The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Social studies. The lowest is 39% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Finland Elementary School
Finland Elementary is a small, regular public school in Columbus serving kindergarten through fourth grade in the South-Western City Schools district. The school enrolls a diverse population with close to half the enrollment being students of color, and a large share of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The testing data available shows mixed academic performance. In math, the school's proficiency rate sits below the midpoint for the county's elementary schools, and English language arts proficiency is considerably lower, running just under the county median in a way that suggests notable gaps in reading and writing. The most recent state test data reflects grades three and four, where the school tested a near-complete participation of students. State tests in grades three and above are the main academic measure available for this school; the school serves grades kindergarten through four, so no prior years of comparable testing data exist for the younger grades.
A substantial majority of students at Finland Elementary qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating a student population with concentrated economic need. The school sits in the zip code area of Columbus with housing values close to the national middle ground and rents in the moderate range, though the area's cost of burden for renting families is manageable relative to income. Columbus itself is growing rapidly, drawing major employers and new residents, which shapes the broader housing and economic context families encounter.
Within the South-Western City Schools district, a significant recent shift in board policy is worth noting. In April 2025, the district joined professional organizations whose public positions include removing students with learning disabilities from general classrooms and opposition to English learner supports. The district reported serving students speaking more than seventy languages at the time, and the decision prompted public concern from parents and educators about the district's direction on special education and multilingual learners. This is a durable signal about the district's stated approach to inclusive education going forward, and a parent may want to research how this plays out in practice at Finland Elementary and across the district. On the positive side, South-Western City Schools completed a substantial capital investment in four new middle school buildings in 2022, which families will encounter as their children progress.
The school's small enrollment and neighborhood location make it a traditional neighborhood elementary school. No data were available on staffing, discipline, attendance, or English learner and special education enrollment at the school level, so a parent would want to inquire directly about those supports and the school's actual practice around inclusive education.
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