The top reported proficiency rate is 89% in Social studies. The lowest is 65% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Horace Mann Elementary School
Horace Mann Elementary School is a public school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Lakewood, a densely populated, walkable inner-ring suburb of Cleveland. Lakewood's defining feature is that it provides no school busing, so kids walk to school as a daily reality. This makes the location of Horace Mann—on West Clifton Boulevard in the heart of a residential neighborhood—functionally central for the families it serves.
The school enrolls a small population. The majority of students are white, with smaller shares of students from multiracial, Hispanic, Asian, and Black backgrounds. Just over two-fifths of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a proxy for lower household income. The breakdown by grade shows relatively stable enrollment across the elementary bands, though the school serves pre-K, which adds younger learners to the building.
On the most recent state tests, Horace Mann's proficiency rates sit in the mid-range. In English language arts, roughly seven in ten students scored at proficiency level or above. In mathematics, the rate was similar. In science, which was administered to a smaller tested cohort, about two-thirds of students met proficiency. These results place the school above the midpoint among Cuyahoga County's elementary schools when looking at overall proficiency across tested subjects, a meaningful position. The school's participation rate on these assessments was very high, meaning the results reflect what nearly all enrolled students actually achieved rather than a selected subset.
Only one year of state testing data is available in this record, so a parent cannot yet see whether performance is trending up, down, or stable. The school has reported results from earlier years on a social studies assessment, but state testing practices have shifted, and recent comparisons across years are not fully reliable at this school.
Data on special populations—the count of students receiving special education services or identified as English learners—was not reported, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about these programs and their availability. Similarly, the data does not include information about staffing levels, attendance rates, or discipline practices. The district brief notes that a special education program called CHAMPS was previously housed at Horace Mann and is scheduled to move to another school (Hayes Elementary) as part of broader elementary reorganization planned for the 2027-2028 school year, when Lincoln Elementary will be repurposed into a district preschool center. This change will affect which school serves which students and where specialized services are located.
The school sits within Lakewood City Schools, which in May 2026 passed its first new operating levy in years. Beginning in 2027, this will add modest ongoing funding to stabilize staffing, programs, and technology—a concrete plus for any family considering the school or the district. The district also restructured its elementary special-class schedule starting in 2023-2024, reducing music from twice-weekly to once-weekly and cutting physical education time while adding STEM and library-computer skills instruction. This shift drew community concern from families drawn to Lakewood's traditionally strong music program, so a parent valuing music education may want to understand the current scope of offerings.
The housing market around Lakewood reflects modest appreciation and stable demand. Home values in the zip code are moderate for the region, and rents are rising modestly. The city itself is in the midst of infill redevelopment along Detroit Avenue, with new mixed-use housing being added and a major former-hospital-site project under way; the area is growing but gradually, and the texture remains residential and walkable rather than rapidly changing.
Horace Mann is embedded in a walkable urban neighborhood where most families live within reach of parks, the library, and transit. The school's test results suggest solid, middle-tier academic performance for an elementary school. If a family is drawn to Lakewood for its walkability, community character, and neighborhood schools, Horace Mann represents the typical elementary option in that environment. Families prioritizing advanced academics, specialized music instruction, or particular special-education services should discuss current program offerings and any planned changes with the school directly.
See more original research from School Decision →