COLUMBUS, Ohio – The release of the 2025 school district report cards on September 15 revealed significant improvements among various districts in Northeast Ohio. The East Cleveland City School District, once criticized for its persistently low test scores, achieved a notable milestone by raising its overall performance to a three-star rating, meeting state standards for the first time in years.
Several other districts in the region also demonstrated positive growth in their report card ratings, with many achieving increases in the star ratings that assess educational performance. Notable improvements include:
– **Cuyahoga County**: Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District improved to 3 stars from 2.5.
– **East Cleveland City**: Elevated its rating to 3 stars from 2.
– **Garfield Heights City**: Increased its rating to 3 stars from 2.
– **Parma City**: Achieved 4 stars, up from 3.5.
In **Geauga County**, both Painesville City Local and Willoughby-Eastlake City School Districts improved their ratings to 3 stars (up from 2.5) and 3.5 stars (up from 3), respectively.
Lorain County saw **Firelands Local School District** reach a 4-star rating, rising from 3.5. In **Portage County**, Windham Exempted Village improved to 3 stars, and both Field Local and Rootstown Local achieved 4 stars, up from 3.5. **Summit County’s Akron City** also made strides, increasing its rating to 3.5 stars from 2.5.
The report cards are primarily based on standardized test results from the previous spring, reflecting the ongoing recovery efforts in Ohio’s education system following disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. These results indicate a broader trend of improvement across the state.
Schools like Parma City School District attribute their successes to strategic initiatives in teacher professional development, particularly in the “science of reading” instructional approach, which emphasizes phonics and vocabulary. Teachers have focused on monitoring student progress continuously, enabling them to provide targeted support when necessary.
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools highlighted advancements in early literacy and closing achievement gaps. The measures taken assess graduation rates, absenteeism, and the performance of gifted students across various income, racial, and ethnic groups. Meanwhile, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District reported significant progress in both student growth and gifted education initiatives.
Firelands Local School District has implemented dedicated intervention periods, aligned curricula, and coaching for teachers in core subjects like English and math, further contributing to the overall improvements.
The progress in East Cleveland City School District is particularly noteworthy, marking a significant turnaround after two decades of low test scores and state oversight. The district has employed over a dozen strategies aimed at enhancing student performance, including tutoring sessions at various times and linking lessons to students’ personal interests.
As districts across Ohio continue to recover from pandemic-related learning losses, the improvements reflected in this year’s report cards signal a hopeful direction for education in the region. The commitment to innovative teaching methods and targeted support appears to be yielding positive results, setting a promising foundation for future academic growth.
