Superintendents share what’s driving high marks on Ohio report cards

Ohio’s annual school report cards are out, and several area districts are celebrating strong results. The report cards, required by law, use a star system from one to five to measure performance in six areas: achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation, early literacy, and college and career readiness.

Poland earned four stars overall. Superintendent Craig Hockenberry said the district’s consistent progress comes from careful planning and a focus on core subjects.

“We worked really, really hard on specific academic plans for each school,” Hockenberry said. “And in our districtwide approach to literacy was enormous.”

He also pointed to expanded preschool programs and special education supports as key factors. Poland has tripled its efforts in early learning so students have a foundation before kindergarten, and has placed an emphasis on closing gaps for students with disabilities.

Weathersfield, which earned four and a half stars, credited many of the same priorities. Superintendent Damon Dohar said the district has also seen success by raising expectations in classrooms, maintaining consistency across grade levels, and keeping a strong emphasis on literacy and math.

“We’ve emphasized literacy and math in the younger grades, and it seems to be working,” Dohar said. “The expectation in the classroom is to do the best you can and help kids succeed.”

Like Hockenberry, Dohar said early learning has been an important piece of the puzzle. He noted that the addition of preschool programs has helped students enter kindergarten better prepared, leading to stronger outcomes later on.

Both superintendents highlighted teamwork as the foundation for their districts’ success.

“We have great staff of people, from our teachers to our custodians to our bus drivers to our cooks to our secretaries,” Dohar said. “Everybody works pretty well together as a team here, and that’s a very important part.”

At West Branch, which also earned four and a half stars, Superintendent Micki Egli told 21 News that her staff and teachers are the backbone of the district’s success. Though she was unavailable for an on-camera interview, Egli emphasized that consistent, driven educators and support staff have made the difference.

All three superintendents said that while the report cards highlight areas of success, they also drive future improvement. They credited their staff, families and communities for keeping students moving forward.

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Ohio School Report Cards released for 2024-25 school year, see your school's rating