Olentangy Local Schools has once again earned the spot as the state's largest district to earn top marks on the Ohio report card, dwarfing the next-largest school to earn the distinction.
Olentangy Schools earned five stars on the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce report card released Sept. 15, and is just one of 61 districts to earn the distinction among over 600 public schools in the state. The state's fourth-largest district with over 23,000 students is the only district over 10,000 students to earn five-stars.
The next-largest school to earn five stars is Mason City Schools in Warren County, which has 9,700 students.
Superintendent
Todd Meyer said "strong results are the product of intentional work, collaboration and a sharedcommitment to our district mission."
"Maintaining this level of academic excellence while serving a rapidly growing student population is an extraordinary accomplishment by our entire staff and learning community," Meyer said.
Olentangy earned five-star ratings in the achievement, gap-closing, and graduation categories, and earned four-star ratings in early literacy and progress categories. The district earned three stars in the college, career, workforce, and military readiness component.
The district also had a shrinking chronic absenteeism rate of 9.2% in 2025-2026, compared to 10.8% the year prior. That is well below the state average chronic absenteeism rate of 23.9% The district also reported an over 97% graduation rate.
Olentangy Local Schools is among the fastest-growing districts in the state, and added nearly 300 students in 2025-2026, according to the report card data.
By 2040, the district projects it could have 32,000 students, which would make it the third-largest district in the state The district recently broke ground on its 18th elementary school and fifth high school, funded by a 2025 bond levy, in a response to the meteoric growth it is facing as a destination for families in central Ohio.
Michelle Blackley, chief academic officer, said the report card "continues to reflect Olentangy’s unwavering commitment to academic excellence."
"This recognition reflects the collective efforts of our dedicated staff, engaged families, and supportive community, who work together every day to personalize learning, foster growth, and help every student flourish," Blackley said.
Cole Behrens covers K-12 education and school districts in central Ohio. Have a tip? Contact Cole at cbehrens@dispatch.com or connect with him on X at @Colebehr_report
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Olentangy schools stand alone in Ohio report card rankings. Here's why
