The top reported proficiency rate is 90% in Science. The lowest is 71% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Midvale Elementary School
Midvale Elementary School serves kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the Indian Valley Local School District, a district spanning several small communities in Tuscarawas County. The school sits in Midvale, a small residential village in the Tuscarawas River valley between New Philadelphia and Uhrichsville, where most families own their homes and daily life centers around the nearby larger towns for shopping and services.
The school enrolls a small student body drawn heavily from the immediate area. Nearly half the enrollment qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, and the student population is predominantly white, with very small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Data on students with individualized education plans and English learners was not available.
In state testing, the school shows strong performance across the board. In math, students in grades three through five demonstrated solid proficiency, with most students meeting or exceeding state benchmarks. Science performance was notably strong, with the great majority of tested students proficient. English language arts results were somewhat lower but still solid, with about seven in ten students reaching proficiency. Compared to other districts in Tuscarawas County, Midvale Elementary ranks in the top quartile overall on proficiency across tested subjects and grades. The school achieved nearly universal participation rates on state assessments, suggesting strong attendance and engagement during testing periods.
The school building itself, constructed several decades ago, serves as a civic anchor within the small village. It is part of a district whose facilities are spread across multiple communities: the high school sits in Gnadenhutten, the middle school in Tuscarawas, and a second elementary school in Port Washington. This dispersed structure reflects the rural character of the area, where students and families are drawn from a wider geography than the village boundaries alone.
The district has stabilized its operating revenue through voter-approved property tax levies. A five-mill expense levy passed in November 2023, and voters renewed the five-mill levy in November 2024, which provides recurring annual funding. These approvals suggest community confidence in the district at a time when many Ohio school levies have faced headwinds.
The locale itself is quiet and car-dependent. Midvale has no distinct downtown and limited commercial activity; most shops and services are concentrated in Uhrichsville and New Philadelphia nearby. The village's population has declined modestly over recent years. Infrastructure projects have included a water filtration effort and the transition of water service to a private operator. For families considering this school, the appeal lies in a small, stable, academically solid elementary program in a rural-suburban setting where most neighbors own their homes and know one another.
See more original research from School Decision →