The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in Science. The lowest is 16% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Sherwood Middle School
Sherwood Middle School is a regular public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Columbus, Ohio, with a student body of roughly mid-size for a middle school. The enrollment is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of Hispanic students, and a small population of Asian, white, and multiracial students. The specific counts of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and students with disabilities or English learner status were not available in the data.
On state assessments administered in the 2024-25 school year, Sherwood's proficiency results are substantially below the county median. In ELA, about a quarter of students scored at proficient or above. In math, proficiency was notably lower, with roughly one in six students meeting the state standard. Science showed the strongest result of the three subjects, with about two in five students proficient, though this still trails the county median considerably. The school participated in testing at nearly complete rates, suggesting the assessment results accurately reflect the student population rather than being shaped by selective participation. Only one prior year of data was available, a single social studies result from 2016, so recent trends cannot be assessed.
When Sherwood's overall proficiency is compared to the 16 middle schools tested within Franklin County, the school places in the bottom quartile, meaning proficiency here is among the lowest in the county. This is not a school where most students are demonstrating grade-level mastery on the state's measures.
The immediate context has shifted materially. In December 2025, the Columbus City Schools board approved major budget cuts and school consolidations, including the elimination of transportation for K-8 students attending schools other than their assigned neighborhood school or a lottery program. This affects families' ability to access Sherwood if it is not their attendance-area school, changing how easily they can enroll and how they get their child there. The district has also closed or is closing multiple buildings and cutting staffing significantly. These changes are direct consequences of large state funding reductions to Ohio public schools. A family considering Sherwood should check current enrollment policy with the district and confirm whether transportation or lottery access still applies.
The housing market in the 43227 zip code where Sherwood sits shows median home values slightly below the state average and rental prices in the moderate range relative to local income. The area is part of Columbus, one of the fastest-growing large metros in the United States, though like the broader market, Columbus is experiencing a housing shortage that is driving costs upward.
A parent evaluating Sherwood should recognize that this school is not meeting the proficiency benchmarks set by the state for the majority of its students in math and ELA. That reality is not redeemable by looking elsewhere in the data provided; the test results are clear and recent. A parent may want to look into further what academic support or intervention programs Sherwood has in place, what the school's approach to struggling readers and math learners includes, and how the recent district budget cuts have affected classroom staffing and the availability of support services. The district did adopt science-of-reading training for elementary teachers starting in 2021, which positions students entering middle school with stronger foundations, though the effects of this shift would be appearing in current students only recently. Beyond academics, a parent should also confirm current transportation and enrollment policies given the district's realignment actions.
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