The top reported proficiency rate is 37% in Social studies. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Mary M Bethune
Mary M Bethune serves early grades through eighth grade in Cleveland, drawing a small student body in the mid-sized range for its grade band. The school sits in a residential neighborhood on the southeast side, about three miles from downtown. Most students are Black; the racial makeup is predominantly Black with a smaller number of white and multiracial students, and very few Asian and Hispanic students. Free-and-reduced-price lunch status was not reported in the available data, making it difficult to assess the economic composition of the student body beyond what zip code housing data suggests.
Academically, the school faces real headwinds. In math, about one in ten students tested met state proficiency, placing the school in the bottom quartile among Cuyahoga County districts on overall proficiency across tested subjects. English-language arts proficiency was also low at roughly one in five students. Science proficiency was similar. These are not borderline results; they represent substantially lower attainment than the typical district in the county. State assessment data from an earlier year in social studies showed higher rates, though that data is now several years old and may not reflect current conditions. The school achieved full testing participation, so the numbers reflect the performance of the students taking the test.
The locale is important context. Cleveland has over recent years concentrated new investment and population growth downtown and in neighborhoods like Ohio City and Tremont, while outer residential areas like the one where this school sits have experienced slower momentum. Housing values in the 44106 zip code are below the state benchmark and have declined modestly. Rents are affordable relative to regional medians. This is a working-class neighborhood rather than a high-wealth one.
The Cleveland Municipal School District, which operates this school, underwent a substantial consolidation in December 2025. By the 2026-27 school year, the district will shrink from 88 to about 59 schools, closing buildings and merging others. The consolidation will move roughly thousands of students to different schools. The district simultaneously passed a significant property tax levy in November 2024 to fund operations and teacher compensation, adding a direct annual cost for homeowners. These are structural changes that will reshape the district over the next year or two.
The school itself sits within a district that has also adopted new policies for all students: a cellphone-free environment in classrooms and a shift to the PowerSchool online gradebook, which gives parents direct access to grades throughout the year rather than through report cards alone. These changes affect the daily experience for every student and family.
Given the academic performance data, a parent considering this school would want to investigate closely what intervention supports are in place, what the school's trajectory looks like, and whether the learning environment aligns with their child's needs. The low proficiency rates suggest students are struggling with grade-level material across core subjects. The school's grade span—pre-K through eighth—is typical for urban elementary-middle configurations and offers a continuous pathway from early childhood through the middle grades without a transition at fifth or sixth grade. A parent may want to look into further with the school what drives the low proficiency and what support systems exist for students working below grade level.
See more original research from School Decision →