COLUMBUS – Six years after ranking fifth in the nation, Ohio’s education system has tumbled to 23rd among the 50 states and District of Columbia, according to a national report card released today.
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Ohio earned a C, scoring 74.9 of a possible 100 on the annual Quality Counts report by Education Week, an education trade newspaper. That’s down from last year, when Ohio ranked 18th with a score of 75.8.
The report found Ohio had among the largest gaps on national test scores between students living in poverty and their higher-income classmates, ranking 43rd in the nation.
“This should be a real wake up call for us to refocus our priorities. We need to give these kids a chance, and education is key to having a chance in life,” said Senate Education Chairwoman Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering.
In addition to test scores and student achievement, report card grades are based on education finances and several indicators of student success including family income, parents’ education, preschool enrollment and graduation rates.
Massachusetts ranked as the nation’s top education system, earning a B-plus. Nevada ranked last with a D. Most states, like Ohio, were in the C- to C-plus range.