The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in English language arts. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Asbury Elementary School
Asbury Elementary is a neighborhood school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in south Columbus, serving a student body that is majority Black and Hispanic, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals. The school sits within Groveport Madison Local school district, which covers parts of Columbus and surrounding areas south of the city.
On state testing, Asbury's proficiency rates in English language arts and math—the core subjects tested in grades three through five—are below the midpoint among districts in Franklin County. In ELA, roughly half the tested students met proficiency. In math, the rate was similar. Science proficiency was considerably lower, reflecting a wider pattern in elementary grades and tested to a smaller subset. State test data from 2024-25 represents the only year currently available, so trend direction cannot be assessed. A parent may want to ask the school and district directly about academic support resources, literacy and numeracy instruction approaches, and how they are working to close proficiency gaps, particularly in math and science.
The school's enrollment is stable for an elementary building, spread fairly evenly across grades. A substantial majority of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, and the school participates in the Community Eligibility Provision, which means all students receive free breakfast and lunch without application. The racial composition is mixed, with Black students making up about half the enrollment, followed by white, Hispanic, and Asian students, with other groups represented in smaller numbers. Special education and English learner enrollment data were not available.
Asbury sits in a south Columbus zip code where home values are notably lower than the state benchmark and rent remains affordable relative to local income. The area is part of the broader Columbus metro, which is experiencing rapid growth, though the immediate neighborhood around Asbury has not been a major focus of recent development. The district operates within a constrained capital environment: voters rejected two bond measures in 2024 and 2025 that would have funded new middle school buildings and a high school expansion, leaving some aging facilities in place despite rising enrollment in the district. That said, the district did secure approval in 2023 for a permanent operating levy that stabilized annual funding at a sustainable level.
Columbus as a whole is a fast-growing state capital with diversified employers spanning government, healthcare, education, finance, and technology, anchored by Ohio State University downtown and major corporate headquarters. Public transit via COTA serves the city, and the Columbus Metropolitan Library system provides branch access across Franklin County. The immediate south Columbus neighborhood where Asbury sits is more car-dependent than downtown districts, typical of the outer ring of the metro.
For families considering this school, the key question is whether the academic supports and instruction align with their child's needs given current proficiency levels. The school serves a high-poverty student population in an economically accessible part of the city. The free meals program is a material benefit. Facility conditions and district capacity constraints are worth exploring directly with the school.
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