The top reported proficiency rate is 74% in Science. The lowest is 61% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Bigelow Hill Elementary School
Bigelow Hill Elementary is a school serving grades three through five in Findlay City, a growing micropolitan area in Northwest Ohio anchored by Marathon Petroleum headquarters and the University of Findlay. The school sits within a district that has recently weathered significant budget pressures and is now stabilizing, a context that shapes what families will encounter there.
The school's student body is about 350 students, just under two-thirds White, with a Hispanic population representing the largest minority group, followed by students identifying as two or more races. Roughly fifty-seven percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income enrollment. The school does not report data on students with IEPs or English learners; data on special populations was not available.
On Ohio's State Tests, Bigelow Hill's performance sits solidly above the midpoint among Hancock County districts on an overall proficiency index. In math, students across grades three through five achieved proficiency at a rate comfortably above the county median. Science performance is similarly strong. English language arts proficiency lags behind math and science at the school, sitting a meaningful distance below the school's other two tested subjects. Both math and ELA participation rates were essentially universal, indicating consistent assessment administration. Science was assessed only for a subset of the school's grades, so the tested sample there is smaller. Social studies testing data comes from 2017 and is not current.
The comparison positioning Bigelow Hill against districts in Hancock County shows the school above the midpoint on overall proficiency. Graduation rate and chronic absenteeism data do not apply because this is an elementary school serving only grades three through five.
Findlay itself is on a rapid growth trajectory, named repeatedly the number one micropolitan in the nation for capital investment and job creation. The city blends a walkable downtown centered on South Main Street, with local eateries, breweries, performing arts, and cultural venues, alongside new residential and retail expansion along the I-75 and County Road 99 corridor on the north side. Housing is appreciating, and rents are rising. The broader region benefits from stable manufacturing and health care employment, though the economy is sensitive to energy sector conditions given Marathon's footprint.
The district that operates Bigelow Hill faced a significant budget crisis. In November 2024, voters rejected an earned income tax levy, prompting the school board to cut roughly fifty million dollars in spending for 2025-26. Those cuts eliminated many teaching and support positions, reduced high school transportation to the state minimum two-mile walking radius, and introduced pay-to-participate fees for extracurriculars that did not previously exist. Class sizes grew as a result. In May 2025, however, voters approved a different earned income tax levy, one that excludes residents on fixed incomes. That levy is projected to generate substantial annual revenue and prevent further cuts planned for 2026-27, bringing financial stability back to the district. For families considering Bigelow Hill now, the immediate disruption has passed, though the legacy of those cuts, including larger classes and the new activity fees, remains in place for the 2025-26 school year and potentially beyond.
Bigelow Hill is a regular public elementary school with no special charter or magnet designation. A parent or resident considering the school should understand it as serving an elementary grades population in a district and town experiencing both growth and recent fiscal turbulence. The school's academic profile in math and science is a strength relative to its county peers, and ELA performance, while lower than those subjects, reflects broader patterns seen in many elementary schools. The rapid expansion of housing and employment in Findlay may bring new families to the area; the school's location and current enrollment place it at a meaningful size for its grade band.
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