Best Public Schools in Dayton, OH

The city of Dayton, Ohio is home to 82 schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school grades across various school districts, including Dayton City, Mad River Local, Centerville City, and Oakwood City, among others. While some schools, like Oakwood High School and Harman Elementary School, are among the top-performing in the state, others struggle with high chronic absenteeism and low graduation rates, particularly in the Dayton City district and some public charter schools.

The data reveals significant performance disparities between the highest and lowest-performing schools. Oakwood High School, ranked 9th out of 867 Ohio high schools, boasts a 98.3% four-year graduation rate and strong test scores, far exceeding the state and district averages. In contrast, schools like Thurgood Marshall High School and Dayton Athletic Vocational Academy struggle with alarmingly high chronic absenteeism rates of over 80%. This suggests a need for targeted interventions and resource allocation to address these disparities and improve educational outcomes for all students in the Dayton area.

The data also reveals a degree of racial segregation within the Dayton school system, with some schools, like Klepinger Community School, having a predominantly African American student population, while others, such as Harman Elementary School, have a majority white student body. Ensuring equitable funding and resource allocation across the diverse range of schools in Dayton may be an important consideration for promoting greater integration and improving educational opportunities for all students in the city.