The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Science. The lowest is 19% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin serves students from pre-kindergarten through grade 8 in Cleveland, a city undergoing modest population growth concentrated in its urban core. The school sits within Cleveland Municipal School District, which in December 2025 approved a major consolidation plan. By the 2026-27 school year, the district will shrink from about as many schools as it currently operates to a much smaller footprint, merging schools and closing buildings. Families with children at Benjamin Franklin should understand that this consolidation may affect their school's future status, transportation, or which school their child eventually attends as the district reorganizes.
The school's academic results show room for growth. On Ohio's State Tests for grades 3 through 8, proficiency rates across the three tested subjects range from low to moderate. In mathematics, a small fraction of students scored at proficient level or above. English language arts proficiency was slightly higher but still below the statewide expectation. Science showed the strongest results, with proficiency roughly approaching half the student population, though science testing was administered to a smaller group at the school. In social studies, an older data point from a tested grade showed proficiency near the half-way mark, but more recent comprehensive data was not available. Across the tested subjects, Benjamin Franklin's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Cuyahoga County. A parent may want to look into this further with the school—specifically what reading, math and science interventions are in place for students working below proficiency, and what the school sees as its priorities for improvement.
The student body is racially and ethnically diverse. The enrollment is small to mid-sized for a K-8 building, with roughly equal numbers of Black and white students and a meaningful presence of Hispanic students and students of multiple racial backgrounds. Free or reduced price lunch participation data was not available, so a parent should ask the school directly about the economic profile of the student population and what supports are available for families facing hardship. Special education and English learner enrollment data were not reported; again, asking the school about these services is important if your child has those needs.
Benjamin Franklin is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet program, and serves the neighborhood surrounding Spring Road in Cleveland. Housing in the area is moderately valued; the median home value in the school's zip code is lower than the state and national benchmarks but the market has shown slight appreciation year over year. Rental costs have risen modestly over the past year. For families considering the Cleveland area, the city's economy has shifted away from manufacturing toward healthcare, education and service sectors, and the urban core downtown and University Circle areas are seeing development and new investment, though most new housing in the broader region is being built in outer suburbs.
The district has implemented two significant changes affecting all schools in the 2024-25 school year: a cellphone ban for students and the PowerSchool online grade book system, which gives parents direct real-time access to student grades. Additionally, voters in November 2024 approved a combined operating levy increase and bond extension—a permanent property tax increase—that will fund teacher pay and facilities upgrades across the district. Families moving into Cleveland Municipal should factor this into housing cost calculations.
The school's location on Spring Road places it within Cleveland, a large mixed-use city with 29 neighborhoods, a downtown business core, a strong cultural and educational presence at University Circle, and broad walkability in some districts while others remain quieter and more residential. The city has regional transit, the Metroparks system and major civic institutions, but growth is uneven and concentrated downtown. Benjamin Franklin itself sits in a traditional urban neighborhood context. This is a neighborhood school serving a diverse student population in an urban setting undergoing district-level restructuring and community change.
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