The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in English language arts. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Walnut Springs Middle School
Walnut Springs Middle School is a regular public middle school serving grades six through eight in Westerville, a mixed-use suburb north of Columbus in Franklin County. The school enrollment sits at a typical size for its grade band, split almost evenly across all three grades. The student body is racially mixed, with about half white students, a substantial share of Black students, and smaller populations of Asian, multiracial, and Hispanic students. Roughly four in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
On state testing, Walnut Springs shows uneven performance across subjects. In English language arts, about seven in ten students reached proficiency, which is the school's strongest area. Science proficiency stands at around two-thirds of students. Social studies shows very strong results, with over nine in ten students proficient. Mathematics is the weak point: about half of students met proficiency, a notable gap below the school's performance in reading and science. Test participation is nearly universal across all subjects, suggesting the results reflect actual student achievement rather than testing decisions.
Against other schools in Franklin County, Walnut Springs sits below the midpoint in overall proficiency when all tested subjects and grades are averaged together. This is the relevant comparison set for positioning the school among its neighbors in the county. A parent weighing this school may want to look into the math instruction further with the school to understand what drives that gap and what additional support exists for students who are not yet proficient.
The school sits in Westerville proper, a suburb with a strong residential character built around a preserved historic downtown centered on State Street near Otterbein University. The area immediately surrounding Walnut Springs, on East Walnut Street, is older, established residential neighborhoods rather than brand-new subdivisions. Housing values in the area are moderately above state benchmarks, and rents are moderate as well. The rental-to-income ratio is lower than the mortgage-to-income ratio, meaning families considering renting rather than buying will find that route somewhat less costly relative to income than purchasing would be.
Westerville itself is in active growth. A major employment site is being developed on the east side, new subdivisions with higher-end custom homes are under way, and a mixed-use redevelopment anchored by a boutique hotel and rental apartments is proposed near Uptown, just a short distance from where the school sits. The city is also diversifying its housing stock through zoning changes that ease accessory dwelling unit standards and an affordable apartment project in planning. This growth context suggests the school may see enrollment pressures or benefits depending on which new residents move in.
At the district level, two funding shifts will shape families' decisions. In November 2025, voters approved an earned income tax to fund schools, a new continuing levy that takes effect in 2026. Unlike a property tax, it applies only to wages and self-employment income, not retirement income, Social Security, pensions, or retirement account distributions. For working families, this is a direct hit to household tax bills; for retirees, it is not. The district had faced a substantial revenue shortfall after voters rejected a combined bond and operating levy in November 2024, leading the district to cut staff, reduce gifted enrichment services, and delay facility improvements. The income tax approval allows the district to avert deeper cuts, though the facilities and services that were curtailed are not fully restored by the new funding. A parent moving to the area should be aware that the income tax is now part of the cost of living in Westerville if either parent is employed.
The district also recently navigated a back-and-forth on religious release time policy. A Bible curriculum program called LifeWise Academy was rescinded in 2024, then reinstated in 2025 to comply with new state law. Under the current policy, students may be released for one class period per week for off-site religious instruction, but not during core curriculum time. This is now an optional offering families can choose.
Walnut Springs reflects a suburban middle school serving a economically and racially mixed student body in a growing suburb with moderate housing values and a genuine town center nearby. Its teaching in reading and science is solid; mathematics instruction appears to be an area needing attention. The school operates within a district that has faced real budget pressure but has now secured interim funding through an income tax that will directly affect working residents' tax bills.
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