Akron Public Schools (APS) released its 2025‑26 state report card on Tuesday, showing a notable rise in high‑school graduation rates while early‑literacy performance continues to lag for many elementary campuses.
Graduation gains
The district’s four‑year graduation rate climbed to 90.3 percent, up from about 81 percent five years ago. The improvement earned APS a three‑star rating in the graduation component, which is weighted by four‑ and five‑year rates. APS’s five‑year graduation rate stands at 89.8 percent. Garfield Community Learning Center led the way with a 6.8‑point increase.
Specialty high schools such as the National Inventors Hall of Fame School and Early College received the highest possible five‑star rating for graduation outcomes. The district’s online school, however, posted an 84.9 percent four‑year rate and earned a one‑star rating.
Literacy and achievement
Early‑literacy results remain a concern. Of the 26 public elementary schools, the majority earned only one star. Schools receiving two stars include David Hill, Barber, Betty Jane, Forest Hill, Harris/Jackson, Hatton, Resnik, and Voris. King, Sam Salem, Seiberling, and Windemere earned three stars.
Under the state’s new metric, only 58 percent of third‑graders met the promotion threshold to fourth grade. This reflects a shift from the previous practice that allowed families to move children forward with waivers even when test scores fell short.
Individual campuses saw sharp declines. Ritzman Community Learning Center dropped from three stars to one, and Ellet elementary fell from three stars to one. Director of school improvement Keith Leichty‑Clifford noted that while more than 96 percent of students were promoted to third grade last year, the new standard shows only about 55 percent advancing to fourth grade.
Attendance and workforce readiness
Chronic absenteeism improved modestly, falling to 40.9 percent from nearly 50 percent in 2022, though it remains well above the state goal of 14.5 percent. APS is piloting an attendance‑reduction program in the East Cluster in partnership with Akron After School and the Akron Area YMCA.
On the workforce side, APS outperformed the state average, with 48.6 percent of graduates employed after high school compared to Ohio’s 36.5 percent. Military enlistment also exceeded the state rate, at 4.7 percent versus 1.9 percent.
College and career pathways
Nearly 60 percent of APS graduates leave with industry‑recognized credentials through the district’s extensive career pathways, which include construction, culinary arts, welding, hospitality, marketing, performing arts, and engineering. These programs aim to prepare students for both immediate employment and further post‑secondary study.
Despite the graduation gains, the district’s overall rating slipped from 3.5 to three stars out of five, reflecting the mixed picture of strong post‑secondary outcomes alongside persistent literacy challenges.
Looking ahead
Leichty‑Clifford emphasized that improving literacy is a long‑term effort, stating, “We’ve always said we’re running the marathon and our progress and gap‑closing measures are showing that our kids are learning.” The district plans to continue aligning instruction with phonics and science‑of‑reading practices while monitoring attendance and promotion metrics.
Original reporting: Signal Akron — read the source article.
