The top reported proficiency rate is 59% in Social studies. The lowest is 41% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Lacroft Elementary School
Lacroft Elementary is a kindergarten-through-fourth-grade school serving a cohort of around 335 students in East Liverpool, a small city in southeastern Ohio that has undergone decades of population contraction since its peak as the nation's pottery capital. The school sits in a community experiencing intentional downtown revitalization, with civic life anchored to the walkable historic core rather than dispersed across sprawling neighborhoods.
The school's academic profile shows mixed results. In the most recent state testing window, about half of students in grades three and four met proficiency in math, while in English language arts the proficiency rate was measurably lower, at around four in ten. These results place the school in the bottom quartile of overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades when compared to other districts in Columbiana County. State testing data for earlier years is sparse, so the direction of change is unclear. Parents may want to look into the district's current efforts with the school directly, as the East Liverpool City School District has recently adopted the MyView Literacy program and hired a literacy coach specifically assigned to expand reading instruction at Lacroft and the district's other elementary school. A district-wide Reading Achievement Team and professional development in dyslexia instruction are also underway. These represent substantive curriculum changes meant to address reading and language arts outcomes across the elementary grades.
Lacroft draws from a student population that is predominantly White, with a smaller representation of students identifying as multiracial and single-digit counts of Black, Hispanic, and Native American students. Enrollment is distributed relatively evenly across the five grade bands, with slightly larger classes in kindergarten through second grade. Free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not available in state reporting, so a parent seeking that socioeconomic context should contact the school directly.
The broader housing market in East Liverpool is affordable relative to Ohio and national benchmarks. Home values in the area are substantially below the state median, making the city attractive for families prioritizing housing affordability. Population has declined over decades, but recent public investment—including a major revitalization announced by the governor's office, involving restoration of downtown buildings for workforce housing and the relocation of a headquarters operation—signals intentional local commitment to stabilization and growth. The city has created tax abatement zones to encourage new home construction and has partnered on housing-quality initiatives.
The school is part of a district that has also expanded STEM electives to the elementary level, allowing every student access to hands-on engineering and science instruction. The district has adopted new science, social studies, and math curricula in recent years, reflecting ongoing attention to instructional materials. These initiatives are visible to families with children across the grade span Lacroft serves, and suggest a district focused on broadening academic pathways early.
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