Upper Scioto Valley Local, OH

Original Research by School Decision on Upper Scioto Valley Local

Upper Scioto Valley Local is a small rural district in Hardin County that enrolls students from kindergarten through twelfth grade across three buildings: an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school. The district serves a community that is predominantly white, with a modest Hispanic population and a small number of students identifying as multiracial. The enrollment is stable at a size typical for this part of Ohio's agricultural region.

In state testing across grades three through eight, the district shows mixed results. In English language arts and math, proficiency sits in the low-to-mid range, with just above six in ten students meeting proficiency standards in English language arts and a lower share achieving proficiency in math. Science testing, offered to a smaller population of students, shows stronger performance, with about two-thirds meeting proficiency. Social studies proficiency is the district's strongest area across all tested subjects. The data reflects only the most recent school year, so trend information is not available to show whether these results represent an improving pattern, a decline, or stability over time.

Chronic absenteeism is a concern in the district; the rate places it in the bottom quartile among Hardin County's districts, meaning attendance patterns here are weaker than in most peer districts nearby. This is worth flagging as a parent concern, particularly if your child struggles with motivation or has barriers to getting to school. The district may be able to discuss what supports or interventions are in place to address this pattern.

On the positive side, the district's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint among Hardin County's districts, indicating that academic performance, while not outstanding, is reasonably competitive within the county. Per-pupil spending is in the upper range for the county, suggesting the district invests substantially in each student's education relative to its neighbors.

The community in which the district sits includes towns such as Ada, Belle Center, Alger, and others across the district's service area. Housing values in the district's zip codes have appreciated modestly over the past year, and home prices remain well below state and national benchmarks, making this an affordable housing market. Mortgage affordability is favorable relative to national standards. The area's unemployment rate is moderate and stable.

No data was available on the district's free-or-reduced-price-lunch participation, special education identification rate, or English learner population, so the economic and demographic profile is incomplete on those measures. A graduation rate was not provided in the data; a parent may want to request that directly from the district or look for it on the district's website. No recent district initiatives, levy campaigns, or curriculum changes were found in public records, leaving the forward-looking strategic picture unclear. This does not mean nothing is happening, only that such information was not publicly reported in sources available to this research.

This is a community-scaled district with modest test performance, real attendance challenges, but reasonable resources per student and very affordable housing. It fits families seeking a small-town school environment in a lower-cost area who can support their children's learning independently and are comfortable advocating directly with the school on specific needs.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

470

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 6%

White 90%

Two+ 4%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

48%

—

Gr 4

60%

—

Gr 5

79%

—

Gr 6

61%

—

Gr 7

72%

—

Gr 8

46%

—

Gr 38

61%

—

Math

Gr 3

55%

—

Gr 4

90%

—

Gr 5

64%

—

Gr 6

68%

—

Gr 7

36%

—

Gr 8

46%

—

Gr 38

61%

—

Science

Gr 5

73%

—

Gr 8

54%

—

Gr 38

64%

—

Schools in this District

3 schools are officially reported under this district.

Upper Scioto Valley Middle School

Upper Scioto Valley Elementary School

Upper Scioto Valley High School

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

61%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

61%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

64%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$203,681

Year-over-year change+9.0%

Range across 8 ZIP codes$95K to $283K

vs. state typical0.83x

vs. national typical0.55x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (8 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
45812	Alger	$157K	+13.4%	38.4%
43310	Belle Center	$283K	+6.4%	22.8%
43326	Kenton	$174K	+4.6%	14.4%
45850	Harrod	$239K	+8.3%	8.8%
45896	Waynesfield	$208K	+4.7%	7.1%
45810	Ada	$227K	+10.2%	5.3%
43331	Lakeview	$195K	+2.9%	1.8%
45859	McGuffey	$95K	+1.3%	0.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,028/mo

Home price / national median income2.4x

Comparison

State typical home value$244,844 (+3.6% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.