The top reported proficiency rate is 57% in Social studies. The lowest is 23% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Longfellow Elementary School
Longfellow Elementary School serves kindergarten through grade eight in Toledo, Ohio, as a neighborhood public school in a mid-sized industrial city on Lake Erie's western end. The school enrolls students in roughly equal proportions across its nine grades, with an enrollment drawn from Toledo's diverse population: about half the school is Black, with substantial shares of white and multiracial students, and a smaller share of Hispanic students. Specific counts of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch and students with disabilities were not available in the data.
On Ohio's State Tests administered across grades three through eight, Longfellow's proficiency results are well below the state's broader performance. In English language arts, about a third of tested students scored at proficiency. In mathematics, the rate was lower, around one-fifth. Science results were even lower. These numbers matter because they shape what skills and knowledge students are gaining in core subjects at this stage of their education. A parent considering this school would want to look into the school's approach to literacy and math instruction directly, including any targeted intervention programs or tutoring available to students who need additional support.
The school does administer state social studies assessments at grades four and six, data from the 2016-17 school year. In fourth grade, results were substantially higher than current core subjects. In sixth grade, results dropped considerably, suggesting a significant transition challenge at that grade level. That data is several years old and may not reflect current instruction.
When compared to the eight other elementary schools tested in Lucas County using the same state assessment, Longfellow falls in the bottom quartile on overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades. The school's proficiency index places it among the lower-performing schools in its county peer set, a positioning that signals students here are not meeting grade-level benchmarks at rates consistent with stronger-performing elementary schools in the same region.
The broader context shapes what families should know. Toledo is in active revitalization, with downtown investment and new housing drawing residents. In November 2024, voters approved a property tax levy and bond issue for the district, the first new operating money in over a decade, signaling both past constraint and future investment. However, in April 2026, the Toledo Board of Education unanimously approved a major restructuring plan to close multiple elementary schools and reconfigure grade bands across the district in response to a substantial budget deficit. Longfellow is not named as a closure school in available reporting, but the plan will reshape which building students in the district attend, the grades served in various buildings, school start times, and transportation beginning in the 2026-27 school year. For any family considering the neighborhood, this is a material shift that warrants a direct conversation with the district about how Longfellow itself will be affected and whether its grade configuration will change.
Housing in the area is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. Median home values in the zip code where Longfellow sits are below the state median, and rental costs are modest. The unemployment rate in the region hovers around typical national levels, and the economy is anchored by healthcare, manufacturing, and education. The city's civic and cultural life centers on revitalized downtown with parks, museums, and a public library, though suburban areas are largely car-dependent.
Longfellow represents a traditional neighborhood elementary school in a city undergoing transition. Families considering enrollment should weigh the school's current proficiency results honestly, understand the district's restructuring timeline, and seek clarity on the school's specific instructional strategy and support services before deciding.
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