History & Dramatic Results at

Withrow University High School 

Please begin by viewing CNN story about Withrow and Cincinnati Public Schools

For a full copy of this report on Withrow University High School click here: Withrow 

Withrow University High School

How did a Cincinnati Public School with no admissions test produce major improvements in student achievement and graduation rates, improvements so dramatic that the school now has a stronger academic record than many suburban high schools? Material below helps answer that question.

Withrow University High School is located in Cincinnati, Ohio and is part of the Cincinnati Public School system. WHUS is an urban 9^th through 12^th grade school with approximately 750 students and is a “High School of Choice”. There is no residence, geographic or entrance test requirement needed to enroll. More than 90% of the student body is minority with over 50% of these students on free or reduced lunch. Consistent with the expectations from “No Child Left Behind”, WUHS has been successfully raising and maintaining high levels of academic performance, particularly among minority and economically disadvantaged students.

Withrow University High School (WUHS) was established in 2002 as one of two “smaller” schools on the historic Withrow High School campus. The goal of this reorganization was to create a nurturing environment where teachers were better able to reach and engage students in meaningful ways by providing for academic rigor and relevance, as well as, positive adult mentoring relationships. Beginning with only a  freshman class,  funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the leadership of Principal Sharon Johnson, the original low performing school (Academic Watch Rating 2002) has become a national model of outstanding inner city achievement – a school where the achievement gap between white and African American students has not only been closed – it has been eliminated. 

The story has been discussed in a speech by Melinda Gates to the National School Boards Association, on CNN, in an Education Week commentary, and a variety of other places.  We are sharing this story in hopes that it will help encourage, inspire and assist others.

Sharon Johnson, principal, Withrow University High School

Joe Nathan, Center for School Change, Humphrey Institute, University of Minnesota

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING THE REPORT ON WITHROW UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL