Ohio's Department of Education and Workforce recently released Achievement-component data for the 2025–2026 school year, and it offers a genuinely encouraging look at how Ross County's seven public school districts are performing on state assessments — along with a clear roadmap for where we can keep building.

The Achievement component uses a "Performance Index" to measure how students across every tested grade and subject are doing, translated into a star rating (1 to 5). Here's how our county's districts stack up:

2025–2026 Achievement Snapshot

District    Achievement Rating    Performance Index    vs. Last Year

Southeastern Local    3 ★ (Meets Standards)    79.4%    -0.3 pts (steady)

Union-Scioto Local    3 ★ (Meets Standards)    77.6%    -1.0 pts

Zane Trace Local    3 ★ (Meets Standards)    76.5%    +0.4 pts ↑

Adena Local    3 ★ (Meets Standards)    70.5%    +3.7 pts ↑

Chillicothe City    2 ★ (Needs Support)    68.7%    +2.5 pts ↑

Paint Valley Local    2 ★ (Needs Support)    67.8%    -1.9 pts

Huntington Local    2 ★ (Needs Support)    67.2%    -1.0 pts

Four of our seven districts earned 3-star Achievement ratings this year — meeting state standards — and Southeastern Local continues to post the county's strongest Performance Index at 79.4%.

Growth stories worth celebrating

•    Adena Local's Performance Index climbed nearly 4 full points year-over-year — one of the biggest jumps in the county.

•    Chillicothe City also trended upward, gaining 2.5 points on its Performance Index.

•    Zane Trace Local held steady with a small increase, continuing its run as one of the county's most consistent performers.

A standout beyond the traditional districts: Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center

While our traditional K-12 districts posted solid results, Pickaway-Ross Career & Technology Center (CTPD) delivered the county's most outstanding report card overall — earning a full 5-star rating, "Significantly Exceeds State Standards," and meeting 9 out of 9 federal indicators (100%). The career-tech center posted 5-star ratings in Graduation Rate, Career & Post-Secondary Readiness, and Post-Program Outcomes, alongside a solid 3-star Achievement rating. It's a strong reminder that Ross County's workforce pipeline — from the classroom straight into skilled careers — is in excellent hands.

Subject-level bright spots across the county

Dig into the classroom-level numbers and there's a lot to be proud of:

•    Union-Scioto Local's 8th graders posted an 81.9% math proficiency rate — well above the state average of 52.0%.

•    Southeastern Local's 6th graders hit 82.5% in math (state average: 56.2%), and Southeastern's Algebra I students scored 82.1% proficient (state average: 61.6%).

•    Zane Trace, Huntington, and Adena all posted strong 4th-grade math results — 79.8%, 77.0%, and 73.1% respectively — each well ahead of the 67.3% state average.

•    Southeastern's U.S. History students scored 82.6% proficient, more than nine points above the state average.

Where we can grow together

Every community has room to grow, and the data points to a clear, shared opportunity: Geometry proficiency. Countywide, most districts scored below the state average of 43.3% in Geometry — the one exception being Paint Valley Local, which topped the state average at 48.6%, a genuine bright spot worth highlighting.

More broadly, several districts show strong momentum in elementary math that tapers as students move into middle and high school coursework. That's not a Ross County problem alone — it's a pattern educators across Ohio are working on — but it's exactly the kind of challenge that gets better with focused tutoring, mentoring, and stronger business-education partnerships.

How the Chamber is helping

Ross County's economic future depends on a strong pipeline of skilled, prepared graduates, and the Chamber remains committed to serving as the bridge between our schools and our employers. From workforce development partnerships to small business programming and our ongoing dialogue with local superintendents, we're working to make sure every Ross County student graduates ready to build a career right here at home.

Congratulations to the teachers, administrators, and students across Ross County for another year of hard work. We're proud of the progress, energized by the momentum in districts like Adena and Chillicothe City, inspired by Pickaway-Ross CTPD's exceptional showing, and grateful to be part of a community that keeps investing in its kids.

This snapshot reflects the Achievement component of Ohio's report card system. Full report cards — including Graduation, Progress, Gap Closing, Early Literacy, and College/Career/Workforce/Military Readiness ratings — are available for every Ross County district at reportcard.education.ohio.gov.