Best Public Schools in Akron, OH

Akron, Ohio is home to 68 schools serving elementary through high school students — plus one alternative setting — with roughly 27,418 students enrolled. Akron City is by far the dominant provider, with 42 schools and about 19,760 students, or roughly 72% of enrollment in this list; the rest attend suburban districts such as Revere Local, Coventry Local, Manchester Local and Springfield Local, or one of several charter schools.

The landscape is sharply divided. Akron Early College High School ranks 3 of 795 high schools statewide with a 100.0% graduation rate, 3.6% chronic absenteeism and about 95% proficiency across six End-of-Course tests. Other bright spots include National Inventors Hall of Fame School Center for STEM, Miller-South Visual Performing Arts, Windemere Community Learning Center, and suburban Revere Middle School, Bath Elementary School and Manchester Middle School. By contrast, the six main Akron City comprehensive high schools — including Firestone Community Learning Center, Ellet Community Learning Center and Garfield Community Learning Center — average roughly 92.3% graduation but only about 37% proficiency across those same tests and about 59.8% chronic absenteeism. Math is the weakest area: the state Geometry rate is 43.3%, while Garfield is at 7.2%, Ellet at 15% and Firestone at 21%.

Attendance tracks closely with achievement: strong schools sit under 15% chronic absenteeism, while many others exceed 50%. Alternative and charter schools face the steepest challenges — Cascade Career Prep High School reports 100.0% chronic absenteeism and a 14.0% graduation rate, and Towpath Trail High School is at 96.9% absenteeism. Spending and class size do not guarantee results, and I Promise School remains near the bottom. Meanwhile, several schools are improving, including the National Inventors Hall of Fame middle school (rank 433 → 229 → 160) and Windemere (723 → 660 → 532).