According to the Ohio Department of Education Report Cards released Thursday East Liverpool City Schools is meeting state standards while Wellsville Local School District’s rating indicates it needs support to meet state standards.

The Ohio Board of Education Report Card website notes that all Ohio districts and the schools within each district receive an overall rating between one to five stars in half star increments with one being the lowest and five being the highest.

The districts and schools are rated on five components for the overall rating: achievement, progress, gap closing, graduation and early literacy.

The College, Career, Workforce and Military Readiness which measures how well-prepared students are for future opportunities such as technical training –or going to work or college –is not factored into the overall rating on the 2023 report card.

East Liverpool City Schools received an overall rating of three.

The district received a rating of two stars in achievement which measures students’ performances on state tests, graduation, which measures the four- and five-year graduation rates; and early literacy, which measures reading improvement and proficiency for students in kindergarten through third grade. A rating of two indicates support is needed to meet state standards in these areas

The district received a three-star rating for progress which measures the growth all students are making based on their past performances.

The district’s strongest component, which received a rating of four, is Gap Closing which measures the reduction in educational gaps for student subgroups.

Superintendent Jonathan R. Ludwig was not available for comment.

Wellsville Local Schools received a rating of two and a half indicating a support need to reach state standards.

Wellsville received a rating of one for progress which shows evidence that the district fell short of student growth expectations by a larger magnitude.

The district received two ratings for achievement, early literacy and gap closing.

Their strongest component was graduation in which it was awarded a state rating indicating state standards in graduation rates were met.

Wellsville Superintendent Richard E. Bereschik said that he thinks the district can do better and they are already taking strides to do that.

Even though they met state standards in graduation rates Bereschik feels the district can be improved in all areas.

Wellsville has multiple new administrative staff members, three of which are new to the profession. These new administrative staff members will be meeting individually with the superintendent and professionals next week to discuss further how the district can improve.

Bereschik said that he started getting indicators locally of what scores would look like last week and the district started then formulating a plan on how to improve.

“It’s an ongoing process,” Bereschik said. “We have a building leadership team in each building and district leadership teams which meet on a regular basis. Bereschik believes that within these groups they are going to be able to solve the district’s problems and improve their achievement.”

Bereschik wanted it to be noted that he believes a report card does not necessarily reflect everything that a district does for its children.

“We are involved with their social and mental health as well as physical in addition to their education,” Bereschik said. “We have children coming to us with problems never seen before. So, in addition to meeting educational we are providing social and emotional help to meet physical needs.”

The district has two counselors, a full-time mental health expert, a full-time school psychologist and two nurses on duty. Bereschik said that isn’t commonly found in a district the size of Wellsville which has approximately 700 students.

The district has a food pantry at each school building where kids can pick up food. The district feeds 100% of its students breakfast and lunch daily at no charge.

The curriculum director, all the district principals, and the superintendent will present a plan of improvement to Board of Education at the Oct. 16 Board of Education meeting.

kgarabrandt@mojonews.com