The top reported proficiency rate is 87% in English language arts. The lowest is 78% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Hayes Elementary School
Hayes Elementary School is a neighborhood elementary school in Lakewood that serves prekindergarten through fifth grade. The school sits in a dense, walkable urban-suburban setting where families do not rely on school buses and children walk to school as a matter of daily routine. This walkability is a defining feature of Lakewood itself, an inner-ring Cleveland suburb on Lake Erie where most residents live within a five-minute walk of a park and downtown civic life is concentrated along Detroit Avenue rather than spread across separated campuses.
The school draws from a moderately diverse student body in which a substantial majority of students are white, with smaller shares identifying as multiracial, Hispanic, Asian, or Black. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting a mixed-income attendance zone. The enrollment is small for its grade band, ranging across the age group with the largest concentrations in prekindergarten and fourth grade.
On Ohio's State Tests in the most recent year, Hayes performed solidly in English language arts, where the share of students reaching proficiency was above the statewide median. Math proficiency was also respectable but a few points lower. Science proficiency was noticeably softer, sitting below the level the school achieved in the other two subjects. On balance, the school's overall proficiency index across tested grades and subjects placed it above the midpoint among the county's elementary schools.
The school is not designated as a magnet or charter school; it is a traditional neighborhood public school operated by the Lakewood City School District. That district is actively reshaping its elementary structure. Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, Lincoln Elementary will be repurposed as a preschool Early Learning Center, which will redraw elementary attendance boundaries across the system. At the same time, Hayes will receive the CHAMPS special education program, which is moving from another building. The district plans to release new boundaries at least a year before the transition, so families will have notice of any changes to their assigned school. These moves are part of a broader district strategy to add a district-run preschool option and consolidate specialized programs.
A more immediate context for elementary families in Lakewood: the district restructured its elementary special-class schedule starting in 2023-2024, reducing the frequency of general music instruction from every other day to once per week and trimming physical education time while adding weekly STEM and library-computer-skills classes. This was a meaningful curriculum shift that drew significant community feedback, particularly from families who had valued Lakewood's traditionally strong music program.
The district recently gained new operating revenue when voters approved an operating levy in May 2026, the first new operating money since 2020. The levy will stabilize funding for staffing, programs, and technology starting in 2027. For families considering a move to Lakewood, this is relevant to the local property-tax outlook and affects the household cost calculation of living in the district.
Lakewood's housing market is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks and slightly below the Ohio state median. Rental costs and median home values reflect a stable, established residential community in transition, with active infill redevelopment along Detroit Avenue adding modern housing while preserving the historic walkable streetcar fabric. The city is investing in itself: the former Lakewood Hospital site is undergoing a major mixed-use redevelopment that broke ground in late 2025 with completion expected in spring 2028. The economic base is diverse, led by small businesses and anchored by employers such as First Federal Lakewood, specialty chemicals distribution, custom apparel, and insurance, alongside civic and cultural institutions like the Lakewood Public Library and Beck Center for the Arts.
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