According to recent data from the Ohio Department of Education, progress is reportedly being made at LeBron James’ I Promise School, even as it continues to struggle. Established in 2018 in partnership with the city of Akron, the school aims to support at-risk children, but the achievement scores tell a troubling story.
Unfortunately, the school’s performance has not been encouraging. Not a single eighth grader passed the Ohio State Mathematics Test, and analysis by Outkick reveals persistent, serious issues. Of the students, only two out of 75 (just 2.7%) are on track to meet state math testing benchmarks for the 2024-25 school year, compared to a 50% state average.
The overall test scores are alarming. Many grades have single-digit proficiency rates, trailing significantly behind state averages by 40 to 50 points. English Language Arts is no better; only 6.6% of fifth and sixth graders passed the corresponding test, while the state average stands at 54.5%. Overall, the school maintains a one-star rating, the lowest possible in the state.
But there’s a glimmer of hope…
Despite these ongoing challenges, the Ohio Department of Education rewarded the I Promise School four stars for “progress.” The state claims this is a sign that the school has surpassed student growth expectations, based on statistical evidence gathered by the DOE. Encouragingly, one fifth grader even achieved the highest math proficiency in the school, with 24.4% of the fifth graders passing the test, in contrast to a 56.7% state average.
A vision for the future
Back in 2019, LeBron James expressed optimism that his school would uplift the students who had struggled in public education. The initiative was seen as groundbreaking at its inception. National media celebrated the opening, painting James as a hero for his efforts. “These kids are amazing. They’re better than we anticipated,” he shared at the time.
Now, several years into its operation, the school still faces significant hurdles. With its mixed results, the journey continues as the community hopes for improvements and sustainable change for its students.
