Achievement Beyond the Metrics 

Each year, the Ohio State Report Card provides a snapshot of school performance across the state, offering metrics meant to evaluate academic achievement, growth, and progress. These reports, published by the Ohio Department of Education, are accessible to the public and serve as one of the primary tools for assessing school quality. At Cincinnati Classical Academy (CLASSICAL), we value transparency and accountability, and while we take pride in the many successes reflected in our report card, we also recognize that its structure can sometimes fail to account for the unique challenges faced by new schools like ours.

The report card is divided into several key categories, including Achievement, Gap Closing, and Progress. Achievement reflects how well students perform on state tests, while Gap Closing evaluates how schools reduce educational disparities among student groups. Progress, on the other hand, measures year-to-year student growth based on prior performance data. This last category, however, poses a significant hurdle for new schools, as it inherently penalizes institutions without existing data from previous years.

CLASSICAL opened its doors in the 2022-23 school year, and as a result, we did not have historical data for our students. Consequently, the state assigned us a default 1-star rating in the Progress category. Despite appealing this rating and advocating for a fairer “Not Applicable” designation, the state maintained its standard approach, leaving us with this prejudicial score. Unfortunately, this Progress rating will remain part of our report card for three years, affecting our overall rating during that period. Both our Board of Directors and our state Authorizer share our concerns about this inequity, which we believe unfairly distorts public perception of our school’s overall performance.

Despite this challenge, CLASSICAL’s achievements in other areas tell a far more compelling story about the quality of education we provide. In the Gap Closing category, we earned a perfect 5-star rating, highlighting our success in reducing disparities and ensuring equitable outcomes for all students. Additionally, we achieved a strong 4-star rating in Achievement, demonstrating our students’ exceptional performance on state assessments.

Beyond the confines of the report card’s metrics, CLASSICAL has distinguished itself as a leader among schools in Ohio and beyond. We rank third out of 244 community schools statewide in academic achievement, and our third-grade students excel in reading proficiency, placing us fourth among all community schools in Ohio. Remarkably, we are on par with some of the most esteemed local districts, including Madeira, Wyoming, and Indian Hill. In Hamilton County, CLASSICAL ranks fifth among all public schools—district and community alike—in third-grade reading proficiency.

Our students’ accomplishments extend far beyond standardized testing. Nationally, CLASSICAL earned the prestigious Hillsdale College Scholar’s Cup, ranking first among all Hillsdale member schools. In classical languages, 46 percent of our seventh graders achieved Cum Laude honors or higher on the National Latin Exam, earning us the Labor Omnia Vincit Award. Our science program has received statewide recognition, as CLASSICAL is one of only four elementary schools in Ohio to win the Harold Shaw Memorial Outstanding School Award for science fair achievements. Additionally, our students have swept first, second, and third places in two age groups of the national Joel Senter Sr. Memorial Essay Contest for two consecutive years.

These accomplishments are further supported by data from our 2023-24 Annual Report, which offers a comprehensive overview of our performance. On page eight, readers will find detailed evidence of how CLASSICAL exceeds state averages in every Performance Indicator—often by margins of 20 to 30 percent. This report provides a much fuller picture of our success and demonstrates the rigorous, well-rounded education we provide to prepare students for high school and beyond.

While the Progress metric may initially cause concern, it does not accurately reflect the high standards or outstanding results that define Cincinnati Classical Academy. We invite all parents and supporters to explore our Annual Report, available on our website, to see the full scope of our achievements. Should you have any questions or wish to discuss our performance further, we welcome the opportunity to share more about the transformative education CLASSICAL offers. Together, we are building a school community where students thrive academically and grow into thoughtful, capable citizens prepared for the challenges ahead.

Torches Up!