Original Research by School Decision on Dunbar Early College High School
Dunbar Early College High School sits within Dayton Public Schools in a city undergoing downtown revitalization after decades of suburban flight. The school serves grades nine through twelve and draws an enrollment heavily concentrated among African American students; the makeup reflects the neighborhood and district demographics. The school is located on Albritton Drive on the west side of Dayton.
The defining feature of Dunbar is its early college pathway. Students can earn college credits while in high school, a model that creates a dual track toward either a four-year university or a two-year credential, depending on student goals and performance. This posture opens a real pathway for students who may not otherwise have clear routes to post-secondary credentials. For families considering the school, this means a student could enter eleventh or twelfth grade with substantial college credits already earned, reducing both time and cost at the next level.
State testing data presents a substantial challenge here. Most recent available results show very low proficiency across tested subjects. English language arts proficiency stands at a low single digit. Mathematics proficiency is similarly low. Social studies proficiency sits in the low teens. No graduation rate is reported, and chronic absenteeism data are not available. The school's website does not appear to carry program details in publicly accessible form, so a parent would need to contact the school directly to understand the range of course offerings, electives, and support structures.
The absence of strong state test proficiency across subjects raises immediate questions about academic fundamentals, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school. Understanding what early college students study in core academic areas, whether remediation or intensive support is available to students who enter with gaps, and how the school balances dual enrollment with preparing students for college-level work would all be essential conversations. A parent should also ask how the school identifies and places students into the early college pathway, and whether there are entry assessments or prerequisites.
Within Montgomery County, the available data do not support formal comparison of Dunbar's performance against other districts on proficiency, graduation, or attendance metrics; those measures are either suppressed or missing. This makes it difficult to situate the school's standing without additional research.
At the district level, a significant logistics change arrived in 2025-2026: Dayton Public Schools eliminated formal transportation for high school students after a state budget provision blocked the district from providing RTA bus passes. Families now must either arrange independent transportation or pay roughly for monthly bus passes themselves, adding a material cost and logistical hurdle to attendance for any family without their own vehicle or proximity to routes. The district is pursuing litigation on this issue, but the current situation is in effect.
Early literacy has been a district priority. DPS overhauled its reading curriculum in earlier grades, adopting the state-approved Amplify program aligned with the science of reading. While this change does not directly affect high school, it signals ongoing instructional shifts across the district.
For a family considering Dunbar, the early college model is its clearest draw, offering students a chance to earn college credit and potentially reduce the cost and time of post-secondary education. The state test results demand serious conversation with school staff about what's driving the low numbers, what support is in place for students below grade level, and how the early college pathway is structured to ensure students succeed in rigorous college work. Transportation logistics now fall squarely on families and should factor into residence decisions.
See more original research from School Decision →