The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 34% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Village Preparatory School Willard
Village Preparatory School Willard is a charter school serving kindergarten through eighth grade in Cleveland, with an enrollment drawn from the immediate neighborhood and surrounding areas. The school is part of Breakthrough Public Schools, a network that has recently formalized a social-emotional learning framework called Compass Circle across its campuses, embedding daily practices around connection, belonging and emotional safety into the classroom routine. School leaders have attributed Willard's strong student retention rate to this structured approach.
The student body is predominantly Black, with a substantial Hispanic enrollment and smaller populations of White, multiracial and Asian students. Roughly a third of the school's students attend each grade from kindergarten through fifth, with enrollment tapering in the middle grades. No data on free- or reduced-price lunch eligibility was available, and no information on special education or English learner populations was provided.
On state testing in the most recent school year, Willard's proficiency rates in math and English language arts both sit in the mid-thirties, placing the school below the midpoint among the county's districts in overall proficiency. Performance in science is stronger, at around three-fifths of tested students achieving proficiency. The student participation rate on these assessments was complete. Only a subset of students in the school take the science test, reflecting Ohio's grade-based testing schedule; the broader math and ELA results, which measure students in grades three through eight, offer a more comprehensive picture of the school's current academic standing.
These test results signal that most students are working below grade-level proficiency targets in core subjects, a starting point that matters for families evaluating school choice. Willard's intentional focus on social-emotional grounding and the durability of its enrollment suggest the school is building something stable in student relationships and belonging, which can support learning. The gap between where students currently are and where state proficiency targets sit is real and worth discussing with the school directly to understand how the instructional approach addresses it, what interventions or supports are in place for students below proficiency, and what academic trajectory families can expect.
The school sits on Willard Avenue in Cleveland's neighborhoods on the city's west side. Housing values in the immediate zip code are notably lower than state and national benchmarks, while rent has been rising. The broader Cleveland context includes historic neighborhoods and ongoing downtown revitalization, though population growth in the metro area has concentrated in the urban core and some exurban counties. The city's job base centers on healthcare, banking, manufacturing and education, with major employers including Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and several universities.
Village Prep Willard operates as a single-school charter district, meaning governance and enrollment decisions sit with the school itself rather than a traditional school district office. For families considering this school, the key question is whether the combination of structured social-emotional practice, the school's accessible neighborhood location and its current academic standing align with what your child needs and where you hope to see growth over time.
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