Parma City Schools earn 4 stars on Ohio report card; early literacy and absenteeism flagged

Parma City School District officials told the board on Sept. 25 that the district earned a 4‑star overall rating on the Ohio School Report Card for the 2024–25 reporting cycle, a move they called the result of districtwide efforts on instruction, student supports and career‑tech programs.

District presenter Dr. Cruz said the district’s points rose to 3.188, exceeding the 3.125 threshold for a 4‑star rating: “We are so proud of these 4 stars,” she said. Superintendent Dr. Hunt credited staff across departments and the three communities that feed the district for the result.

The district presentation listed six components that form the overall rating: achievement, progress, gap closing, early literacy, graduation and college/career/military readiness. Parma scored 4 stars overall while component results varied: achievement 3 stars (district performance index 83.6 of a state benchmark 109.8), gap closing 5 stars, early literacy 2 stars, graduation 3 stars and career‑and‑college readiness sufficient to contribute to the 4‑star total. Career‑technical education (CTE) earned a separate 5‑star rating, the presenters said.

Officials emphasized that component scores use different denominators and rules. Dr. Cruz explained the achievement calculation is based only on Ohio State Tests (OSTs) and that the district’s performance index produced a 76.2 percent result on that component. She noted the district’s performance index is compared to an index derived from the top 2% of districts, which raises the denominator used in the calculation.

Gap closing—an index that examines outcomes for subgroups such as students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students and English learners—was highlighted as a strength. The district earned 24 of 36 possible points in that category, placing Parma among roughly 200 districts that showed similar success.

But early literacy was identified as one of the weakest components. Dr. Cruz said third‑grade proficiency on the state reading assessment was 58 percent in Parma (the state average was cited at about 59 percent), and noted that the state’s early literacy measure combines third‑grade test proficiency with other indicators such as fall‑to‑fall growth and promotion to fourth grade. “We are not celebrating 58 percent,” she said, adding that the district measures other forms of reading growth and continues interventions beyond third grade.

Presenters also pointed to chronic absenteeism as an area to address. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate was reported at about 23.9 percent—defined as missing 10 percent or more of the school year, excused or unexcused—compared with the statewide chronic absenteeism rate the presenters cited at about 25.1 percent. Officials said school‑sponsored events are not counted as absences and described ongoing efforts such as family engagement initiatives and partnerships to raise attendance.

The presentation explained an apparent discrepancy in middle‑school math results by noting that students on accelerated math pathways take higher‑grade tests early. Those accelerated seventh‑grade students who took the eighth‑grade assessment posted very high proficiency (presenters cited 96 percent proficiency for some accelerated cohorts), while the remaining eighth‑grade math cohort showed lower proficiency because higher‑performing students had been assessed on the higher‑grade test.

Gifted program metrics narrowly missed a higher state threshold after the state raised denominator expectations; the district’s gifted performance index was described as strong but just under the latest cutoff. Career‑technical education was a bright spot: Parma’s in‑district CTE program earned 5 stars and met eight of nine federal indicators, with the one shortcoming described as nontraditional program enrollment (gender diversity across certain CTE programs).

Board members asked clarifying questions about athletics absences, enrollment patterns in CTE courses and the ways the state calculates the various measures. Dr. Cruz and Dr. Hunt said the district will use the report card details to guide professional development, teacher‑based team work and targeted interventions for early literacy and attendance.

The district presentation materials and the state technical documentation that define component calculations were referenced repeatedly. Officials said they will continue to refine curriculum and intervention strategies and report back on progress.