The award is for districts and buildings that have demonstrated “outstanding improvement in achievement while also continuing to show growth,” according to ODEW. They have improved their performance index by three or more points from the previous year’s report card and received a value-added progress rating of four or more stars.
“This award seeks to celebrate the individuals who consistently prioritize efforts to create a supportive learning environment that fosters growth, collaboration and success,” said communications specialist Jenna Leinasars.
Fulton improved its performance index by 7.5%. It was 45.2% in 2023 and 52.7% in 2024, according to ODEW. The progress rating was 3 stars in 2023 to 4 stars in 2024.
Fulton, which had an overall 3-star rating, is one of fewer than 200 schools in the state to earn this award.
Principal Deborah Howard is “ecstatic” about what the award symbolizes for her building and the district as a whole, crediting the support from her staff and families who helped improve academics and attitudes toward state testing.
“People are starting to see the potential in this building and the potential of our kids,” she said. “It was hard work from all of our teachers. They were so focused and intentional about everything they did from social-emotional learning all the way through to teaching in the classroom. It was a building-wide buy-in from our custodians, to our cafeteria staff to everybody brought in to focus on this Ohio State Test and get it done.”
The ODEW’s data report for each school district includes 16 different metrics related to test score performance, year-over-year progress, early literacy and other factors.
Performance index relates to the level of achievement of every student in grades 3-12 on the Ohio State Tests, and value-added rating measures academic progress by comparing the change in a group of students' achievements against an anticipated level of progress, derived from their past achievement records, Springfield school officials said.
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