The Warren City School District is celebrating a big milestone today.

That's because for the first time in more than 20 years, none of the district's five schools fell into any federal "under performing" designations defined by the Ohio Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan.

This means none of them were designated as underperforming or needing state support for educational purposes.

A letter from State Suppoprt Team Region 5 Director Michele Moore cited Warren's intentional and systematic focus on continuous improvement as a key factor in reaching this significant achievement.

"This intentionality has led to all of the schools being identification-free for the first time in 20-plus years. As a mid-size Urban school, this is especially commendable," Moore wrote.

Ohio has identified schools in improvement status since the early 2000s with the passing of the No Child Left Behind Act. ESSA provides each state with flexibility to designate and serve schools in need of support.

Last week, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) released the latest ESSA designations.

"Our District has moved all five schools' data out of an underperforming status due to the commitment and dedication of the entire Warren City Schools community," stated Superintendent/CEO Steve Chiaro. "Our work is nowhere near completion and is ongoing with our goal of making continued strides and success for all children academically and social emotionally."