The top reported proficiency rate is 82% in Science. The lowest is 48% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Clear Fork Middle School
Clear Fork Middle School is a rural middle school serving grades six through eight in Bellville, a small village in Richland County's Clear Fork Valley with a compact historic downtown and strong ties to the surrounding Amish country. The school sits just outside the village proper on a separate campus alongside the high school.
The student body is small and demographically homogeneous. The vast majority of students are White, with very few students of color and no reported Black students. Special-population enrollment data was not available, making it impossible to characterize the school's support infrastructure for students with disabilities or English learners. The school does not report free-or-reduced-price-lunch figures, so economic circumstances cannot be assessed from available data.
In state testing, Clear Fork Middle's performance profile is uneven. English language arts proficiency sits at a solid level, reflecting competent reading and writing instruction. Science proficiency is strong, indicating solid hands-on and conceptual work in that subject. Mathematics proficiency, however, falls notably below the other two areas, suggesting that numeracy and problem-solving may warrant closer attention. The school ranks below the midpoint among Richland County districts on an overall proficiency index, a positioning that reflects the softer math numbers dragging down an otherwise serviceable profile in reading and science.
State testing data from one grade and year in social studies, now several years old, showed proficiency in that subject, but no recent data is available to indicate current performance or trends. The school has only one year of recent assessment data overall, so trajectory cannot be assessed.
The school sits within a district navigating real financial headwinds. Clear Fork Valley Local has experienced enrollment decline over multiple years, leading to program cuts at the high school that eliminated roughly twenty electives and narrowed the course catalog significantly. The district treasurer projected a substantial annual operating deficit by the end of the 2024-2025 school year, and a new operating levy is expected on the ballot soon. That fiscal pressure has begun to shape what educational options exist at the secondary level. The district's overall report-card rating remains stable, but Clear Fork Middle School itself carries a three-star rating, which sits below the elementary schools in the district—a pattern worth noting for families considering middle-school placement within the system.
Bellville itself is a quiet, walkable village centered on a historic downtown with local shops and restaurants, a bandstand and village square, and access to the B&O Bike Trail and nearby Mohican State Park. The housing market is moderately priced relative to state and national benchmarks, with property values rising. The area is family-oriented and car-dependent, with most employment clustered in nearby Mansfield and Ontario in healthcare, manufacturing, and retail. Day-to-day life is described by residents as laid-back and neighborly, a setting that attracts families seeking a small-town, less-hurried environment.
A parent considering Clear Fork Middle should weigh the school's solid ground in reading and science against the softer mathematics performance, understand that the district faces near-term budget challenges that may continue to narrow program options, and recognize that Bellville and its schools sit in a rural, demographically narrow setting. The school serves its community's grade-band role competently in some areas, but the district-level pressures and the available data are worth exploring further with school leadership before enrollment or relocation decisions.
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