Best Public Schools in Sullivan, OH

Sullivan, Ohio is home to three public schools — one elementary, one middle, and one high school — all part of the Black River Local district, serving students from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Black River Education Center Elementary School (PK–5, 443 students) is the largest, followed by Black River High School (7–12, 339 students), with Black River Education Center Middle School (6–8, 153 students) the smallest. The district ranks 369 of 773 schools, placing it in the 52nd percentile with 3 stars.

The middle school is the current academic standout, ranking 345 of 1046 (67th percentile, 3 stars) — the highest percentile in Sullivan. Its 8th-grade results are strong: Science 86.6% proficient versus 61.2% statewide, Mathematics 74.6% versus 52%, and English Language Arts 83.1% versus 58.3%. Its Algebra I result is 100% versus 61.6% statewide, though that likely reflects a small tested group. The high school posts a 100% graduation rate and above-state results in American Government (82.8% vs. 71.6%), American History (82.7% vs. 73.2%), English II (72% vs. 62.7%), and Geometry (48.6% vs. 43.3%), but its rank fell from the 75th to the 52nd percentile, and Biology is now below state at 56.3% versus 67%. The elementary school ranks 855 of 1560 (45th percentile, 2 stars); 4th-grade Mathematics is a bright spot at 70.1% versus 67.3%, while 5th-grade ELA, Mathematics, and Science all fall below state averages.

Chronic absenteeism is highest at the middle school (17.0%) and lowest at the high school (14.7%), against a district rate of 15.5%. The middle school also has the lowest student-teacher ratio (10.9) and the highest 2018–19 per-student spending ($11,953), while the elementary school has the highest ratio (19.2) and lowest spending ($9,564) — though that spending data is dated. Free/reduced lunch is 98.04% at the middle school and 44.84% at the high school, while the elementary figure is unknown. Note that the middle school serves grades 6–8 and the high school 7–12, so cross-school comparisons should be made carefully.