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Cincinnati Public Schools Earn 3-Star State Rating in 2026

By Drooid · Sep 16, 2026, 12:28 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Cincinnati Public Schools earned a 3-star overall rating in the 2026 state report.
The district rose from a 2.5-star rating in 2025 to 3 stars in 2026.
Cincinnati will ask voters to approve a property-tax levy on the November ballot.
Among Ohio’s three largest districts, Cincinnati posted the highest rating, while Cleveland and Columbus each scored 2.5 stars.
Cincinnati received stars ranging from 1 for graduation to 4 for progress.

History

Historical Context

Ohio’s 1851 constitution demanded a “thorough and efficient” school system, but property-tax freezes from House Bill 920 in 1976 and decades of wealth-based disparities led to the 1994 DeRolph ruling that the funding model violated that mandate. In response, voters approved Issue 1 in 1995, adding $1.7 billion in state aid and raising the Department of Education’s budget by 30 percent.

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Story summary

Cincinnati Public Schools earned a 3-star overall rating in the 2026 state report.
The district rose from a 2.5-star rating in 2025 to 3 stars in 2026.
Cincinnati will ask voters to approve a property-tax levy on the November ballot.
Among Ohio’s three largest districts, Cincinnati posted the highest rating, while Cleveland and Columbus each scored 2.5 stars.
Cincinnati received stars ranging from 1 for graduation to 4 for progress.

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