The top reported proficiency rate is 100% in Science. The lowest is 76% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Hilliard Tharp Sixth Grade Elementary School
Hilliard Tharp Sixth Grade Elementary School sits at the center of a fast-growing suburban district in the northern end of Franklin County, serving grades four through six. The building is physically located in Hilliard but serves an area that extends well beyond the city proper, encompassing former Brown Township, Norwich Township, portions of Columbus, and parts of Dublin. Tharp's role in the district is now explicitly specialized: it receives sixth graders from across the entire Hilliard City enrollment area and also enrolls some students in grades four and five who live near the school's Leap Road address.
On state testing, the school's students demonstrate strength in reading and science. Roughly four-fifths of students score at proficient or above in English Language Arts, and a notably high proportion reach proficiency in science, including a full cohort of sixth graders who took the science assessment. Mathematics proficiency trails somewhat behind but still sits above three-quarters. These results place Tharp in the top quartile among Franklin County districts on overall proficiency across tested subjects. The school tested a very high proportion of enrolled students, meeting state participation requirements nearly across the board.
The student body is diverse and relatively affluent for an elementary school. About one in four students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, meaning roughly three-quarters come from families above that threshold. Racially and ethnically, the enrollment leans substantially white but includes meaningful representation of Asian, Hispanic, and Black students, plus a small number of students identifying as multiracial or Pacific Islander. The data provided did not include counts of English learners or students with individualized education plans, so a reader interested in those specific populations may want to follow up directly with the school.
The school draws from a housing market that is climbing in value and rent, a reflection of Hilliard's position as one of central Ohio's fastest-growing suburbs. Median home values in the 43026 zip code are above the state benchmark and rising year-over-year. Monthly rents are similarly elevated, and mortgages on a median home in the area represent a substantial portion of a typical household's income. For families relocating to the area, a property tax commitment matters directly: in November 2024, Hilliard City Schools voters approved a new operating levy and bond issue that families buying into the district will now carry on their property tax bills going forward.
Tharp's placement as a sixth-grade center reflects a district-wide pattern of consolidation. The school's role is to receive sixth graders from across the feeder system rather than to serve a traditional elementary building's neighborhood cluster. That structure is about to shift. The district has committed to a major redistricting beginning in 2025 to balance enrollment across schools in response to uneven population growth across its service area. Phase 1 of the Master Facilities Plan, funded by the 2024 bond, includes converting another elementary school into a third sixth-grade center, replacing existing elementary buildings, and adding a second preschool location. For a family considering a home purchase in a Tharp feeder zone, the knowledge that boundaries are likely to change in the near term is material to decision-making.
Specific data on staffing, attendance, school discipline, special education services, or course offerings for grades four through six was not available in the provided information. A parent evaluating Tharp for their child's middle elementary years may want to request those details directly from the school or the district office to build a full picture of support and curriculum.
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