This year's annual Quality Counts report produced by Education Week has broadened its focus to span preschool through post-secondary education rather than just K-12. Indicators include things like preschool enrollment, high school graduation, and steady employment rates of parents - in all, 13 different factors.
Lynn Olsen, the Executive Project editor, says Ohio has made improvements in the K-12 years, and now ranks tenth in the nation in overall performance. But fewer kids go on to finish college, which Olsen says is due partly to specific shortcomings shown to hinder post-secondary achievement.
Lynn Olsen: Where the state tends to lag is in the percent of adult population with a degree and also adults with incomes above the national median.
The report concludes that when it comes to the likelihood of children succeeding later in life, Ohio ranks 27th - tied with Montana, and just behind Michigan and ahead of Alaska.