The top reported proficiency rate is 86% in Social studies. The lowest is 65% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Tallmadge Elementary School
Tallmadge Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade in a solidly middle-class suburb of Akron, Ohio. The school enrolls a moderately diverse student body of roughly typical size for its grade band and setting, with about a third of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch and the plurality of the enrollment white, alongside meaningful Asian, Black, Hispanic, and multiracial representation. The school sits on a campus apart from downtown Tallmadge's historic Circle, in a car-dependent suburban landscape of single-family neighborhoods and strip commercial corridors.
In state testing, the school shows uneven academic attainment. In English language arts, proficiency reaches a solid rate, with about two-thirds of third- through fifth-grade students tested meeting proficiency standards. Mathematics trails that performance, with proficiency just above the midpoint. Science proficiency sits at the same level as math. These results place the school below the midpoint in overall proficiency when compared against districts across Summit County, the county where it sits. The most recent state testing data available reflects only the 2024-25 school year, so trend information is not available to show whether performance is climbing, stable, or declining. A parent may want to ask the school directly about longer-term trajectories and the district's reading of these results.
The Tallmadge City School District is undergoing significant upheaval that directly affects what families experience. A failed operating levy in May 2026 triggered announced cuts for the 2026-2027 school year: transportation will be reduced to the state minimum, eliminating bus service for elementary students within a short distance of school and for high school students altogether. Elementary class sizes are expected to increase. Pay-to-participate fees are rising. These shifts will reshape daily logistics and costs for families, especially those with multiple children or longer commutes. On the other hand, the district secured voter approval in November 2024 for a permanent facility improvement levy, removing the anxiety of repeated renewal campaigns and locking in ongoing investment in buildings.
Beyond budget pressures, the district has launched a pedagogical shift toward "authentic learning" centered on a Portrait of a Graduate framework, moving classroom instruction away from test-focused, textbook-driven approaches toward real-world, community-connected work. This pivot is supported by new elementary and middle school buildings and a multi-year coaching partnership. How fully and evenly this model reaches Tallmadge Elementary, and whether it shows results in student growth, would be worth exploring with the school.
The town itself is a built-out first-generation suburb with substantial undeveloped land still available for growth. Housing values in the zip code sit modestly below the state median and well below the national one, with median home prices and rents reflecting affordability relative to nearby markets. Employment is rooted in light manufacturing, mold making, plastics, and metal work. The community is car-dependent and auto-oriented, centered symbolically on the historic Tallmadge Circle but lacking significant public transit beyond a limited bus route from Akron.
For a parent considering this school, the core question is whether the academic and programmatic picture aligns with their child's needs given the transportation and fiscal volatility the district now faces. Proficiency levels and the county comparison suggest this is a school where about two-thirds of upper elementary students are meeting grade-level standards in reading and closer to half in math, with room for growth. The district's pedagogical direction is substantive and intentional, but early returns and consistency across buildings are worth verifying in conversation. The immediate concern for many families will be how the coming transportation cuts and increased class sizes affect day-to-day operations and whether they live close enough to school that the changes are manageable.
See more original research from School Decision →