The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Social studies. The lowest is 59% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Longcoy Elementary School
Longcoy Elementary School is a kindergarten through fifth-grade school in Kent, Ohio, serving a mixed composition of students in a college-town setting. The school enrolls students from across the Kent City School District's primary grades, with a student body that is mostly white, with meaningful representation of Black students and others. About two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with substantial economic need alongside more affluent families.
On state testing, Longcoy's proficiency results show a mixed picture across subjects. In math, students perform near or slightly above the school's median when compared to other elementary and middle schools across Portage County, with roughly two-thirds meeting proficiency. Science is the strongest area, with proficiency notably above the county median. Reading and language arts, by contrast, sit below the county median, with slightly less than three-fifths of students meeting the mark. Science and math students also showed strong participation rates, approaching or reaching complete participation. The school's overall proficiency index places it in the top quartile among Portage County districts, a meaningful strength for an elementary school serving a high-poverty population.
Kent itself is a college town anchored by Kent State University, with a downtown that has seen active reinvestment over the past decade. The community blends student housing, families with school-age children, retirees, and established neighborhoods with older homes. Housing costs in the zip code are below state and national medians, and rents have increased modestly. Kent State dominates employment, but Davey Tree and various manufacturers and services also provide jobs. Downtown is genuinely walkable, with shops, restaurants, and independent businesses, though the broader city requires a car for most errands. Public transit connects schools to downtown and the university.
The district has navigated recent financial pressures. Voters approved a new operating levy in May 2026, the first new operating money since 2012, to close a projected multi-year deficit. This represents a property tax increase for homeowners and stabilizes day-to-day operations. In 2020, the district passed a bond for capital improvements—HVAC in all buildings, roofing, renovations at other elementary schools and the high school auditorium—upgrades that are visible across the district's facilities.
For a family considering Longcoy, the school offers strengths in science and math performance relative to its county peers, serves students with diverse economic backgrounds, and sits in a community with downtown character and university ties. Reading proficiency is softer, something a parent may want to explore further with the school. The district's recent stability from the 2026 levy addresses a real near-term funding question that could have affected operations.
See more original research from School Decision →