The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in Social studies. The lowest is 44% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Gearity Professional Development School
Gearity Professional Development School is a public elementary school in University Heights serving prekindergarten through fifth grade within the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District. The school enrolls a diverse student body with a majority Black enrollment, alongside substantial representation of white, Hispanic, and multiracial students.
State testing data from 2024-2025 shows proficiency rates in the low to mid-range. In English language arts, the school's proficiency rate sits below the midpoint among Cuyahoga County district schools. Math proficiency lags further, with fewer students reaching proficiency levels. Science proficiency is comparable to the ELA rate. The most recent social studies data available is from 2016-2017, making current performance in that subject unclear. Across the tested subjects and grades for which current data exists, Gearity's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint among county districts. All assessed students participated in state testing, indicating strong test administration.
The school's name reflects its formal role as a professional development school, a designation that typically means it serves as a training ground for pre-service teachers and hosts ongoing professional learning for educators; however, the data provided does not detail what this partnership looks like in practice or how it shapes the student experience beyond its title. A parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand how the professional development mission influences daily instruction and community engagement.
The student enrollment is small for its grade band, weighted substantially toward the earliest grades, with the pK cohort notably larger than any other. This suggests the school may function partly as an early childhood center. The racial and ethnic composition reflects the broader Cleveland Heights-University Heights community, which includes both longstanding families and residents drawn to the area by proximity to John Carroll University.
University Heights itself is an inner-ring suburb roughly eight miles east of downtown Cleveland, anchored by John Carroll University's 65-acre campus and known for tree-lined residential streets of brick colonials, Tudors, and ranches. The community is in active redevelopment; the long-dormant University Square shopping center is being rebuilt as Bell Tower Center, a mixed-use project with new apartments and retail, and John Carroll has presented plans for a South Gateway development. For families, the housing market in the area shows modest home values and rental costs below state and national benchmarks, with rental prices rising faster than home values. Walkability varies by neighborhood; the Cedar and Warrensville Center corridors offer commercial access on foot, though a car is generally needed for most errands and school commutes.
The Cleveland Heights-University Heights school district itself adopted a new K-12 math curriculum in 2024-2025, bringing standardized instructional materials into all classrooms. The district narrowly passed an operating levy in 2020, and property reappraisals completed in April 2024 raised residential values substantially, directly affecting the property tax contributions that fund schools. For families considering this area, both the curriculum changes and the recent property tax increases are material factors in the overall cost and academic structure of schooling here.
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