The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 28% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Aim Academy @ Belden
AIM Academy @ Belden is a public elementary school serving kindergarten through sixth grade in Canton, Ohio. It sits within Canton City Schools, a district in the midst of significant structural change driven by finances and a long-term shift toward neighborhood-based K-6 schools.
The school enrolls a small-to-mid-sized student population distributed evenly across its seven grade bands. Student composition is diverse: a substantial share are Black students, with meaningful representation of white and multiracial students and a smaller share of Hispanic students. Free-and-reduced-price-lunch status data was not available, nor were counts of students receiving special education services or English learner support, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those populations and what support infrastructure exists.
State test results from the most recent school year show proficiency rates well below where the field typically aims. In English language arts, the proportion of students meeting proficiency was in the mid-range; in math and science, proficiency was substantially lower. When compared against other school districts in Stark County, the school's overall proficiency index placed it in the bottom quartile. Graduation rate data does not apply because the school serves only elementary grades. No multi-year trend data exists yet, so it is not possible to know whether this represents a stable baseline or a change from prior performance. A parent may want to ask the school and district about the specific academic supports in place for math, where the need appears acute, and about plans to build on stronger English language arts performance.
The broader Canton City Schools context matters here. In January 2026, the district board approved a budget reduction plan that includes closing multiple elementary buildings and consolidating students. AIM Academy @ Belden's status and any attendance-zone changes within that consolidation should be clarified with the district directly. The district is also shifting from a grade-band structure (K-3, 4-6) to full K-6 neighborhood elementaries, a change parents in the community have reportedly requested over years. If AIM Academy @ Belden continues as a neighborhood K-6 school, that may affect busing, peer grouping, and the school's instructional trajectory.
Canton itself is a mid-size industrial city in transition, with a mixed downtown Arts District and retail corridors, historically anchored by steel and manufacturing but now more diverse in its economy across healthcare, food production, and services. Population has declined modestly over decades, though recent losses have slowed. Major development activity centers on the Pro Football Hall of Fame campus to the north. Housing values in the school's zip code are well below state and national medians, making homeownership more affordable, though rents remain a substantial proportion of household income. The school is located in an established residential neighborhood on Canton's northeast side.
Parents considering this school should factor in the current academic results and ask directly about instructional strategy, class sizes under the district's new reduction plan, and the school's long-term role within the district's K-6 neighborhood school model.
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