This year the state report cards were two months behind schedule, but the results for at least three school districts in Lawrence County were worth waiting for.

For the 2011-2012 school year Dawson-Bryant, Fairland and Rock Hill received overall excellent ratings for their districts. This is the third year in a row for Fairland to get the top rating, but a step up for Dawson-Bryant and Rock Hill.

Last year Green Local Schools in Franklin Furnace joined Fairland as the only two schools in the area to get excellent ratings. However, Green dropped a notch pulling in an effective rating this year. The remaining four districts in Lawrence County received effective ratings, the same ranking they got in school year 2010-2011.

The Ohio Department of Education awards six ratings to schools in the state: Excellent with Distinction; Excellent; Effective; Continuous Improvement; Academic Watch and Academic Emergency.

The ratings are based on a variety of factors including students’ scores on the state tests; progress of students from one year to next; high school graduation rates and attendance rates.

Data on attendance rates submitted by urban school districts caused the delay in the release of the report cards, usually released in August. Currently Ohio Auditor Dave Yost is investigating whether the charges alleging irregularities with enrollment and attendance data are valid.

Until the investigation is completed, which an ODE spokesperson said is expected to be the first of the year, the report card data is considered preliminary, not final.

On Sunday, The Tribune will report indepth on the report card data of each of the seven districts in Lawrence County and Green schools in Scioto County.