State report card identifies Monroe Local Schools as one of county's highest achieving districts

Ohio School Report Cards were recently released by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, and Monroe Local Schools has again earned a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, which equates to “exceeds state standards.”

ODEW’s 2024-25 overall rating identifies Monroe Local Schools as one of the highest achieving school districts in Butler County and places it among the top 23% of school districts in the state of Ohio.

The report card evaluates and rates Ohio school districts in six categories: Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Graduation, Early Literacy, and College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness. Monroe exceeds or significantly exceeds state standards in five of the six report card components.

“We are proud to share Monroe’s rating on the district’s state report card,” said Curriculum Director Jody Long. “This is a reflection of the dedication and partnership of our staff, students and families. Math scores in grades three, four and eight reached their highest levels in five years, which is an outstanding achievement for our district. While we celebrate this success, early literacy remains a key priority. Improving literacy is an ongoing process, and our schools continue to deepen their understanding of the Science of Reading. Through continued collaboration and the use of data, we are refining instruction to ensure we meet the needs of every student.”

Achievement ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Achievement Component measures students' academic achievement using each level of performance on Ohio's State Tests. Monroe Local Schools was rated four out of five stars, exceeding state standards in academic achievement.

Progress ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Progress Component measures the amount of growth made by groups of students compared to students like them across the state. Monroe earned four out of five stars, and the State of Ohio reports that there is “significant evidence that the district exceeded student growth expectations.”

Gap Closing ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Gap Closing component shows how well schools and districts are meeting the performance expectations for students in English language arts, math, and graduation. It also measures how well schools and districts are reducing chronic absenteeism, supporting English learners to increase language proficiency, identifying gifted students, and providing gifted services to those gifted students.

Monroe earned four out of five stars in this component while also achieving the lowest rate of chronic absenteeism in Butler County. 

Chronic absence is defined in Ohio as a student missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason – excused or unexcused. Studies show the connection between regular attendance and critical school measures such as reading proficiently, performing well academically, and graduating from high school. District staff worked collaboratively to decrease chronic absenteeism from 19% during the 2023-24 school year to 12% last school year, far exceeding the statewide average.

Graduation ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Graduation Component is a measure of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and the five-year adjusted cohort graduation rate. Monroe’s weighted graduation rate of 97.6% significantly exceeds state standards in graduation rates, earning it the highest component rating possible.

Early Literacy ⭐⭐⭐

The Early Literacy Component examines the effectiveness of the reading and literacy supports provided to children in kindergarten through third grade. Monroe was rated three out of five stars, indicating that it meets state standards in early literacy.

College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness ⭐⭐⭐⭐

New to this year's report card is a workforce readiness component, which includes a rating for how well schools and districts prepare students to enter college, a career, the workforce or the military.

Statewide, officials say the 2024 graduating class "demonstrated measurable progress in preparing students for life after high school," with 61.4% of students meeting at least one of Ohio's 11 postsecondary readiness measures. In 2024, more students had a head start on college — 16% of them earned at least 12 college credits.

In Monroe, 79% of students met at least one postsecondary readiness measure, and more than 38% of them earned at least 12 college credits.

“These gains reflect a strong focus on career readiness, driven by strategic investments in career-technical education that prepare students with the skills and credentials needed for success beyond high school,” the Ohio Department of Health noted in the report.

“This recognition is a testament to the commitment and hard work of our building leaders, teachers and staff who consistently go above and beyond to support the growth and success of every learner,” said Superintendent J. Robert Buskirk. “They deserve all the credit for meeting the high expectations and academic goals that we set for ourselves each school year. This rating is proof that great things happen when we collaborate and remain focused on doing what’s best for kids.”