CMSD NEWS BUREAU

09/14/23

The release of Ohio's school district report card on Thursday, shows the Cleveland Metropolitan School District made significant growth in several areas over the last year and exceeded expectations in others, placing CMSD in the top 10% of Ohio districts in growth.

Of particular note was CMSD’s #1 ranking among the Ohio 8, urban districts. Tied with Toledo in its 4-star rating, the report card shows CMSD outpaced all seven of its urban peers in its two-year growth.

“For two years in a row, CMSD exceeded state academic expectations on its report card,” said Dr. Warren Morgan, CMSD CEO.

“It is the kind of data we were hoping to see that confirms the District continues to rebound more quickly than its peer districts across the state. Though I am concerned with some of our proficiency and growth rates in some areas, this is a firm foundation to build on," said CEO Morgan.

The new CEO said these gains position CMSD to build on the progress, even as the District works to see similar gains in areas that did not meet expectations, including graduation rate, performance index and K-3 literacy.

Since the enactment of the Cleveland Plan legislation of 2012, CMSD's report card has improved every year. The goal of the Cleveland Plan is to ensure that every child in Cleveland attends a high-quality school and that every neighborhood in our city has a multitude of great schools from which families can choose.

CMSD continues to meet state standards in Gap Closing, earning a 3-star rating on its progress in supporting students with disabilities, English language learners, students in various ethnicity groups, and gifted students. Two years after CMSD students and educators returned to in-person learning, the District continues to meet or exceed Ohio’s Gap Closing standards.

This year’s four-year graduation rate of 74.4% fell below expectations, and remains a target for district-wide interventions, along with improving attendance rates for students.

Thirteen CMSD schools achieved 4-star ratings or higher, with three schools achieving 5-stars, the highest rating in the state.

"This news is promising and we look forward to putting in the hard work to continue the progress," said Dr. Morgan.