The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in Social studies. The lowest is 11% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Innes Community Learning Center
Innes Community Learning Center is a public middle school serving grades six through eight in Akron, with an enrollment of a small-to-mid-sized cohort. The school's location on East Avenue places it within the city's dispersed neighborhood school system rather than a downtown campus cluster.
The school's academic profile shows proficiency rates well below state expectations across tested subjects. In math, about one in nine students scored at proficiency or above; in ELA, roughly one in six; in science, about one in four. These gaps are substantial. The school sits in the bottom quartile when measured against other districts in Summit County on an overall proficiency index. Participation rates in state testing are very strong, at nearly universal, so these results are not driven by testing avoidance. Students are taking the assessments; the proficiency numbers reflect actual performance.
The student body is diverse by race and ethnicity. About half the enrollment is Black; roughly one-quarter white; and smaller shares Asian, Hispanic, and multiracial. The school serves no students identified as American Indian or Native Hawaiian. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner status were not available, so a full picture of economic need and support requirements is incomplete; a parent may want to ask the school directly about these populations and what services are in place.
Innes is embedded in the Akron City school district, which has undergone significant recent change. In November 2024, Akron voters approved a new operating levy and capital bond—the district's first new taxes in a span of years—marking a lasting shift in property tax burden for residents. This vote followed substantial budget cuts earlier in 2024: the district eliminated numerous positions and reduced staffing by a meaningful amount, including dozens of teaching jobs, changes that would affect class sizes and program availability going forward. These are material facts for any family considering a home purchase or relocation into the district.
The district has also launched a system-wide College & Career Academies model across all high schools, grounded in the Ford Next Generation Learning framework, with expansion to elementary grades announced in 2024. This pedagogical shift emphasizes career pathways, industry partnerships, and inquiry-based learning, and it represents a lasting instructional change that will shape how every student in the system learns. The district's state report card rating improved notably following implementation of a new college and career readiness component.
For a student at Innes, the academic data indicate that the middle school years present a critical juncture. Proficiency gaps in core subjects are real and wide. The school's strong testing participation suggests the numbers reflect actual performance rather than selective testing, and a parent or guardian would want to understand what supports are available for students working toward grade-level standards, what the teacher-to-student ratios are, and how the College & Career Academies model is being deployed at the middle grades to prepare students for high school and beyond.
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