they resolved? What steps is the school taking to ensure a safe learning environment?
Why It Matters
Knowing how a school or district handles all manner of threats to student safety is paramount for parental peace of mind.
6. FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY
What is the current financial overview of a school? How much state, local, and federal funding does a district receive? What is the per-student spending by school and district? How much does the school spend on the learning environment compared with other budgetary categories? What tax rates impact the district?
Why It Matters
Understanding the amount of investment a school pours into your student is critical to gauging the opportunities they will have access to at that school.
INDIANA GRADUATES PREPARED TO SUCCEED
The Indiana Graduates Prepared to Succeed dashboard was introduced in 2023, per Indiana House Enrolled Act 1591. This act did away with letter grades in favor of a report card presenting key data points within five characteristics of success. There are 17 indicators that measure the progress on these characteristics.
RATING SYSTEM: NONE
Formerly: A–F grades
Introduced: 2023
The Five Characteristics of Success Are:
- Academic Mastery
- Communication and Collaboration
- Civic, Financial, and Digital Literacy
- Career & Post-Secondary Readiness: Credentials and Experience
- Work Ethic
1. ACADEMIC MASTERY
Academic Mastery refers to a strong foundation in core academic subjects like English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. It evaluates whether students demonstrate a deep understanding of these subjects, and if they can apply their knowledge effectively.
Why It Matters
You want to know that your child will receive a quality education that prepares them for the future. A strong academic foundation can set your child up for success in college or a career path.
2. CAREER & POST-SECONDARY READINESS: CREDENTIALS AND EXPERIENCE
This characteristic highlights the importance of being prepared for college and career paths. Do students possess the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to make informed decisions about their future, whether pursuing higher education or entering the workforce directly after graduation?
Why It Matters
Academic knowledge is important, but knowing what to do with it is also key. Parents want to know that a school is equipping their child with the necessary skills and knowledge for a smooth transition post-graduation.
3. COMMUNICATION AND COLLABORATION
This characteristic encompasses skills crucial for success in any field. Students clearly articulate their ideas, work effectively with others, and navigate diverse perspectives respectfully. They are able to establish relationships with a variety of individuals.
Why It Matters
Effectively communicating and collaborating are both essential life skills. This characteristic helps parents gauge how well a school prepares their student for real-world scenarios.
4. WORK ETHIC
A strong work ethic is essential for achieving goals and overcoming challenges. Graduates are equipped with the skills necessary for perseverance, dedication, and a strong sense of responsibility and balance in their academic and personal endeavors. They demonstrate self-discipline and independence, and are able to plan and organize short and long-term goals. They are adaptable, show integrity, and exhibit professionalism.
Why It Matters
Perseverance is necessary for achieving goals. You can assess how well a school helps your child develop the dedication necessary for success in college, careers, and personal endeavors.
5. CIVIC, FINANCIAL AND DIGITAL LITERACY
These literacies empower individuals to actively participate as citizens in their community, making meaningful contributions based on a strong understanding of systems and individual responsibilities as citizens. Students responsibly manage their finances and effectively navigate the digital world. They possess the knowledge and skills to become informed citizens, making sound financial decisions and utilizing technology safely and ethically.
Why It Matters
These “real-life” areas are important long after students leave the classroom.
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