Original Research by School Decision on Elp Stewart
ELP Stewart is a pre-kindergarten program serving a small cohort of students in Akron. Because the school serves only pre-K, it has no state assessment results, no graduation rate, and no chronic absenteeism data. The early-childhood grade band sits outside the testing and accountability regime that applies to K-12 schools.
The enrollment is small and includes a substantial share of Black students, with a more modest representation of multiracial and white students, and smaller numbers of Asian and Hispanic students. Data on free or reduced-price lunch eligibility and special-education or English-learner enrollment were not available.
As a pre-K program within Akron City Schools, ELP Stewart sits within a district in the midst of significant structural change. In November 2024, Akron voters approved a combined operating levy and bond issue, the first new school taxes the district had secured in a generation. That approval came after the district had eliminated a substantial number of positions and cut deeply from the budget in the months prior. Any family enrolling in pre-K should understand that the district is actively rebuilding staffing and facilities after a contraction, and that property taxes have shifted to support ongoing operations and construction of a new North High School.
The district has also undertaken a system-wide shift toward a College and Career Academies model across all high schools, using the Ford Next Generation Learning framework. This pedagogical reorientation emphasizes inquiry-based learning, social-emotional growth, and industry partnerships. The district is expanding this framework to elementary grades, including pre-K, which means that even at the earliest stage, instruction is designed around career awareness and exploration rather than isolated academic skill-building. Publicly reported data indicate the district's overall state performance jumped notably in 2024-2025, with the highest college-and-career readiness score among any urban district in Ohio.
Akron itself is Ohio's fifth-largest city, a mixed place with downtown anchors including the University of Akron, a strong library system, Lock 3 Park, and growing tech and healthcare sectors. The housing market is modest in value compared to state and national benchmarks, though home values have appreciated in recent years. Walkability varies sharply by neighborhood; parts of downtown and neighborhoods like Highland Square are pedestrian-friendly, while many residential areas are car-dependent. The city has been working on downtown revitalization through public-realm investment and form-based zoning in select neighborhoods.
For a family evaluating pre-K options, ELP Stewart offers early enrollment in a district-operated program within a district actively investing in new pedagogy and recovering from budget strain. The program's specific curriculum, class size, schedule, and location warrant a direct conversation with the school.
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