Lebanon City Schools get 4-star report card; board hears enrollment, voucher impacts and plan to boost college-career readiness

Superintendent Sievers updated the Lebanon City Schools Board of Education on state report-card results and enrollment trends at the Sept. 15 board meeting, saying the district earned an overall four‑star rating on the Ohio school report card but received two stars on the college-and-career readiness component that uses data from the class of 2024. "I recognize that 2 out of 5 stars is gonna be a big question for us," Sievers said.

The two‑star rating on the college-and-career measure is based on graduate outcomes from 2024, Sievers said; the district has since implemented changes intended to increase the number of graduates who meet one of the state’s readiness indicators. "Once we realized what we had to do, we purchased a program, trained some teachers, and we're tracking this for every single student," he said, adding that the district expects the 2025 graduates to show large improvements on that metric.

Why it matters: the college-and-career category is one of the new or revised components the state uses to rate schools; a low score can raise questions in the community even when overall achievement and graduation rates remain strong. The board discussed how the report-card methodology and timing can obscure recent changes because some measures reflect older cohorts.

Key details and discussion: - Overall ratings: Sievers said the district is a four‑star district this year; achievement and progress largely held steady or improved, and the district recorded five stars in gap‑closing and graduation rate categories. He noted early literacy remains at three stars and that narrowing summer slide remains a priority. "We had some students pass [tests] at a higher rate this year," he said of the district performance index. - College and career readiness: the district scored two stars on that component because only about 29.9% of the 2024 graduates met the state’s remediation‑free ACT/SAT benchmark or similar indicators. Sievers said the district has added programs (pre‑apprenticeships, career experience, guaranteed-credit college courses) and outreach that should push most 2025 graduates to meet at least one readiness box. He described the district’s approach as nonnegotiable for seniors who do not meet the academic boxes: "We call the family. We call the kid in and say, listen. Here are these check boxes. You don't meet any of these 3 that are purely academic. So we have a program for your kid." - Vouchers and enrollment: Sievers identified EdChoice scholarship expansion (which removed the requirement that a student come from a designated failing school) as a major driver of enrollment shifts, especially in early grades. He reported the district had 708 EdChoice vouchers last year and said vouchers are having a greater impact in kindergarten and first grade. "What we're beginning to see is students and families...keep that voucher and stay there longer than what they have done in the past," he said. - Local enrollment numbers Sievers gave: district enrollment was about 5,120 at the start of the school year (down from roughly 5,380 at the end of last year). Bowman Primary’s kindergarten enrollment fell to 288 this year from 324 the prior year. The district reported 417 students officially listed as homeschooled (down about 40 from last year). Sievers said kindergarten voucher counts last year were about 70 students and 72 in first grade (prior year figures); voucher counts decline in higher grades. - District response: administrators are reviewing staffing and sections in buildings where enrollment has declined and will continue conversations about outreach and program options to retain students. Sievers said the district adjusted classroom sections this year (for example, one fewer second‑grade section) based on current numbers.

Board reaction and next steps: board members asked for more detail on counselor tracking and how the district will ensure students meet readiness indicators; Sievers said counselors and administrators maintain a master spreadsheet tracking each graduate’s readiness boxes and that the district now proactively places students into programs to secure a qualifying credential. No formal board action was taken during the report aside from receiving the presentation.

Ending: Sievers and board members said they expect the district’s college-and-career rating to improve for the 2025 graduates because the district implemented specific measures after the 2024 reporting period. The administration committed to provide the board with ongoing updates about readiness indicators, enrollment trends and any recommended staffing adjustments.