Harman Elementary School, Dayton OH

Original Research by School Decision on Harman Elementary School

Harman Elementary School is a small elementary school in Dayton, Ohio, serving children in first through sixth grade. It sits within the Oakwood City School District, one of the more affluent and higher-performing districts in the surrounding region.

The school's academic performance is notably strong. On the most recent state testing, students showed proficiency rates in the low-to-mid 90s across mathematics, English language arts, and science. In reading and math, the rates sat just below and just at the 90-percent mark. Science proficiency was similarly high. These results place Harman in the top quartile of schools across Montgomery County districts when measured by overall proficiency. The school achieved full test participation, indicating consistent assessment engagement.

The student body is demographically distinctive. The vast majority of students identify as white, with smaller shares of mixed-race, Hispanic, and Asian students. Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch make up a very small share of enrollment, around one in thirty. The school does not report counts for students receiving special education services or English language learner services, so those details are not available. Enrollment sits at a modest level for an elementary school, distributed fairly evenly across the six grade bands.

The school sits in a Dayton zip code with median home values notably higher than Ohio's statewide benchmark and slightly below the national benchmark. Rental costs are moderately affordable relative to local household income. The surrounding neighborhood reflects broader Dayton patterns: the city has a revitalized downtown anchored by cultural institutions, parks, and dining, alongside historic residential districts like South Park and the Oregon District within walking distance. Most of Dayton is car-dependent, though the downtown core is walkable. The regional economy centers on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, healthcare systems, and educational institutions.

The Oakwood City School District has taken two major fiscal steps in recent years. In November 2023, voters approved a combined property tax levy for ongoing operations and facilities, the district's first new operating-level levy request in years; this commitment runs at a modest annual cost per home. In May 2025, voters then approved a bond dedicated to Phase 2 of a Master Facilities Plan, with substantial funding targeted at major systems work (HVAC, electrical, plumbing, fire safety) at Harman and its sister elementary school Smith, as well as targeted upgrades elsewhere in the district. These are lasting property-tax decisions tied directly to the condition and modernization of the elementary buildings.

The school's data on special populations, attendance, discipline, or staffing composition is not available, so a parent may want to contact the school directly to understand those dimensions of school life and support systems.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grades 3-892%

School 92% · District 88% · ▲ 4 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 46 pts above county median

English language arts

Grades 3-892%

School 92% · District 91% · ▲ 1 pts above district

▲ 28 pts above state median · ▲ 39 pts above county median

Science

Grades 3-892%

School 92% · District 90% · ▲ 2 pts above district

▲ 26 pts above state median · ▲ 41 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 499%

School 99% · district not reported

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 20 pts above county median

Grade 686%

School 86% · district not reported

▲ 23 pts above state median · ▲ 48 pts above county median

This schoolOakwood City, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income100%Higher-income98%2 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income75%Higher-income94%19 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income0%Higher-income92%92 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income67%Higher-income84%17 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income100%Higher-income100%0 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income75%Higher-income94%19 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income50%Higher-income92%42 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income67%Higher-income73%6 pp gap