How a Ford NGL Community using the model’s Community Connected approach fueled a measurable rise in student readiness.

Akron Public Schools is showing what happens when the model moves from concept to culture.

After years of developing College & Career Academies that connect classrooms to the community, the district saw the payoff in Ohio’s 2025 state report cards.

Akron’s overall rating climbed from 2.5 to 3.5 stars, meeting state standards for the first time in years. The state’s new College, Career, Workforce & Military Readiness (CCWMR) measure now weighted in every district’s score became Akron’s biggest strength.

The district earned 4 out of 5 stars in this category, which indicates they are significantly exceeding state standards placing them in the top 15% of all the state’s 605 districts, with 81.5 % of graduates ready for college, careers, or military service.

“Our success isn’t just internal,” said Superintendent Mary Outley. “It’s due to the support of our community … taking learning outside of the four walls and into the community.”
— Signal Akron, Sept 16 2025

How the Ford NGL Community Connected Academy Model Works

The new readiness component “proved a boon for Akron schools,” Ideastream Public Media reported, crediting the district’s decades-long work to make every high school a hub for real-world learning.

Akron’s academies offer 53 career and college pathways from biomedical science and nursing to hospitality, construction, and fire safety, each led by industry professionals rather than traditional classroom instructors.

“Every single one of our pathways is staffed with an industry professional,” explained Marcie Ebright, Director of Akron’s College & Career Academies. “Students learn the skill in class and then see it applied on the job site.”
— Ideastream Public Media, Sept 15 2025

More than 300 business and industry partners, including Goodyear and Bridgestone, collaborate with APS. Twelve of them have established named academies inside schools, offering internships, mentorships, and hands-on projects.

This model goes beyond academic rigor or technical training. It builds a community-wide ecosystem where students engage in authentic, real-world learning tied to local economies and future opportunities. In Akron, that means every high school operates as part of a network powered by business partners, postsecondary institutions, and teachers working together to prepare students for what’s next.

Why the Numbers Matter

Ohio’s new readiness metric values the very outcomes Ford NGL communities pursue:
students earning college credits, credentials, apprenticeships, or licenses alongside classroom success.

The Ohio Education Association applauded the shift.

“Students just aren’t a standardized test score,” said Jeff Wensing, OEA President. “We appreciate the multiple data points that show students’ talents and the different ways they can demonstrate success.”
— News 5 Cleveland, Sept 12 2025

Akron’s also received a 4.5 stars on their Career and Technical Report Card, validating that approach, proving that when schools, employers, and higher ed partners align, readiness becomes measurable and repeatable.

The Takeaway

Akron’s 2025 data offer clear evidence that the Ford NGL Community Connected Academy model works.

By embedding community partnerships into every school, Akron has built a system that doesn’t just graduate students—it launches them.

Results:

Highest CCR&MR score is the highest of all eight large urbans in the state of Ohio and placing in the upper 15% of the state (4 / 5 stars)
Akron’s 4-year graduation rate sees an all time high of 88.9%, leading all the large urbans in the state.
81.5% of seniors ready for college, career, or military
District state report card improvement from 2.5 to 3.5 stars overall
District CTPD report card from 4 to 4.5 stars

As Superintendent Outley said, Akron’s transformation “isn’t just internal—it’s powered by the community.” And now, the data proves it.

By the Numbers

Source Data: Signal Akron; News 5 Cleveland; Akron Beacon Journal; WKYC 3News; Ideastream Public Media.

Category	Stars (2024–25)	Key Metrics & Insights
Overall Rating	3.5 / 5	Up from 2.5 last year—now meets Ohio’s performance standards.
College, Career, Workforce & Military Readiness	4 / 5	81.5% of graduating seniors “ready for post-secondary options.” Exceeds state standards in college, career, workforce, and military readiness
Achievement	2 / 5	Performance Index Score: 65.8% (up from 63.4 last year; 39.2 in 2021).
Progress	4 / 5	Significant evidence that the district exceeded student growth expectations.
Gap Closing	3 / 5	Meets state standards in closing educational gaps.
Graduation	2 / 5	4-year graduation rate: ~89%, steady and aligned with state average.
Early Literacy	1 / 5	45% of 3rd graders proficient (vs. 57% state standard).
CTE Overall Rating	4.5/ 5	Significantly exceeding state standards, and well on their way to becoming a 5 Star district.
CTE Achievement	3 / 5	Meets state standards in technical and academic achievement, moving from 68% to 75% on technical skill attainment in one year.
CTE Career & Post-Secondary REadiness	5 / 5	Akron students earned multiple measures and bonus points, scoring 115.8%!
CTE Graduation Rates	4 / 5	93.3% of CTE students graduated in their four-year cohort
CTE Post Program Outcomes	5 / 5	92.1% of graduating seniors report placement in college enrollment, employment or military enlistment