Ohio Ranks 5th In Education

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Metro Early College High School is one of the shining examples of how well Ohio teaches math and science.

The Ohio Department of Education says the report from Education Week notes that Ohio's standards for math and science are often cited as a model by other states.

Metro is a STEM School, focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Students finish their high school studies by 10th grade and begin college coursework the next year, often outside the school's walls.

Metro partners with Battelle and The Ohio State University, along with KnowledgeWorks Foundation.

Although the state fared well in math, science, reading and high school graduation rates, more work needs to be done to get more students to attend preschool.

Ohio didn't fare as well as other states in that particular area.

State Supt. Deborah Delisle says some parents may be concerned about the cost of preschool or want to keep their students home as long as possible.

She says now that the Ohio Department of Education will be overseeing all early childhood programs, as required by House Bill 1, it should help to connect pre-K with K-12 education.

Ohio also needs to work on the percentage of adults with two and four year college degrees.

Martin Maliwesky, Dean of Enrollment Services at Columbus State Community College says times are changing. He says as the economy changed, the job labor market has changed and higher education has become much more important in being able to attain and sustain employment.

He noted that in the past, not all jobs required a college education.

Columbus State provides free tutoring for students who request it.

Remedial classes are also available for students who need extra help to catch up to the college level.

Funding may play a part in the grade that each state received. Ohio is at the head of the class ranking 5th in the Nation with an overall grade of "B".

The Buckeye State has 613 public school districts and spends an average of $10,184 per pupil.

For those states at the bottom of the list, the dollar-figure goes down.

Nevada ranks 50th with a "D+" grade, spending roughly $9,100 per student; yet the state only has 17 public school districts. Nebraska is in a similar boat.

The Cornhusker State has 253 public school districts, spends $9,528 per pupil, but received the low grade of "D+" putting the state at 49th overall.

Nevada, Nebraska, and the District of Columbia are the only to receive a "D+ rating. 35 states received a grade between "C+" and "C-". There were no "A" grades passed out.

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