The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Social studies. The lowest is 21% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Kemp Elementary School
Kemp Elementary serves PreK through sixth grade in Dayton, Ohio, just north of downtown. The school enrolls just over three hundred students across eight grade levels, with a notably balanced racial and ethnic composition: roughly a third identify as white, a third as Black, around one-fifth as Hispanic, and the remainder distributed among Asian students and those identifying with two or more races. The school does not report free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility or special education and English-learner enrollment counts, so the economic profile of Kemp's student body is not publicly available.
On the most recent state testing data, Kemp's academic performance is well below proficiency benchmarks. In English language arts, roughly four in ten students tested at proficient levels or above, while in math, fewer than one in five reached proficiency. Science proficiency stood at one in four. Among county districts that were tested using the same assessment framework, Kemp's overall proficiency index places it below the midpoint. This means the school is not among the stronger performers in Montgomery County relative to comparable school populations.
These numbers deserve context and further inquiry. Dayton Public Schools as a whole recently overhauled its early reading program, moving to a science-of-reading-aligned curriculum and requiring all teachers to complete science-of-reading training. Third-grade reading proficiency in the district improved notably from prior years. It is possible that Kemp, as part of that district, is benefiting from these shifts, though the most recent snapshot shows the results described above. A parent considering Kemp may want to reach out directly to the school to ask how the new literacy approach is taking hold and what the trajectory looks like for the current cohort.
The school is a regular public elementary, not a charter or magnet, and operates within Dayton City Schools. Dayton itself is a mid-sized Ohio city undergoing downtown revitalization, with walkable historic neighborhoods including the Oregon District and South Park within reach of downtown cultural institutions, the library, parks, and civic amenities. Housing values in the 45403 zip code are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, and rental rates are lower than ownership costs, making this an area accessible to families on moderate incomes. The economic anchors of the region are Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the region's largest employer, plus major healthcare systems, education, and manufacturing.
One material change in the district affects older students: Dayton Public Schools eliminated formal transportation for high schoolers starting in 2025-2026 after a state budget provision barred the district from providing RTA bus passes to students in grades 9-12. Families now must pay for passes directly. This does not immediately affect Kemp's PreK-6 population, but it is part of the district's operating environment and may matter to families with both elementary and high school children.
Kemp's enrollment is small enough to suggest a tight-knit school community, with fewer students in the upper elementary grades (third through sixth) than in the younger grades. Whether this reflects natural age-grade movement, families transitioning out as children move to middle school, or patterns specific to the neighborhood is not clear from available data. For families deciding whether Kemp fits, the combination of modest test performance, a genuinely diverse student body, an accessible neighborhood, and participation in district-level curriculum reform all warrant a direct conversation with the school.
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