The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Social studies. The lowest is 54% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on James Conger Elementary School
James Conger Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Delaware, Ohio, a county seat experiencing rapid residential growth. The school enrolls about mid-sized enrollment typical for its grade band, with families spread across the income spectrum: roughly half the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the majority of the school identifies as white, with smaller shares of Hispanic, multiracial, two or more races, and other backgrounds represented.
On state tests administered to grades three through five, the school's performance is mixed. Reading proficiency sits in the middle range, with a majority of students meeting the state standard. Mathematics proficiency is lower, with roughly half of tested students reaching proficiency. Science proficiency falls between the two. For context, James Conger's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile relative to other elementary schools in Delaware County, suggesting the school's test results lag behind district and county peers.
The reading instruction landscape shifted significantly for the school's early grades. Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, Delaware City Schools adopted a Science of Reading and Structured Literacy approach district-wide for kindergarten through third grade, changing how reading is taught, what homework looks like, and what reading materials come home. Families with children in those grades will see that pedagogical shift reflected in their child's learning at school and the support they can offer at home.
The school sits within Delaware City Schools, a district that serves a fast-growing county. In November 2025, voters approved a new continuing property tax levy dedicated to permanent improvements, maintenance, technology, and buses; this represents an ongoing cost to homeowners that families relocating to Delaware would factor into housing decisions. The district also operates under an operating levy passed in 2022 that funds a substantial share of day-to-day operations.
Delaware itself is an evolving community. The city anchors a historic downtown with walkable shopping and mixed-use buildings, and civic and academic life (including Ohio Wesleyan University) sits integrated with downtown rather than separated to an outlying campus. The broader county is among the fastest growing in Ohio, with multiple large residential subdivisions under development or recently completed, reshaping the area's housing stock and student population growth. Housing values and rents in the school's zip code are moderate to solid for the region, and major employers including Greif Inc. (industrial packaging, headquartered in Delaware) and manufacturing operations provide local job anchors. Parks, a library, and community recreation facilities support family activity.
For families considering James Conger, the school offers a traditional elementary setting in a growing community. Test results show strength in reading but weaker proficiency in mathematics, and families may want to explore with the school what supports exist for students who struggle with math. The district's shift to structured literacy in early grades is a substantive change in reading instruction that affects classroom practice and home engagement.
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