The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce has released its 2025 school district report cards, revealing significant performance differences across Lorain County. Avon Local Schools was the only district in the county to achieve a perfect 5-star overall rating. In contrast, Lorain City School District received a 2-star rating, placing it at the bottom among all 607 districts evaluated statewide.
Key Takeaways
- The 2025 Ohio school report cards show a wide range of academic outcomes in Lorain County.
- Avon Local Schools earned the highest possible overall rating of 5 stars, maintaining its top performance from the previous year.
- Lorain City School District received a 2-star rating, the lowest score recorded among all 607 districts in Ohio.
- Several districts saw their ratings change, with some improving while others declined, indicating shifting performance across the region.
Understanding Ohio's School Rating System
The state's annual report cards provide a detailed look at how well schools are serving their students. The system uses a star rating scale from 1 to 5, with evaluations given in half-star increments. A 3-star rating signifies that a district is meeting state standards for performance.
Districts earning 4 stars are considered to be exceeding state expectations, while a 5-star rating indicates they are significantly exceeding those standards. Conversely, districts with ratings below 3 stars are identified as needing state support to improve educational outcomes for their students.
The overall rating for each district is calculated based on performance across six key areas. These components provide a comprehensive view of a district's effectiveness.
The Six Evaluation Components
- Achievement: Measures student performance on state tests.
- Progress: Tracks the academic growth of students based on past performance.
- Gap Closing: Examines how well schools are meeting performance expectations for all student subgroups.
- Early Literacy: Focuses on reading proficiency in kindergarten through third grade.
- Graduation: Measures the four-year and five-year high school graduation rates.
- College, Career, Workforce and Military Readiness: Assesses how well graduates are prepared for future opportunities.
This multi-faceted approach is designed to give parents, educators, and community members a transparent tool to assess both strengths and areas needing improvement within their local schools.
Top Performers and High Achievers
In Lorain County, a clear group of high-performing districts emerged from the 2025 data. Avon Local Schools stood alone at the top, securing a 5-star overall rating for the second consecutive year. This distinction places it among the elite districts in Ohio for academic excellence.
Following closely behind were two other districts that also demonstrated strong results. Avon Lake City Schools and Oberlin City School District both earned 4.5-star overall ratings. While Oberlin maintained its 4.5-star status from the previous year, Avon Lake's rating represented a slight decrease from the 5 stars it held previously.
These districts showcase a consistent ability to exceed the state's educational benchmarks, particularly in areas measured by the state's rigorous evaluation system.
Districts Facing Significant Challenges
At the other end of the performance spectrum, two districts in Lorain County received 2-star ratings, indicating a need for substantial support. Lorain City School District maintained its 2-star rating from last year, a score that ranked it 607th out of 607 districts in Ohio. This result highlights the persistent academic challenges the district faces.
Similarly, Elyria City School District received a 2-star overall rating. This marked a decrease from its 2.5-star rating in the prior year. According to the state's data, Elyria ranked 580th statewide. These ratings signal that both districts are not meeting state standards in multiple key areas of student performance and growth.
Statewide Perspective
With 607 school districts rated across Ohio, a 2-star rating places a district in the bottom tier of performance. These schools are typically targeted for additional resources and intervention strategies from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to help improve student outcomes.
The data underscores the significant educational disparities within Lorain County and points to the urgent need for targeted improvement efforts in these communities.
A Mixed Picture for the County's Remaining Schools
The majority of school districts in Lorain County fell into the 3-star and 4-star categories, showing a wide range of performance levels and year-over-year changes. A 3-star rating indicates a district is meeting state standards, while a 4-star rating means it is exceeding them.
Districts Earning Four Stars
Several districts achieved a 4-star rating, though many experienced a drop from the 4.5 stars they earned last year. This group includes:
- Amherst Exempted Village School District (down from 4.5 stars)
- North Ridgeville City School District (down from 4.5 stars)
- Keystone Local School District (down from 4.5 stars)
- The Midview Schools (down from 4.5 stars)
- Columbia Local School District (maintained 4 stars)
One district showed notable improvement. Firelands Local Schools moved up to a 4-star rating from 3.5 stars last year, demonstrating positive growth.
Districts Meeting State Standards
Three districts received a 3-star rating, signifying they are meeting the state's academic benchmarks. This group also saw mixed results compared to the previous year.
- Wellington Exempted Village School District (maintained 3 stars)
- Sheffield-Sheffield Lake City Schools (down from 4 stars)
- Clearview Local Schools (up from 2.5 stars)
The upward movement of Clearview Local Schools from needing support to meeting state standards is a significant positive development. In contrast, Sheffield-Sheffield Lake's decline from exceeding standards to meeting them indicates a shift in performance that district leaders will likely address.
These varied results across the county illustrate the dynamic nature of school performance and the ongoing efforts by districts to adapt to state standards and improve student learning.
