The top reported proficiency rate is 79% in Social studies. The lowest is 64% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Dixie Elementary School
Dixie Elementary serves pre-kindergarten through fourth grade in New Lebanon, a small village in Montgomery County within the Dayton metro area. The school sits at the core of a community described by its residents as neighborly and small-town in character, with a predominantly homeowner base and a blue-collar employment profile. The village itself has experienced modest population decline over recent decades and has limited walkability or public transit, functioning as a car-dependent residential community where civic anchors like the library and parks cluster along the main street rather than on a separated campus.
The school enrolls a student body that is predominantly white, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a moderate-income community. The enrollment spans all six grades from pre-K through fourth, with roughly similar cohorts across the older grades and a bit more density in the lower elementary band. Demographic data on students with individualized education plans or English learners was not available.
In math, Dixie Elementary's proficiency rate is in the top quartile when compared against other schools in Montgomery County. Reading and language arts performance is notably lower, placing the school above the county median but below its math standing. The gap between these two subjects is meaningful: roughly three-fourths of tested students in grades three and four meet or exceed math standards, while roughly two-thirds meet or exceed reading standards. Participation in both assessments was essentially universal, suggesting the results reflect the school's student population accurately. The school's overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades ranks it in the top quartile among Montgomery County schools, a straightforward strength in foundational academics.
State testing does not include social studies at the third and fourth grade level under current Ohio assessments, so no current data exists for that subject. An older result from fourth-grade social studies in 2017 showed strong performance, but that snapshot is no longer current and should not be treated as a present indicator.
The broader district context includes a recent funding change that directly affects the school. Voters in the New Lebanon Local School District rejected a renewal income tax levy in November 2024, a relatively uncommon occurrence. However, they reversed course and approved the same renewal in May 2025, securing ongoing funding through 2030. That levy generates roughly half the district's annual operating budget and covers essentials like utilities, heat, and salaries. The passage of this levy in the spring meant the district avoided cuts that would otherwise have reduced resources available to schools like Dixie.
Housing values in the 45345 zip code are moderate by regional standards and affordable relative to national benchmarks. The area's median home value is below both Ohio and national averages, and the estimated monthly mortgage payment suggests the community is accessible to families with ordinary incomes. Rental costs relative to income are lower than mortgage costs, indicating some affordability advantage for renters.
Dixie Elementary is a straightforward, neighborhood-based elementary school in a stable small-town setting. Its math results are a clear strength; reading performance lags by comparison and a parent may want to explore with the school what supports or interventions are in place to address that gap. The school serves a community with genuine modest-income roots and serves families already rooted in place, not a growth corridor, so the peer environment is shaped by that stable, working-class residential character.
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