The top reported proficiency rate is 86% in Science. The lowest is 74% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on John E Gregg Elementary School
John E Gregg Elementary School serves preschool through 6th grade in Bergholz, a small rural village in northwestern Jefferson County, Ohio. The school enrolls roughly mid-sized elementary cohorts spread across eight grades, with a substantial portion of students—about three in five—qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is predominantly white, with very small representation from other racial and ethnic groups.
On state testing, the school's proficiency results are solid across the subjects assessed. In math for grades 3 through 8, the school reaches proficiency well above the school-wide median in Jefferson County districts and among the county's top performers. English language arts proficiency runs somewhat lower, but still reflects a respectable majority of tested students meeting state standards. Science results are similarly strong. Earlier assessment data in social studies, from 2017, showed uneven performance by grade level, though that data is no longer current. One year of state testing data means trend analysis is not yet possible; a parent interested in whether the school is improving or stable over time would need to wait for additional years or ask the school directly.
Bergholz itself is a very small village defined by rural character and agricultural heritage. It covers minimal land area, supports only a handful of small businesses, and has no commercial downtown. The village is nestled in rolling hills and farmland typical of the region. Population has been in decline for decades, and median home values in the area are substantially below Ohio's state average, making housing quite affordable relative to the state. Civic life is modest: a community park, a historic German Lutheran church, and village services occupy the small core, while daily life is car-dependent. The nearest more substantial cities are Canton (roughly midway between the village and Cleveland) and Pittsburgh to the east.
The school sits on a rural campus outside the village center, part of the Edison Local School District, which spans multiple square miles across northern Jefferson County. The district serves roughly two hundred students across its buildings and operates from administrative offices in nearby Hammondsville. In May 2023, voters soundly rejected a bond measure intended to fund facility renovations, a defeat that means planned improvements to school buildings will not proceed by that funding source. Beyond the school building itself, the district has also adopted a Latin Honors System at the high school level that broadens how academic achievement is recognized at graduation, starting with the Class of 2029; this reflects a shift toward recognizing a wider range of accomplishment rather than strict class ranking alone.
For a family considering this school, the picture is a small, rural elementary serving a predominantly low-income community in a village with modest economic circumstances. The school's state test results show a strong performance in math and science and an acceptable level in reading. The physical plant faces uncertainty owing to the failed bond issue. A parent may want to look into with the school directly what that means for facility condition and any interim improvements planned. The peer environment is small and predominantly white, set in a rural, economically constrained community with limited urban amenities but strong affordable housing, if staying in the area is the plan.
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