The top reported proficiency rate is 80% in Social studies. The lowest is 64% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Dover Middle School
Dover Middle School serves about grades six through eight in Dover, Ohio, a small city in Tuscarawas County. The school draws students from a community defined by compact residential neighborhoods, a historic downtown anchored along Third Street, and a growing economic base centered on Union Hospital, manufacturing firms like Allied Machine & Engineering, and a major new Schaeffler plant producing electric-vehicle components that is expected to bring significant employment growth.
Dover Middle School's academic profile rests on solid foundational performance. In the most recent state testing, the school reached proficiency in English language arts and math at rates somewhat above the median among Tuscarawas County districts. Science proficiency ran strongest. Participation in testing was nearly complete across all subjects. The school tested a sample of students in science and social studies that is much smaller than the full tested cohort in ELA and math, reflecting the grade-specific testing calendar in Ohio. One prior-year snapshot from social studies testing showed stronger proficiency. No multi-year trend data is available to determine whether recent results represent stable performance or change; only the current year is populated.
The school enrolls roughly the middle-school population for a city Dover's size. Just under half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of economic need that is substantial but not extreme for the region. The student body is predominantly white, with a sizable Hispanic population and small Asian and Black populations. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available from the source.
Dover sits in a growth phase, and this shapes the school's context. The Schaeffler plant expansion is expected to accelerate housing demand and bring new families to the city. The Dover City Schools board recently reallocated millage from the general operating fund to permanent improvement funds, a move that increased property taxes for residents in order to fund roof, HVAC, and long-term facility work at aging school buildings, including Dover Avenue Elementary, and to position the district to draw down state matching dollars for future K-8 construction. For a family considering moving to Dover, this represents a real, ongoing property-tax increase tied to a multi-year facility rebuilding plan. The median home value in Dover is below state and national benchmarks, and mortgage affordability appears favorable relative to national measures, though property taxes are now headed upward.
The school is a regular public middle school, not a specialized program or charter. No information on curriculum breadth, co-curricular offerings, special services, or staff was available in the data provided. A parent interested in Dover Middle School would benefit from reaching out directly to the school about academic pathways, course options, and support services to get a fuller picture of what is available.
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