The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in Social studies. The lowest is 17% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Frank Jacinto Elementary
Frank Jacinto Elementary serves kindergarten through fifth grade in Lorain, a mid-sized Lake Erie industrial city undergoing significant waterfront redevelopment. The school's enrollment is small, distributed across early grades with a majority of students who are Hispanic and a substantial share who are Black. The enrollment reflects Lorain's working-class, multi-ethnic character shaped by generations of immigrant and migrant labor at the U.S. Steel plant and other manufacturing facilities.
The school's academic performance shows serious strain. On the most recent state testing in English language arts and math for grades three through five, proficiency rates are in the low range—substantially below the midpoint among the county's districts, placing Frank Jacinto in the bottom quartile for overall proficiency across tested subjects. Science proficiency is similarly weak. The small number of students tested in science suggests that grade-level science instruction may be limited or unevenly offered. The only other data point available is a social studies result from several years ago showing much stronger performance, but that finding is not current enough to inform expectations now.
Free and reduced price lunch eligibility data was not available, though community economic indicators suggest a significant share of families in the school's attendance area face financial pressure. The surrounding neighborhood offers walkable downtown pockets around Broadway Avenue with riverfront access and civic anchors, but much of the area is auto-oriented retail corridor. The housing market is relatively affordable compared to state and national benchmarks, with home values modest and rents stable, though rising slightly year over year.
The district context has shifted in ways that matter for the school. In May, voters passed the district's first new operating levy in more than a decade after years of budget cuts that eliminated positions, including teachers. The passage is restoring elementary counselors—so Frank Jacinto will have a dedicated counselor—along with preschool programming and student activities. The district also returned to local elected board governance in 2023 after a decade under state academic distress oversight. While the restoration of local control is a structural change parents may view positively, the district's academic standing remains among Ohio's lowest, and Frank Jacinto's proficiency rates reflect that broader challenge.
Parents considering Frank Jacinto should understand that the school sits in a district in transition: newly stabilized by voter support for funding, restored to local governance, and actively investing in counselor and support services. The broader Lorain community is investing in waterfront redevelopment and civic infrastructure. At the same time, the school's current academic results are weak, and a parent may want to look into further detail with the school about the specific support strategies in place for early literacy and numeracy, how instruction is organized across the lower grades, and what tutoring or intervention pathways exist for students working below grade level. The small, neighborhood-scale setting and the school's investment in counseling represent tangible supports, but the testing data signals that academic foundations need close attention.
See more original research from School Decision →