The top reported proficiency rate is 100% in Science. The lowest is 84% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Oakwood Elementary School
Oakwood Elementary serves students in pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in a small residential community in Paulding County. The school is part of Paulding Exempted Village, a rural district that has faced significant funding pressures in recent years.
The school's academic results are strong. In the most recent Ohio state testing, about four of every five third through eighth grade students scored at proficiency or above in math and English language arts. Science proficiency was notably higher, with all tested students meeting the proficiency threshold. These results place Oakwood Elementary among the highest-performing schools in Paulding County—well above the county median in terms of overall proficiency across tested subjects.
The student body is relatively homogeneous and reflects the broader makeup of rural northwest Ohio. The enrollment is small, around that typical for a rural elementary school serving pre-K through sixth grade. Most students are white; a smaller share identify as Hispanic, and the student population includes very few students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting that many families in the school's attendance area experience economic strain, even though the community itself is residential and stable.
Oakwood sits in Oakwood, a small, tree-lined Dayton suburb known for its pre-war housing stock, walkable neighborhoods, and strict zoning that has preserved its character for decades. The community is built out and land-locked by Dayton and Kettering, so growth comes through home renovation rather than new development. Housing values are moderate relative to the state median. The city centers on walkable streets with neighborhood parks, a public library, and a compact commercial corridor along Far Hills Avenue anchored by Dorothy Lane Market. Families here value the intimate scale, walkability, and preservation of the residential streetscape. The University of Dayton campus is adjacent on the northeast.
The district has recently confronted serious facility challenges. A property tax levy that funded school maintenance since the 1990s expired in 2023, eliminating that revenue stream. Voters rejected two separate income tax levies in 2025 and 2026 meant to address ongoing capital needs. The district has responded by taking on debt for emergency HVAC repairs and announcing that additional budget cuts will be necessary, which may affect program offerings and facility condition going forward. A parent considering this school may want to look into what those adjustments mean for classroom resources, extracurricular offerings, and the timeline for facility improvements.
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