Ohio's newest state report cards place Lorain County school districts across a wide performance range, from top marks to ratings the state associates with needing support.
Lorain City Schools, Elyria City Schools and Clearview Local Schools each received 2.5 stars. Elsewhere, Wellington earned 3 stars and Vermilion and Sheffield-Sheffield Lake each got 3.5. Amherst, Firelands, Keystone, Midview and Oberlin received 4 stars, while Avon Lake, Columbia and North Ridgeville reached 4.5. Avon and Lorain County JVS both scored 5 stars.
Lorain superintendent Dr. Jeff Graham said the district is seeing its best ranking since 2011, though attendance, achievement and early literacy remain concerns. He pointed to progress in gap closing and career readiness, and the district released its own "Quality Report" this week.
Graham linked rating differences around the county to local socioeconomic conditions, saying average family income strongly predicts a school's result.
Lorain County JVS principal Megan Champagne attributed her school's second consecutive 5-star rating to practical training for in-demand jobs. Career and technical schools are graded under somewhat different state criteria, but JVS met or exceeded standards in every category.
Both educators noted that report cards capture only part of what happens in a school. The state describes the cards as a conversation starter rather than a complete measure of school success.