The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Social studies. The lowest is 21% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Stevan Dohanos Elementary School
Stevan Dohanos Elementary School is a small public elementary school in Lorain, Ohio, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. The school's enrollment sits just below three hundred students, with a composition that is majority Hispanic and roughly one-fifth Black, and a much smaller share of white students. The school occupies a neighborhood setting on East 32nd Street in a mid-sized Lake Erie industrial city that is undergoing significant waterfront redevelopment after decades of decline linked to steel manufacturing.
On the most recent state assessments, Stevan Dohanos reports proficiency rates that fall well below state averages across tested subjects. In math, approximately one-fifth of third through fifth graders met proficiency standards; in English language arts, roughly one-quarter did; in science, the rate was closer to one-fifth among the small group tested. These results place the school in the bottom quartile among the districts in Lorain County on overall proficiency measures. The data does not specify whether the school is a Title I recipient, what share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, what percentage are English learners, or what percentage receive special education services. A parent may want to contact the school directly to understand the scope of support services available and any targeted interventions underway.
The school's position reflects broader district conditions. Lorain City Schools has been among Ohio's lowest-performing districts for years. In May 2026, the district won voter approval for its first new operating levy in more than a decade, which will restore counselors, preschool, and some supplemental programs after deep budget cuts driven by declining state funding and local property tax revenue. The district also exited state academic oversight in 2023, returning to elected board governance after roughly ten years under an Academic Distress Commission. These changes signal instability in the recent past and an effort at stabilization going forward, but they do not yet show up in test results.
Lorain itself is a working-class city with a multi-ethnic character shaped by waves of immigrant labor drawn to the steel industry. The city sits at the mouth of the Black River on Lake Erie and is investing heavily in waterfront mixed-use redevelopment—more than thirteen acres has been proposed for new housing and mixed-use development, and the city has reported record investor interest. Downtown along Broadway Avenue is historic and walkable in stretches, with civic anchors like Black River Landing and the Lorain Public Library Main Branch nearby. Outside the core, the city is auto-oriented with highway retail corridors. Housing in the 44055 zip code is affordable relative to national benchmarks; the median home value is well below the state average, and monthly rents are modest. For renters and buyers, the affordability is a real asset; families should weigh that against the school's current academic results and the volatility of the district's budget history.
Stevan Dohanos serves the neighborhood it sits in. Without data on special populations, free-lunch eligibility, or student mobility, a parent would benefit from asking the school directly about demographic details, the availability of English learner support, special education services, and what academic supports or reading and math interventions are in place. The recent passage of the operating levy does mean some counselor and program restoration, which may ease pressure on classroom teachers, but proficiency rates across the school are low, and turning those numbers meaningfully upward will take sustained work.
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