The Miami Trace Local School District was rated four out of five stars in the recently-released 2023 Ohio School Report Card overall rating.
According to the Ohio School Report Card website, a “four” rating “exceeds state standards.”
The Ohio General Assembly amended Ohio’s accountability law in the summer of 2021. Schools and districts now receive an overall rating and star ratings for five components. Report Cards are designed to give parents, communities, educators and policymakers information about the performance of districts and schools — to celebrate achievement and success and identify areas for improvement.
Miami Trace officials told the Record-Herald they found themselves “feeling grateful” for the many people who play a role in the district’s overall rating — a total of 330 to be exact.
“We have a unified mission at Miami Trace, which is guided by our Strategic Plan that emphasizes the growth and well-being of the whole child,” said MT Superintendent Kim Pittser. “When every single staff member — from transportation, food service, and all support services, to teachers, counselors, and administrators — prioritizes unified efforts toward supporting a well-rounded experience for our students, positive outcomes occur.”
Districts and schools receive an overall rating of 1 to 5 stars in half-star increments. The overall rating is comprised of five rated components.
Miami Trace earned the following individual component ratings:
Achievement – 4 stars
This component represents whether student performance on state tests met established thresholds and how well students performed on tests overall. Earning four stars means that the district exceeds state standards in academic achievement.
Progress – 3 stars
This component looks closely at the growth all students are making based on their past performances. Earning three stars means that there is evidence that the district met student growth expectations.
Gap Closing – 5 stars
The Gap Closing Component is a measure of the reduction in educational gaps for student subgroups. Earning five stars means that the district significantly exceeds state standards in closing educational gaps.
Graduation – 5 stars
The Graduation Component is a measure of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and the five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. Earning five stars means that the district significantly exceeds state standards in graduation rates.
Early Literacy – 4 stars
The Early Literacy Component is a measure of reading improvement and proficiency for students in kindergarten through third grade. Earning four stars means that the district exceeds state standards in early literacy (K-3).
At this moment, the Panthers are taking time to celebrate the positive, according to officials.
“Gap Closing and Graduation ratings of five stars are most definitely noteworthy,” said Pittser. “Miami Trace is proud of their staff members who are diligent in providing both intervention and enrichment for students as well as working toward systems that wrap around all students in meeting graduation requirements.”
While Miami Trace celebrates its achievements, officials acknowledged that their goal of attaining five stars has not yet been accomplished. Therefore, improvement plans and strategies are in place moving forward. In the end, all efforts stem from the healthy relationships formed in order to meet their students where they are and invest in their overall growth as people.
“While we know there is more to accomplish,” said Pittser, “we are MT proud of Panther Nation.”
