November 11, 2024 – Columbus City Schools (CCS) is celebrating a significant achievement this school year: 44 of our schools have been recognized as 3+ stars in the 2023-2024 Ohio Department of Education Report Cards. This recognition highlights the determination and commitment of our students, staff, and community as we continue to overcome the unique challenges of an urban district.
“I'm looking forward to seeing the continued growth in our students' academic success,” said Cedarwood Alternative Elementary School Principal Rodney Johnson. “[CCS] teachers are all in and they show up every day. There's not a day that goes by that I wouldn't encourage anybody from the outside to visit. You'll see authentic learning in every classroom, each and every day.”
Language Barriers and Financial Obstacles
Urban districts, like CCS, navigate obstacles that often differ from those of suburban or rural counterparts. Poverty, limited resources, and an increasing number of English as a Second Language (ESL) learners present hurdles in delivering equitable education. Despite this, our District continues to rise to the occasion, pushing forward despite challenges that arise.
"It's important that we understand that the number of new Americans we get into our district is a situation that grows each year," said Michael Sain, ESL director. "Our teachers at Columbus City Schools do an excellent job, but we also face some challenges. Our teachers are ready for that because we have, in our District, around 120 teachers who are prepared to work with the newcomers to CCS."
With over 10,100 students officially identified, ESL learners make up 20% of our student population at CCS. This number is growing daily, highlighting Columbus' role as a “port-of-entry” city for refugees and the ongoing demographic changes in Central Ohio. The increasing diversity in our schools brings both opportunities and challenges as we work to ensure each student receives the support they need to thrive.
Our Language Assistance Center has been pivotal in helping ESL families access the resources and support necessary for success. Last year, the center fielded nearly 45,000 calls and translated more than 400 documents, ensuring communication barriers do not hinder our students’ education.
CCS is utilizing professional development to equip both ESL and mainstream teachers with the tools they need to meet the evolving needs of our diverse student body. From culturally relevant teaching techniques to addressing the social-emotional concerns of refugees, our educators are prepared to create inclusive learning environments that support all students.
"What they might be seeing on the report card is not indicative of the progress our students in Columbus City Schools are making," Sain said. "[When students take] the state assessment for English learners, the four domains are scored one through five based on performance. Let's say this year [a student] scored two in the reading domain. Next year, data shows [the student] received another two and is not progressing. We have our internal data break the data down and [the student] is actually up to a 2.9, so progress is being made. So, you can't just look at what's on that report card and say that the students aren't making progress."
Meeting the SEL Needs of Students
Meeting students' social and emotional learning (SEL) needs is essential to improving school attendance and engagement, especially in urban districts. Initiatives like “Stay in the Game!” focus on building positive relationships and creating safe spaces that students want to be in. CCS leverages initiatives and partnerships to utilize the power of community in addressing attendance barriers, helping students feel connected and motivated to come to school.
“In response to our data, the first thing paramount from my perspective is ensuring that we increase our parental involvement,” Johnson said. “I asked staff to do programming to encourage parents to come into the building at least monthly and they responded to the call. [The parent involvement] has helped bridge the gap between home and school.”
By supporting students holistically, CCS ensures that students succeed academically and thrive emotionally and socially. While it is important to recognize that significant work remains, we are committed to addressing any obstacles needed to improve student outcomes.
Closing Achievement Gaps and Defining the Terms
The state report card provides a glimpse into our progress. Still, it doesn’t capture the full story of what students, families, teachers, and administrators achieve each year for our students and their families.
"There are many components to the gap-closing target," Sain emphasized. "All these metrics are wrapped into one, so when we have one star, we could have been at two stars, but let's say English learners could have scored better, then we could have hit the gap-closing target. Overall, you see, they're not making any progress, but you can't just look at that report card to see whether students are making progress or not."
One of the areas of focus that has been the most focused on is closing the achievement gap, particularly for our English language learner students. This year, 31 schools met their Gap Closing goals, an achievement that demonstrates our dedication to ensuring that all students, regardless of background, have the opportunity to succeed.
"Good things are happening, progress is being made, and students are learning," Sain said.
As we celebrate the schools that have earned 3+ stars on their report cards, we acknowledge the dedication of our educators and staff, who work tirelessly to support our students. This achievement is a testament to the collective efforts of the entire CCS community, from teachers to administrators and, most importantly, our students.
The Ohio Report Card assigns a star rating according to growth, progress, and academic achievement across key areas, which include:
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Achievement: This measures whether students met the required Ohio State Test standards and how well they performed.
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Progress: Considers how much progress all students are making within a building based on their past performance.
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Gap Closing: Tracks the progress in reducing educational gaps among student groups within a building in the following categories:
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English Language Arts Achievement
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Math Achievement
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English Language Arts Growth
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Graduation
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English Learners
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Chronic Absenteeism
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Gifted Performance Indicator
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Graduation: Metric for measuring the percentage of students who graduate within four and five years at the high school level.
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Early Literacy: Tracks how well kindergarten through third grade students are improving in reading and reaching proficiency in their grade levels.
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College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness: This is only valid for Career Technical Education (CTE) programs. It monitors how ready Ohio’s students are for future opportunities, such as technical training, jobs, or college.
Superintendent Dr. Angela Chapman praised the hard work of staff, students, and families.
“As a district, we are making meaningful strides,” said Superintendent and CEO of Columbus City Schools, Dr. Angela Chapman. “While the Ohio State report card provides data and numbers, behind every percentage point lies a story of growth, hard work, and dedication from our students and educators. This achievement reflects the tireless work taking place in our classrooms each day. Our educators, students, and families unite to overcome challenges, celebrate progress, and pursue excellence together.”
The Columbus City Schools that are meeting or exceeding state standards for the 2023-2024 school year include:
Alpine Elementary School – 4 stars
Avalon Elementary School – 3 stars
Berwick Alternative K-8 – 3 stars
Binns Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Broadleigh Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Champion Middle School – 3 stars
Cedarwood Alternative Elementary School – 3 stars
Clinton Elementary School – 5 stars
Colerain Elementary School – 3 stars
Columbus Africentric Early College – Elementary – 3 stars
Columbus Alternative High School – 4 stars
Columbus Prep for Girls – 4 stars
Columbus Spanish Immersion Academy – 3 stars
Cranbrook Elementary School – 3 stars
Dominion Middle School – 3 stars
Easthaven Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Ecole Kenwood French Immersion – 4 stars
Forest Park Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Fort Hayes Arts & Academic High School – 3 stars
Gable Elementary School – 3 stars
Georgian Heights Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Hubbard Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Huy/A.G. Bell Elementary School – 3 stars
Indian Springs Elementary School – 4.5 stars
Indianola Informal K-8 – 4 stars
International High School – 3 stars
Lindbergh Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Medina Middle School – 3 stars
North Linden Elementary School – 3 stars
Northgate Intermediate School – 3.5 stars
Northtowne Elementary School – 3 stars
Oakmont Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Olde Orchard Elementary School – 3 stars
Parkmoor Elementary School – 4 stars
Ridgeview Middle School – 3 stars
South Mifflin STEM Academy – 4 stars
Valley Forge Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Westgate Alternative Elementary School – 4 stars
Wedgewood Middle School – 3 stars
Whetstone High School – 3 stars
Winterset Elementary School – 3 stars
Woodcrest Elementary School – 3.5 stars
Woodward Park Middle School – 3.5 stars
World Language Middle School – 3 stars
“This recognition demonstrates their resilience and their belief in what we can accomplish as a school community,” Dr. Chapman emphasized. “We are laying the groundwork for lasting success—and it’s making a difference. At Columbus City Schools we believe in our students’ abilities and the bright futures that lie ahead of them. I applaud our students, teachers, and staff for their dedication and commitment to moving forward together.”
These achievements mark significant milestones for Columbus City Schools, reflecting our Dream Big and Achieve More theme this year! As we continue building a bright future for all students, we celebrate the hard work of our schools, staff, and students who contributed to this success. With a focus on sustaining this upward trajectory, this District will remain dedicated to ensuring every student in Columbus City Schools has the opportunity to excel.
