The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Social studies. The lowest is 35% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Tallmadge Elementary School
Tallmadge Elementary School is a regular public K-5 school in Lancaster City Schools, located in Lancaster, Ohio, a mid-sized city in Fairfield County about 30-33 miles southeast of Columbus. The school has a small to mid-sized enrollment spread fairly evenly across the early and upper elementary grades.
The student body is predominantly White, with a meaningful share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, placing it in an economically mixed to lower-income community context. Enrollment data on English learners and students with individualized education plans was not available.
In the most recent state testing cycle, Tallmadge's proficiency rates paint a mixed picture. In English language arts across grades three through five, the school's proficiency rate places it in the bottom quartile when compared to other districts in Fairfield County. Math proficiency is comparable. Science proficiency is notably lower than in reading and math. For context, only a small portion of students in each grade took the science assessment, which may reflect the testing pattern for elementary grades rather than a low participation rate. Social studies data is from an earlier year and cannot be directly compared to current performance.
When all tested subjects and grade levels are averaged, Tallmadge's overall proficiency index falls below the median for Fairfield County districts. A parent may want to look into the school's curriculum, instructional supports, and any school-specific interventions to understand the drivers behind these results and what the school is doing to move proficiency upward.
The school is embedded in Lancaster's ongoing growth and change. The city is in an active development phase with substantial housing construction underway, including both market-rate and affordable apartments. The Lancaster City Schools district is investing in a major capital project to build a new comprehensive high school to replace its aging facility, and the district has adopted a "Portrait of a Graduate" framework that emphasizes social-emotional skills and readiness for life after school. These district-level initiatives may create momentum for change across buildings, though the specific classroom and support structures at Tallmadge itself would warrant direct conversation with school leadership.
The school's setting in Lancaster offers families access to a downtown with walkable civic amenities, a modest public transit system, and a community anchored by manufacturing heritage and healthcare employment. The area is affordable relative to state and national housing benchmarks, with median home values below the state average and rental costs moderate.
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