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Olentangy reports strong Ohio State test results, flags third-grade ELA and eighth-grade math for improvement
Summary
District officials said multiple grade‑level subject areas exceeded state proficiency rates by double‑digits this spring, while noting room to grow in third‑grade ELA, fifth‑grade science and eighth‑grade math (partly because many eighth‑grade students took accelerated high‑school math).
Olentangy Local Schools leaders on June 24 presented preliminary spring Ohio State Test results showing strong performance across elementary, middle and high school tests, while identifying targeted areas for continued intervention.
Janette, the district assessment lead, told the board that most elementary grade‑level subjects reached or exceeded a district benchmark of 80% proficient or better and that in several subjects the district’s share of students at the “accomplished and advanced” levels surpassed the state’s overall proficiency percentage. "For all of those grade levels, we exceeded the state proficiency anywhere between 17 and 24%," she said, calling the results “very dramatic.”
Officials emphasized that some low‑performing pockets persist. Janette said district staff have identified third‑grade English language arts and fifth‑grade science as focus areas. Eighth‑grade math also stood out: the district’s reported 8th‑grade math proficiency is affected because roughly half of eighth graders are accelerated into high‑school algebra or geometry, she said. "While the eighth‑grade math number can look low, many of the students are taking algebra or geometry and often score at accomplished or advanced on those high‑school assessments," Janette said.
The presentation included trend charts covering a 10‑year span, with a gap for 2019–20 testing. District leaders said they will continue to use multiple data sources, benchmark assessments and curriculum adjustments to support cohorts over time and to distinguish year‑over‑year trends from cohort effects.
Board members asked for further breakdowns — including performance of accelerated students on their high‑school tests and cohort tracking across multiple years — and Janette said the district will refine reporting to show both the students who took grade‑level tests and those who took higher‑level assessments. The district also noted the timing for Advanced Placement and other exam results; AP scores were expected the week after the meeting.
Next steps: the district said it will continue to analyze cohorts, expand early‑grade literacy supports and implement middle‑school math curriculum changes intended to expand consistency across elementary and secondary levels.
