October issue of School Administrator highlights the systems behind the district’s sustained improvement
East Cleveland, Ohio — October 2, 2026 — East Cleveland City Schools’ turnaround work is being highlighted on a national stage in the October 2026 issue of AASA’s School Administrator magazine. The issue includes “Defining What Matters in a District Turnaround,” an article by Superintendent and CEO Dr. Henry Pettiegrew II that details the district’s shift from managing disconnected data points to operating around a focused set of measures, evidence routines and shared expectations for student success.
The national feature arrives as East Cleveland continues to demonstrate that its improvement is becoming more durable. The district was released from Ohio’s Academic Distress Commission in December 2025 after meeting the required improvement benchmarks. On the 2025–26 Ohio School Report Card, East Cleveland maintained a three-star overall rating and four stars in Progress for the second consecutive year.
“This is recognition of East Cleveland’s work—not simply a publication with my name on it,” Pettiegrew said. “Our students, teachers, staff, families, Board and community have done the difficult work of changing what this district expects from itself and how consistently we follow the evidence. We still have significant work ahead, but East Cleveland is increasingly part of a national conversation about what sustained district improvement can look like.”
In the article, Pettiegrew describes several elements of the district’s turnaround approach, including a 20-measure scorecard, clearer accountability for central-office teams, leadership meetings organized around evidence, and a tighter connection between adult actions and student outcomes. The article is part of AASA’s October theme, “Measuring What Matters,” which examines how school systems can use data and assessment more effectively to improve teaching, learning and district operations.
Read the AASA article: https://www.pageturnpro.com/AASA/113866-October-2026/flex.html#page/33
ABOUT EAST CLEVELAND CITY SCHOOLS
East Cleveland City Schools serves students and families in East Cleveland, Ohio. The district’s improvement work focuses on academic growth, stronger instructional practice, student and family engagement, disciplined system execution and sustained organizational improvement.
MEDIA INQUIRIES AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS
Trish White
East Cleveland City Schools
[email protected]
216.268.6576