The top reported proficiency rate is 29% in Social studies. The lowest is 16% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Eakin Elementary School
Eakin Elementary serves a small student body spanning pre-K through grade five on the southwest side of Columbus. The school sits in a mixed residential area where home values are below the state benchmark and rents are moderate, reflecting a neighborhood that is accessible in terms of cost but sits outside the fastest-growing parts of the metro.
The school's student composition is diverse. More than half the enrollment identifies as Black, while white and Hispanic students each comprise a meaningful share. A small number of Asian students and students of two or more races round out the school. The school has no reported data on free-or-reduced-price lunch qualification or on English learner enrollment, making it difficult to characterize economic need or language backgrounds with precision. Among the grades served, the school's enrollment skews slightly toward the younger end, with pre-K through second grade making up a clear majority.
Academically, Eakin's state test results show proficiency below the range typical even in a urban district facing structural challenges. On Ohio's state tests in the 2024-25 school year, math proficiency reached a modest share of students, while English language arts proficiency was somewhat higher but still low in absolute terms. Science results were the weakest of the three core subjects tested. Across all tested subjects and grades, Eakin's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile among the county's districts, reflecting persistent gaps between current performance and grade-level standards.
The low results signal that many students are progressing through elementary school without solidly meeting benchmarks. A parent may want to look into further detail with the school and district about what interventions are in place, how the school is structured to close these gaps, and what the literacy approach looks like in practice. Columbus City Schools shifted to science-of-reading instruction across all elementary schools starting in 2021, so that framework should be in place here. The district's December 2024 realignment plan closed five schools but did not include Eakin, and a subsequent December 2025 budget action closed four additional schools and cut transportation for K-8 students, also leaving Eakin open. The school will continue operating, though the district context has tightened considerably.
The neighborhood's housing market is stable but not appreciating. Both home values and rents have ticked down slightly year-over-year, and the cost-to-income ratio for homebuying is moderate. A parent moving to the area should also note that voters approved a continuing property tax levy in Columbus City Schools in 2023, adding a permanent cost-of-living increase for any family with property in the district.
Eakin serves a real community need, but the academic performance data shows the school and district are working with significant headwinds. The path forward depends on the consistency of instruction, the intensity of intervention, and sustained focus on foundational skills across the elementary span.
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