The top reported proficiency rate is 7% in English language arts. The lowest is 4% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Sherman Elementary School
Sherman Elementary School serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in a residential part of Toledo. The school enrolls a small student population spanning ten grades, with the largest cohorts in the early elementary years. The student body is predominantly Black, with smaller populations of Hispanic, multiracial, and white students. Detailed information about free-and-reduced-price lunch eligibility or special education enrollment was not available.
State testing data from the most recent school year shows that proficiency in math, English language arts, and science are all very low. In math, a small fraction of tested students in grades three through eight met proficiency. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was similarly low. Science testing involved fewer students and showed similarly limited proficiency. For social studies, the only comparable data available comes from 2017 and shows very small numbers of students meeting proficiency then as well. Relative to districts in Lucas County, Sherman's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile.
These results suggest that Sherman is serving students with substantial unmet academic needs. A parent considering this school should speak directly with school leadership about the specific learning supports, instructional approaches, and intervention strategies the school has in place to help students progress, and what progress looks like for individual students beyond state test results.
The school is located in Toledo, a mid-sized industrial city on Lake Erie's western end that is undergoing active revitalization, particularly downtown. Major employers include Owens Corning, healthcare systems like ProMedica, the University of Toledo, and automotive and manufacturing firms. The region's economy is anchored in manufacturing, healthcare, and education. The city's residential neighborhoods range from Victorian-era blocks in the Old West End to newer apartments and lofts, particularly in downtown areas where renovation projects have been drawing investment. Housing values in Toledo are substantially below both state and national benchmarks, making it an affordable market compared to many regions. Rents are also relatively modest.
Toledo's public transit system, TARTA, operates bus routes through the city and to nearby communities. The Glass City Riverwalk, Toledo Zoo, and Toledo Museum of Art serve as major civic anchors. Walkability is uneven and concentrated in downtown and the Warehouse District rather than spread throughout; most suburban areas are car-dependent.
The Toledo City School District approved a major restructuring plan in spring 2026 to address budget pressure. The plan includes closing and repurposing multiple elementary schools and shifting grade configurations at others from K-8 to K-6. For families considering Sherman or other Toledo schools, this restructuring reshapes school assignments, building configurations, and logistics. Voters approved a new property tax levy in November 2024, the district's first new operating money in over a decade, which modestly increases the property tax burden for homeowners but is intended to support operating costs and facility improvements.
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