The Ohio Department of Education reports disadvantaged students in Cincinnati Public Schools are closing performance gaps.
The group of disadvantage students include people of color, people with disabilities, English language learners and lower-income students. The district jumped from an "F" to a "B" in this category on the latest report card.
"If you look back, we also had an 'F' several years ago in our K-3 literacy, so we are now a 'C,' " Deputy Superintendent Tianay Amat says. "Two of those grades have jumped."
Cincinnati Public Schools got a "D" on its overall report card. ODE grades districts on a variety of categories including progress, achievement and graduation rates.
Amat says the report card doesn't capture CPS' holistic approach like mental health services and community resource coordinators. She acknowledges there is room to grow and that CPS will look at research-based data for each school to boost low performing areas.
In a news release, CPS says it's celebrating Evanston Academy and Walnut Hills High School, which both achieved an overall "A."
Schools with a high population of low-income students fell short, including Riverview East Academy, Oyler School and James N. Gamble Montessori High School.
Since the 2015- 2016 school year, CPS has continued to make progress in literacy for at-risk kindergarten through third grade. Ninety-eight percent of third graders met the third grade reading requirements to go to fourth grade.
"I think it started with our board of education's vision around equity and access," Amat says. "Ensuring that all of our schools have access to high quality education."