Every Student Succeeds Act

As the Youngstown Board of Education moves forward with a lawsuit over the constitutionality of their Academic Distress Commission, a national education group says the system is a strength for Ohio schools.

The Ohio Department of Education is awaiting approval of its education accountability plan that was handed to federal education officials in September. While the state waits for the government review, a national education advocacy group says Ohio’s plan is one of the best in the country.

In June, Ohio lawmakers approved a bill giving the Class of 2018 an alternative path to graduation. The move came after the state Department of Education predicted in 2016 more than a third of the class wouldn’t qualify to receive diplomas in May.

However, an education think tank is questioning whether that alternative path is acceptable under federal law.

Overall, the high school graduation rate in Ohio has been climbing since 2010. But changes to federal education policies could cause a decrease this school year.

State report cards show the four-year high-xschool graduation rate reached more than 83 percent in the 2016-2017 academic year. But the federal Every Student Succeeds Act—or ESSA-- could impact that rate negatively, particularly for one group of students.