District Report Card

Ohio District and School Report Cards

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) annually issues report cards for each Ohio school district and each Ohio school. The report cards look back on a school year and provide information on such areas as students’ performance on statewide tests, graduation rates and early literacy rates.

To see current and prior report cards for individual schools within Cincinnati Public Schools, visit the Ohio Department of Education's website: https://reportcard.education.ohio.gov/

Understanding the 2025–26 CPS State Report Card

Ohio released its 2025–26 State Report Card, which provides information about how students and schools are performing across several areas.

Here’s what the results mean for Cincinnati Public Schools and, more importantly, what they mean for our students.

ODEW Report Card 

The big picture

CPS earned three stars overall, up from 2.5 stars in each of the previous two years. CPS also earned four stars in Progress, a two-star increase from the prior year, and three stars in Gap Closing, up from two stars.

Progress measures how much academic growth students made compared with what was expected based on their previous performance.

Think of it this way: Achievement tells us where students are. Progress tells us how far they moved forward.

The four-star Progress rating shows that CPS students made greater academic gains than expected based on where they started.

That growth reflects the work of teachers, school leaders, students and families, including using student data to identify needs and provide targeted instruction, intervention, enrichment and whole-child support.

What did CPS earn in each area?

Report Card Area	CPS Result	What it tells us
Overall	3 stars	CPS meets state standards overall
Progress	4 stars	Students made greater growth than expected
Gap Closing	3 stars	CPS made progress in reducing achievement gaps
Achievement	2 stars	Student performance improved, but more work is needed
Early Literacy	2 stars	CPS maintained its rating under Ohio’s updated methodology
Graduation Rate	1 star	The measure reflects the 2024–25 graduating class
College, Career, Workforce & Military Readiness	3 stars	Students demonstrated readiness for life after high school

What does four stars in Progress mean?

This is one of the most important results in this year's report card.

CPS students demonstrated more growth than expected based on their prior performance. Throughout the 2025–26 school year, CPS teams used student performance information to identify individual needs and develop plans to help students grow.

That included:

• Strong core classroom instruction
• Targeted intervention
• Academic enrichment
• Monitoring student progress
• Attendance supports
• Behavioral and whole-child supports

The goal was not simply to know where students were academically. It was to help them move forward.

For a District serving students with different strengths, experiences and levels of academic preparation, this growth matters. The four-star Progress rating shows that students across those different starting points are gaining ground, building knowledge and mastering new skills.

What is Gap Closing?

CPS earned three stars in Gap Closing, up from two stars last year.

Gap Closing looks at achievement and growth among different groups of students and whether disparities are being reduced.

One important area of progress was among English learners. CPS met Ohio's measure for improvement in students' English-language proficiency. English learners also improved in English language arts, showing growth in both English development and the comprehension and content knowledge students need for academic success. That progress is especially meaningful in CPS, where students and families speak 89 different languages.

CPS also saw a gain index of 8.8 in mathematics among students with disabilities, exceeding the state gain index target of 2.

What is Achievement?

CPS earned two stars in Achievement, the same rating as last year, but the underlying score improved.

CPS's Achievement score increased nearly two percentage points. Students improved in 15 tested areas, including all six high school end-of-course assessments.

Other areas with significant gains included:

• Fifth-grade English language arts, which increased by 8 percentage points
• High school U.S. Government, which increased by 5.7 percentage points

Achievement looks at how students performed on Ohio's state-tested assessments. We are encouraged by the year-over-year improvement while recognizing that there is more work to do to raise achievement across the District.

What is Early Literacy?

CPS earned two stars in Early Literacy.

CPS maintained its rating as Ohio changed how this component is calculated. Beginning this year, students promoted to fourth grade through a parent request, previous retention or certain individualized education program exemptions do not count as promoted within the report-card measure unless they meet a qualifying test score. Ohio also changed the rating thresholds, limiting direct comparison with last year's rating.

Early Literacy looks at reading performance and growth among students in kindergarten through third grade.

CPS continues to focus on strong reading instruction, targeted intervention and using student data to make sure students develop the foundational literacy skills they need for future success.

What is Graduation Rate?

CPS earned one star in Graduation Rate.

This measure reflects graduation outcomes for the 2024–25 graduating class, rather than the most recent graduating class.

The District recognizes the decline reflected in this year's measure and is focused on improving graduation outcomes. CPS continues to strengthen supports to help students stay on track, including early identification of students who may need additional support, individualized graduation plans and connections to academic, attendance and whole-child resources.

What is College, Career, Workforce & Military Readiness?

CPS earned three stars in College, Career, Workforce & Military Readiness.

The measure looks at how well-prepared students are for opportunities after high school, including postsecondary education, careers, the workforce and military service. The measure reflects students who completed high school in a prior year, similar to the Graduation measure.

Ohio recognizes 11 ways students can demonstrate readiness, including college credit, industry credentials, military enlistment and work-based learning. For CPS students, preparation for life after graduation can take many forms. Students have opportunities to earn college credit, explore career pathways, gain real-world experience and build the skills and credentials that can help them pursue their goals after high school.

This work supports the CPS commitment to ensuring every graduate leaves prepared for a future of their own design.

What is Career-Technical Education?

CPS earned 4.5 out of five stars on Ohio's separate Career-Technical Planning District Report Card.

This report card evaluates the full experience and outcomes of career-technical students. The rating combines Achievement, Career and Post-Secondary Readiness, Graduation and Post-Program Outcomes.

The results recognize students' technical skill attainment, academic performance, college credit, work-based learning, apprenticeships, industry credentials, military readiness and what students do after high school.

CPS continues to expand career and technical education opportunities in fields that need skilled workers. New industry-recognized credentials include emergency communications and refrigeration, with expanded phlebotomy and pharmacy technology programs. A mechatronics grant is also expanding the District's advanced-manufacturing pathway.

The 4.5-star result demonstrates that CPS career-tech students are developing real skills, earning credentials and building pathways into careers and continued education.

What happens next?

A report card is more than a collection of stars. It gives us information about where students are making progress and where we need to focus our attention.

CPS' newly adopted Strategic Plan provides one direction for strengthening student outcomes and reducing differences across schools and student groups. The plan will help the District build on the growth reflected in this year's results while focusing on:

• Student growth and achievement
• Strong, consistent instruction
• Attendance
• Whole-child supports
• Graduation
• College, career, workforce and military readiness

The report card provides evidence of practices CPS can strengthen across schools, including consistent instruction, frequent review of student progress, timely intervention and coordinated academic, attendance and whole-child support.

The Strategic Plan will help CPS turn stronger student growth into lasting gains in achievement, attendance, graduation and readiness for life after high school.

What does this mean for my child?

This year's results show that CPS students are making meaningful academic progress. Our four-star Progress rating means students made greater academic gains than expected based on their prior performance – evidence that the work happening in classrooms and schools is helping students move forward.

For families, that growth is part of a larger commitment to make sure every student has access to the instruction, support and opportunities they need to succeed.

Across CPS, students have opportunities to:

• Learn in a wide range of academic and career-focused programs
• Participate in advanced coursework, including college-credit opportunities
• Explore career pathways and gain real-world experience
• Earn industry-recognized credentials
• Participate in arts, athletics, extracurricular activities and enrichment
• Receive academic, attendance, behavioral and other whole-child supports
• Prepare for college, careers, the workforce, military service and life after high school

Every student's path is different. Our goal is to make sure students have the support to grow along that path and the opportunities to discover their strengths, pursue their interests and prepare for a future of their own design.

The report card shows us that our students are moving forward. Our job is to keep creating the conditions, support and opportunities that help every student go further.

If you have specific questions about your student's academic progress, please reach out to your child's school for additional support.

For more information to better understand the 2025-26 Report Card, please click here.