Report card reveals strong performance

The information can help parents planning for their children, spokesman said.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Students attending the six Youngstown Catholic Diocese high schools outscored their public school counterparts on state proficiency tests, according to a "report card" issued by the diocese's Office of Catholic Schools.
The state of Ohio issues a report card on public school academic achievement test performances each year, and the "Catholic Schools Report Card" contains similar data as a measure of accountability of the academic and religious programs in Catholic schools.
"This report card states very clearly that Catholic Schools of the Diocese of Youngstown are providing excellent programs that lead to significant student achievement," said Dr. Michael Skube, superintendent of Catholic schools.
Parents' investment in Catholic schools is an important way to assure their children's growth in the Catholic faith and academic progress, he said.
Provides comparisons
His office released the report card to provide information for parents to use when choosing the best educational options for their children, he said. The report also identifies areas of strength and areas where improvement is needed, he said.
The diocese has six high schools and 41 elementary schools, serving more than 11,000 students, in its six-county area.
The report card provides comparisons with public schools in performances on the Ohio Graduation tests and the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.
The report card shows that diocesan students scored above the public school average in all areas.
It also shows that the diocesan schools surpassed the 93 percent state standard for attendance rate by scoring a 96 percent level.
In addition, diocesan students exceeded the 90 percent state standard for high school graduation rates. The Catholic schools had a 99.5 percent graduation rate.