A spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Education says Ohio's strong K-12 ratings in a national survey of student achievement is evidence that the state is in the upper quarter of school systems nationwide.

An article in today's Cincinnati Enquirer (link above) says Ohio ranked 27th in student chances for success, but an impressive 10th in K-12 achievement. The survey was conducted by Education Week and ranks all 50 states to determine which are best preparing kids for academic and professional lives.

The ODE spokesman said less than 10 years ago, Ohio was stuck in the middle in almost all educational studies. Improvements have come each year, earning Ohio recognition as a national leader in preparing students for the coming century.

Other high points of the last 10 years: 1) student achievement test scores are up by more than 19 points on a statewide average. 2) eight out of 10 school districts earned excellent or effective ratings on their state report cards that measure academic achievement. 3) for the eighth year in a row, high school graduation rates have increased. 4) for the first time this year, Ohio has no school districts in academic emergency on the state report card.

Despite these improvements, other challenges remain. These challenges include achievement gaps between disabled and "normal" students and between poor, minority students and those more economically advantaged. He said 19,000 Ohio students dropped out of high school last year - mostly in high-poverty districts.