Columbus City Schools (CCS) students are achieving more than ever according to the latest data prepared for the Columbus City Schools Board of Education, the past year saw rising math scores, graduation rates above the Board’s annual goal, as well as a 15-percent increase in the Performance Index on the latest Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Report Card since the pandemic.
“Our students are responding when we invest in strong instruction and provide quality wrap-around support, and they are rising to the challenge of State testing,” said CCS Superintendent and CEO Dr. Angela Chapman.
“These gains reflect the determination of our students and the dedication of our teachers to ensuring our scholars can build the confidence and skills they need to succeed in school and reach their leadership potential.”
While great attention is paid to State testing reports, the District works diligently each year to address the Columbus City Schools Board of Education’s Goals:
- improving early literacy
- advancing mathematics achievement
- raising graduation rates
“Our Board of Education goals give us a clear direction,” Dr. Chapman added.
“They assist us in focusing resources and guiding curriculum where they’re needed most. At every level, the District is working toward these goals and metrics to show that students can learn, grow and truly succeed with the right support. These goals also help us continue to work toward State of Ohio requirements, despite on-going concerns about the way Ohio judges and funds our work.”
Columbus City Schools strongly believes that student success begins with literacy skills that equip students with the tools to comprehend information, ranging from reading word problems to interpreting real-world data. Confident readers tackle math concepts with greater accuracy and speed.
“Increased confidence and practice enable students to develop the critical thinking skills necessary for advanced coursework and college or career readiness,” said CCS Deputy Superintendent Kathryn Moser.
“Each step builds upon the next, leading to higher graduation rates and increased opportunities after high school.” The newly reported Performance Index Score for Columbus City Schools for 2024-2025 was 60.7, up from 57.1 the previous year. Progress around the Performance Index means more students are reading with confidence, solving tougher math problems, and walking into classrooms ready to learn. Families can see the difference at home, and students can feel the difference in themselves.
When measuring for the Index, every test required by the State of Ohio’s score counts toward the students’ and District’s final score. The larger the number of high-scoring students, the higher CCS’s score is. The 15-point rise from 45.4 in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic to 60.7 today demonstrates higher proficiency numbers across the 20 state evaluation tests.
“The Performance Index improvement marks a significant win for Columbus City Schools educators who work hard in classrooms every day. With every point gained in our Performance Index, we know students are learning and retaining more,” said Dr. Russell Brown, CCS Chief of Strategic Performance.
“This increase is a direct performance metric that matters because it shows us progress toward college and career readiness.”
Performance Index score increases lead to better scholarship opportunities, stronger college applications, and more options for student career pathways after graduation.
| One of the biggest successes of the past year was concerted efforts to focus on math skills, which are showing significant gains and directly contribute to the increase in the overall Performance Index. From elementary to high school Algebra I, scores increase across grade levels. This follows the implementation of new Districtwide math resources and professional learning, designed to give students consistent, high-quality instruction at every grade. Math Gains Since 2021-2022:3rd Grade: +10 percentage points4th Grade: +11 percentage pointsAlgebra I: +9 percentage points |
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| Graduation Rates are Trending Up To ensure all students are on track and making necessary gains, CCS established Matriculation Teams at each high school to work one-on-one with students to ensure they are on-track in their classes and credits required. “Through the focused work of our Matriculation Teams, we’ve strengthened instruction in classrooms,” said Dr. Corey Grubbs, Chief of Transformation and Leadership. “CCS is also providing early interventions when students show signs of risk so that we can alert families and staff quickly. This system allows us to work together to keep students engaged, supported, and moving toward graduation.” The steady improvement in mathematics is directly connected to the District’s Matriculation Team and its rising graduation rate, now at 83.2 percent. This growth reflects the benefits of targeted interventions, combined with the whole-child support students need to succeed. “By closely looking at our data, we are identifying ways to increase students’ sense of community and belonging,” Dr. Grubbs emphasized. “We know that when students feel connected and supported, they are more likely to succeed.” From counseling to career mentoring, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and family engagement opportunities, the District continues to build the wraparound services that keep students on track for graduation. “We are excited about the progress our District has made in increasing graduation rates,” Dr. Grubbs said. “This success reflects the dedication of our teams and the consistent wraparound support we have built to ensure every student stays on track.” The latest 2024-2025 Report Card shows that CCS graduates have surpassed the Board of Education’s established goals. Preliminary data from the Office of Strategy and Performance indicates that the positive trend continues, with the next report year’s (2024-2025) graduation rate projected to remain high at approximately 81.4%. These steady increases reflect the hard work of our students, who are preparing to enter the workforce, college careers, or career-technical programs right out of high school. “In the last report, we had an extraordinary 4% gain in the graduation rate,” Dr. Brown said. “We are pleased that the majority of that gain was retained and we will be working hard to keep exceeding our Board’s goals on this metric.” |
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