The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in Social studies. The lowest is 74% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Copley-fairlawn Middle School
Copley-Fairlawn Middle School serves grades five through eight in a mid-sized suburban enrollment from Copley, a mixed-use community west of Akron in Summit County. The school's recent state test results place it above the midpoint of academic performance among county districts. In English language arts, roughly three-quarters of students tested met or exceeded proficiency. Math proficiency was similar, with a slightly smaller share meeting the standard. Science proficiency was the highest of the three core subjects tested. All three subjects showed very high participation rates, with nearly all enrolled students taking the assessments. Science testing was given to a smaller grade-level cohort than the full-school math and ELA assessments, which is consistent with Ohio's grade-level testing requirements.
The school enrolls a diverse student body. The majority of students identify as white, followed by a substantial share of Black students, with smaller populations of Asian, multiracial, Hispanic, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students. About one quarter of the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch. The school draws from neighborhoods across Copley that range from older 1920s residential areas to newer high-density subdivisions in Heritage Woods. The broader Copley area is moving through planned growth with identified buildout for residential and commercial development over the next two decades, so the school sits in a community actively adding housing and mixed-use development.
The school's physical plant has received substantial recent investment. In late 2022, voters in the Copley-Fairlawn district approved a major bond issue that funded districtwide renovation of all five school buildings. Work on the middle school included sewer service modifications, kitchen and cafeteria renovations, restroom and parking lot upgrades, and locker room improvements. This construction was substantially complete by the start of the current school year. The district's property tax bill reflects this bond, adding a measurable annual cost to homeowners that will run for up to roughly two decades. For a family considering the area, that tax impact is a real cost alongside the benefit of modernized facilities.
The town itself is built around a car-dependent suburban pattern, with commercial zones like the Montrose retail corridor anchored by large employers such as major retailers, and residential areas served by a network of local parks, library branches, and transit through METRO RTA bus service. Copley Community Park is a recognized recreational anchor, and a new 87-acre Summit Metro Park on the eastern side of the township, donated in 2025, will expand park access as it opens. Housing costs in the Copley zip code are moderate relative to the national benchmark, with home values and rental rates both rising modestly year over year.
One parent consideration: the data available does not include recent year-to-year trend results for math or ELA, so a reader cannot see whether proficiency levels are rising, holding steady, or declining. State testing data was available only for the current school year. The school's website or a conversation with a school administrator could clarify the direction of recent academic performance.
See more original research from School Decision →