Pathway School of Discovery

Pathway School of Discovery is the sole elementary public charter school located in Dayton, Ohio, serving students from kindergarten through 8th grade. Despite its diverse student population, the school has consistently underperformed compared to state averages, ranking in the bottom third of Ohio elementary schools and receiving a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

The school's student body is relatively diverse, with a racial makeup of 37.76% white, 37.12% African American, 8.16% Hispanic, and other minority groups. However, the school faces significant challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 39.3% and low academic proficiency rates, particularly in mathematics and science. For example, in 8th grade science, the school's proficiency rate was 35.7%, compared to the state average of 64%.

Pathway School of Discovery's struggles may be linked to its limited resources, as the school's per-student spending for the 2018-2019 school year was $7,878, and a high percentage (85.2%) of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Addressing the root causes of the school's underperformance, such as chronic absenteeism and equity gaps, as well as ensuring adequate and equitable funding, could be crucial for improving educational outcomes for the students of Pathway School of Discovery in Dayton, Ohio.