The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in English language arts. The lowest is 49% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Preble Shawnee Middle School
Preble Shawnee Middle School serves grades 5 through 8 in Camden, Ohio, a small rural village in Preble County in southwest Ohio. The school is part of Preble Shawnee Local district, which recently underwent structural changes to its elementary operations but continues to serve the same agricultural and commuter community.
The school's academic performance falls below the midpoint of Preble County districts on overall proficiency measures. In the most recent state testing, roughly half of students met proficiency standards in English language arts, while proficiency rates in math and science were modestly lower. Reading and language skills were comparatively the school's stronger subject area. The proficiency data reflects the school's current standing and patterns a parent should understand when evaluating academic fit; a parent may want to look into what academic supports or acceleration pathways the school offers to understand how it addresses students at different performance levels.
The school serves about 430 students spread across four grades, with an evenly distributed enrollment across grade bands. The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic and multiracial students. Data on free-or-reduced-price lunch eligibility, special education enrollment, and English learner status were not available, so a parent seeking to understand the full composition of need and support populations would want to ask the school directly about those populations.
Camden itself is a compact village in a valley along Seven Mile Creek, functioning as a bedroom community for workers commuting to larger employment centers in the region. The community has no fast-food chains but maintains a traditional downtown anchored by local restaurants, service businesses, a medical center, and the recently restored Town Hall and Opera House. The village has been pursuing downtown revitalization led by a nonprofit called Camden Comeback, with infrastructure improvements and small-business openings reported in recent years, though overall population growth has been modest and essentially flat over two decades. The school is located outside the immediate village core on Somers Gratis Road, so the secondary experience sits on a separated campus rather than downtown.
Families considering the district should be aware of two significant property-tax obligations. In May 2021, voters approved a five-year earned income tax to fund operations, staffing, and programming after repeated failed levy attempts; that measure was renewed by voters in November 2025, confirming continued income-tax obligation alongside property taxes. Additionally, a March 2020 bond issue passed by a narrow margin to consolidate the district's elementary schools into a new PreK-4 building in Camden, replacing older facilities. That bond carries a long-term property tax obligation lasting roughly two decades. Both measures represent real fiscal commitments families will carry while living in the district.
The school itself sits on a rural edge with a strong local character. State assessment results were reported at full participation, and the school has complete enrollment data, but information about staffing, course offerings, discipline, or specialized academic programs was not available in the provided materials. A parent would benefit from visiting the school's website or contacting administration directly to learn about course breadth, extracurricular offerings, and how the school supports students working below or above grade level in core subjects.
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