Summary:
James A Garfield Local is a small Ohio district with three schools — one elementary (PK–6), one middle (7–8), and one high school (9–12) — serving about 1,185 students, with the elementary enrolling more than half of them. The district ranks 284th of 773 Ohio districts, placing it in the 63rd percentile with 3 stars. Average 2025–2026 test proficiency varies widely by school: 77.2% at the high school, 74.0% at the elementary, and 62.7% at the middle school.
James A Garfield High School is the district's academic engine. It is the only 4-star school, ranking 190th of 795 (76th percentile), up from the 70th percentile in 2023–2024. It exceeds the state average in all six End-of-Course subjects, with Geometry 30 points above the state and American History at 88.9% proficient, and its graduation rate is about 95%. The main caution is chronic absenteeism, the highest in the district at 23.5%. By contrast, James A Garfield Middle School is the clearest concern: it fell from the 68th to the 50th percentile and from 3 stars to 2 stars in 2025–2026, with 7th grade ELA at 34.8% and 7th grade math at 37.1%, both below state. Its standout result is Algebra I, at 100% proficient in both years, and it has the district's smallest classes at 13.3 students per teacher.
James A Garfield Elementary School is improving, rising from the 52nd to the 61st percentile while holding 3 stars, and it has the district's lowest chronic absenteeism at 14.8%. Third and fifth grade results are strong (5th grade ELA 88.8%, 5th grade math 83.8%), but 6th grade ELA is a serious weakness at 24.6% proficient versus the state's 56.0%. Overall, families here get a strong high school, a steadily improving elementary, and a middle school that needs attention; note that 7th grade results appear at two schools, so those comparisons should be read with caution.
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