Middletown Schools retained its “Continuous Improvement” rating, according to the preliminary data released Wednesday by the Ohio Department of Education.

The Middletown City School District’s performance index rating continues to climb in the Ohio Department of Education’s district report card ratings. And while he is encouraged by the district’s continued progress, superintendent Greg Rasmussen said he knows there’s still work to do.

“Since the state started rating schools with a performance index, we’ve got the highest score (87.2) we’ve ever had,” Rasmussen said. “So we’re encouraged by those things. … We’re pleased with the progress we made at the various grade levels. We made some significant improvements in math and continue to get better in reading at a lot of the grade levels.”

Middletown’s performance index rose 1.3 points this year.

The performance index is one of the four measures that determine a district’s rating. The others are state indicators met, and how districts performed on the state’s growth measures of Adequate Yearly Progress and value-added.

Of the four, the performance index is widely considered to be the best barometer of a district’s overall performance. The ODE defines the measure as reflective of the “achievement of every student enrolled for the full academic year.”

“We’re continuing to see positive change,” Rasmussen said. “We all realize this is just the foundation and that we have a lot of work to do. We’re pleased with the continued progress, but we’re not satisfied with where we are either.”

The district is the only one in Butler County that failed to meet any of the 14 Ohio Achievement Assessment requirements.

Lakota and Ross Local Schools were the only two Butler County districts to earn “Excellent with Distinction.” Most crucial to garnering a rating of “Excellent with Distinction,” both districts met the Adequate Yearly Progress and were above the value-added — which shows whether fourth- through eighth-grade students have made a year’s worth of progress.

AYP indicates how the schools and district are helping each subset of student — black, white, economically disadvantaged, Asian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaskan native, Hispanic, multi-racial, students with disabilities and students limited English proficient. No other county districts met the AYP standard.

Monroe has now earned an “Excellent” rating for three straight years.

“This rating reflects the efforts of our students, parents, teachers and administrators,” said Monroe interim Superintendent Phil Cagwin. “This rating is especially rewarding when you consider all the requirements coming down from Columbus with the common core and the new assessments.”

A five-year, 7.05-mill emergency operating tax levy is up for Monroe voters to decide upon for the second time. Should it pass, it would raise $2.5 million for the district. The owner of a $100,000 home would pay $246 more per year. The issue failed by 80 votes in August.

Carlisle earned an “Excellent” rating for the second straight year.

“Prior to last year, Carlisle Schools had never received a rating above ‘Effective,’ so to go both years as ‘Excellent’ is something our students, staff and community can be proud of,” Carlisle superintendent Larry Hook said.

Carlisle’s Grigsby Intermediate School earned its first-ever “Excellent With Distinction” rating.

Carlisle has an emergency tax levy on the November ballot as well. The five-year, 4.9-mill levy would generate $812,865 per year and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $150.09 each year. Voters rejected a combined Carlisle bond issue/income tax levy 57 percent to 43 percent in May.

Despite meeting the most state indicators it’s ever met, Madison Local Schools fell from “Excellent” to “Effective” for 2011-12.

Madison superintendent Curtis Philpot said the elementary school met all but two of the state’s indicators and saw performance improvement, which represented positive growth. Individually, the high school and middle school received “Excellent” designations.

“Although Madison Elementary School was designated as ‘Effective,’ the elementary saw positive growth in every grade level, met Adequate Yearly Progress, and met Value Added. I am proud of the work done by our staff and students and look forward to another positive and productive year,” Philpot said.

Franklin retained its “Effective” ranking.