The top reported proficiency rate is 50% in Social studies. The lowest is 33% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Horace Mann Elementary School
Horace Mann Elementary School is a regular public elementary school in Dayton serving prekindergarten through sixth grade, located on Krebs Avenue in a city where downtown revitalization and historic neighborhoods define much of the residential character. The school enrolls a modest-sized student body that is racially and ethnically mixed: roughly half white, just over a quarter Black, with smaller shares of students identifying as two or more races, Hispanic, or Asian. The school draws from an area where housing values are moderate relative to both the state and nation, and where rent is affordable as a share of income.
On state testing, Horace Mann's proficiency rates sit below the midpoint among the districts in Montgomery County across the subjects measured. In English language arts, roughly four in ten students tested scored at proficiency levels. In math, the rate was lower at about one in three. Science proficiency, measured only in a subset of upper elementary grades, was in the mid-to-high thirty percentages. These results suggest that a meaningful share of students are working below grade-level expectations in core academics. A parent evaluating the school should look into what supports the school offers for students who are not yet meeting proficiency, and what progress the school has made year to year.
The Dayton City school district, of which Horace Mann is part, has undergone deliberate changes in reading instruction. The district overhauled its early literacy program, adopting a state-approved curriculum centered on the science of reading and requiring all teachers to complete training in that approach. This shift began in the 2023-24 school year and was paired with measurable gains in third-grade reading proficiency the following year, suggesting the new instructional model is taking hold. For families at Horace Mann, this district-wide focus on foundational reading is relevant to how the school approaches early grades instruction.
One material logistics change affects the broader Dayton district: starting in the 2025-26 school year, the district no longer provides formal transportation for high school students due to a state budget provision, meaning families of high schoolers must arrange transit themselves or pay for passes. While this does not directly affect Horace Mann, which serves through sixth grade, it is part of the operating context for families considering the Dayton district at any grade level.
Dayton itself is a mid-sized Ohio city anchored by a revitalized downtown with civic and cultural institutions, historic neighborhoods within walking distance of the core, and strong regional employers in aerospace, healthcare, and education. Much of the city is car-dependent, though historic districts like the Oregon District and South Park offer walkable streetscapes and older housing stock. The area is experiencing ongoing downtown residential and commercial investment, though suburban communities like Kettering and Huber Heights remain the growth centers for newer family housing. For a family choosing where to live and what school to attend, Horace Mann sits in the context of a city rebuilding its urban center while still predominantly suburban in character outside historic neighborhoods.
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