The top reported proficiency rate is 43% in Social studies. The lowest is 26% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cleveland Elementary School
Cleveland Elementary School is a PreK through 6th grade school in Dayton serving a student body of mixed composition: roughly equal shares of white and Black students, with a meaningful Hispanic enrollment and smaller populations of Asian students and those identifying as two or more races. The school sits in a mid-sized Rust Belt city with a downtown revitalization trajectory and a regional economy anchored by Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, healthcare systems, and education.
On state testing, Cleveland Elementary's proficiency results are below the midpoint for district elementary schools in Montgomery County. In English language arts, proficiency sits in the low range; math proficiency is lower still. Science proficiency is notably lower. These results reflect the academic situation parents will be working within: students on average are not meeting state standards at high rates, and strengthening foundational skills in math particularly will require sustained attention. The district has recently overhauled its early reading curriculum, adopting a science-of-reading approach and retraining all teachers in reading instruction; third-grade reading proficiency did improve in the following year. That systemic shift may affect what Cleveland Elementary students encounter in primary grades going forward.
The school itself is small for its grade band, with stable enrollment across all grades from PreK through 6th. No data was available on free-or-reduced-price lunch rates, special education enrollment, or English learner enrollment, so a reader cannot assess what share of the student population qualifies for services or supports on those dimensions. The school's staffing, whether it has dedicated support staff, counselor time, or other resources, was not available in the public record.
Housing in the 45420 zip code where the school sits is significantly more affordable than state and national benchmarks, with home values well below the Ohio median. Rental is correspondingly accessible. This positioning reflects the economic realities of urban Dayton neighborhoods in transition.
The immediate context of Dayton itself is worth noting for a parent. The city has undergone steady downtown revitalization since the mid-1990s, with active investment in mixed-use development, cultural institutions including a performing arts center and public library, and riverside parks. The historic residential neighborhoods (South Park, Oregon District) are walkable and have become renovation hotspots. Broader Dayton remains car-dependent, but the urban core and adjacent districts have developed street life and amenities. One material change parents of high school students should know: starting in the 2025-2026 school year, Dayton Public Schools no longer provides transportation for grades 9-12; families must arrange their own transit or pay out of pocket for regional bus passes. This is a significant operational shift worth factoring in for families with multiple school-age children spanning grades.
Cleveland Elementary sits in the public school system, not a charter or alternative program. Parents considering this school are essentially asking whether the neighborhood, the community context, the early-grades literacy instruction now in place, and the school's current proficiency levels align with their family's needs and geography. The school data itself is thin on program offerings, extracurriculars, and staffing detail, so prospective families may want to reach out directly to the school to understand what after-school supports, enrichment, or special programming it offers.
See more original research from School Decision →