Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Learning Academy
Franklin Learning Academy is a tuition-free public charter school serving kindergarten through second grade in downtown Columbus. The school is brand new, founded in 2023, and operates as both a district and a single school. It pairs classroom instruction with onsite childcare for toddlers and PreK, creating a continuity of care for young learners whose families are looking for early childhood support alongside elementary academics.
The enrollment is small: about two dozen students across the three grades, with the largest cohort in kindergarten and smaller numbers in first and second grade. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students and one Hispanic student. No data was available on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, students with disabilities, or English learners, which is not unusual for a very new school still building its systems.
State testing data for the school was not available, likely because Ohio does not assess students in these early grades through its standard accountability system. Instead, Franklin Learning Academy's primary academic signal comes from publicly reported recognition: the school earned an Overall 5-Star Building Award from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce on the state report card, the highest possible rating. This reflects performance on student achievement, academic progress, and early literacy. Statewide, only a small number of community charter schools received this distinction, so it represents meaningful third-party validation of the school's early instructional quality.
The key limitation and planning point for families is the school's intentional scope. Franklin Learning Academy serves only grades K through 2. Families enrolling here are choosing a tailored early elementary experience with the understanding that their child will transition to another school for third grade and beyond. This is not a pathway school; it is explicitly a short-term placement designed to lay a strong foundation in the early grades. For parents seeking continuity through elementary school, this requires advance planning and research into the next destination.
The school's location in downtown Columbus and the pairing of childcare with academics suggests an intentional design for working families and those seeking integrated early childhood services. The tuition-free model removes a cost barrier. For families new to the area or those prioritizing early literacy and a small-school setting during the critical K-2 window, Franklin Learning Academy presents a recently launched, highly rated alternative to the traditional public elementary system. A parent weighing this choice should connect directly with the school to understand the grade-3 transition process and to confirm alignment between the school's instructional approach and their child's needs.
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