Original Research by School Decision on Akron Stem High School
Akron STEM High School is a small public high school serving grades nine through twelve within Akron City Schools. The enrollment is modest, with students distributed fairly evenly across the grade levels. The school sits at 123 South Forge Street in Akron's downtown-adjacent geography.
The student body is racially and ethnically diverse. Black students and white students each make up a substantial portion of enrollment, with meaningful representation of Asian students as well. A smaller number of students identify as multiracial or Hispanic. The free-or-reduced-price lunch rate and counts of students receiving special education or English learner services were not available in the data.
State assessment results from 2024-25 show a mixed academic profile. Students performed strongest in social studies, where proficiency reached a notably high level. English language arts proficiency was solid. However, math and science proficiency both fell below the midpoint, with math proficiency at about two-fifths of students and science proficiency at roughly one-third. This pattern—strength in humanities and social studies alongside weaker performance in quantitative subjects—is one a parent may want to explore directly with the school, particularly given the STEM designation in the school's name. Whether this reflects curriculum emphasis, student composition, assessment conditions, or other factors would be worth understanding in conversation with school leadership.
The school's position relative to other districts in Summit County could not be fully assessed because state graduation rate data and overall proficiency comparisons were not provided. Historical trend data across multiple years was also unavailable, so whether current results represent improvement, decline, or stability is unknown from the data at hand.
Akron itself is Ohio's fifth-largest city, with a mixed residential character shaped by its former identity as the Rubber Capital of the World. The downtown holds government and commercial office space and is undergoing visible investment through the Reimagining the Civic Commons initiative, which has renovated Lock 3 Park and is enhancing the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail and other public spaces. The University of Akron campus sits adjacent to downtown, and civic anchors like the Main Library, Akron Art Museum, and Civic Theatre are clustered there. Walkability varies widely by neighborhood; the city overall has modest walkability, though pockets like Highland Square and downtown itself are more pedestrian-friendly. METRO RTA provides bus service with about thirty lines.
The housing market has tightened in recent years. Home values have risen substantially since previous measurements, and current median values reflect ongoing appreciation, though inventory remains tight. The city is actively encouraging infill housing and has launched neighborhood-level development programs with financial assistance for buyers and builders.
Akron Public Schools has undergone significant change. In November 2024, voters approved a new operating levy and bond issue—the first new school taxes in roughly two decades. This directly raised property tax costs for homeowners and will fund operations and construction of a new North High School building. Before this levy passed, the district made substantial budget cuts, eliminating a considerable number of positions including dozens of teaching jobs. These staffing reductions remain in effect and may affect class sizes and program breadth.
More broadly, the district has implemented a College and Career Academies model across all high schools using the Ford Next Generation Learning framework, shifting instruction toward career pathways, industry partnerships, and inquiry-based learning. This represents a lasting pedagogical change now in place districtwide. The district made substantial gains on the state report card as a result, and achieved one of the highest scores among urban districts in Ohio on the college and career readiness measure. Whether Akron STEM High School's academic profile reflects this broader shift or responds to specific student needs would be worth asking about directly with the school.
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