The top reported proficiency rate is 48% in Social studies. The lowest is 38% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Franklin Woods Intermediate School
Franklin Woods Intermediate School serves fifth and sixth graders in Columbus's south-central suburban ring. It sits within South-Western City Schools, a district that straddles Franklin County and has been in significant flux.
The school's enrollment is small for its grade band, with a fairly even split between the two grades. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student body is diverse: just over four in ten students are white, with meaningful representation of Hispanic and Black students, as well as students of two or more races. Data on English learner enrollment and students with IEPs was not available.
Academic proficiency in math, ELA, and science all fall in the lower range. On the most recent Ohio state tests across grades five and six, fewer than two in five students reached proficiency in math and science, while ELA performed slightly better at just over four in ten. These results place the school in the bottom quartile when compared against other schools serving similar grades in Franklin County. Multi-year trend data was not available, so it is unclear whether proficiency is stable, rising, or declining. Participation rates on the tests were very strong, so the reported results represent nearly all enrolled students.
The school is housed in one of four new middle school buildings the district completed in 2022, a substantial facilities investment that replaced older structures with modern facilities including new athletic fields. This physical infrastructure is notably newer than many comparable buildings.
South-Western City Schools has undergone significant leadership changes in the past year. In April 2025, the board voted to join professional organizations with stated positions on tracking students with learning disabilities out of general education classrooms and opposing bilingual services. This decision prompted public opposition from families with students on IEPs and in ESL services, with multiple families publicly considering leaving the district. The district serves a substantial population of English learners who speak dozens of languages. For families with students needing special education services or English language support, a parent may want to look closely at the district's stated direction and ask specific questions of building and district leadership about how these services will be maintained and valued.
Housing in the Columbus 43223 zip code where Franklin Woods is located is substantially more affordable than Ohio and national benchmarks. Home values have declined modestly in the past year. Rental rates have ticked up slightly. This is a cost-conscious area of the metro.
Columbus itself is one of the fastest-growing large metros in the United States. The city has added a large population in recent years, driven by major employers including Ohio State University, JPMorgan Chase, OhioHealth, Nationwide Insurance, and others, along with a planned Intel semiconductor factory in nearby New Albany. Growth is straining housing supply, and much of the new residential development has concentrated in suburban Delaware County and other outer areas rather than closer to this school's location.
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