Canton College Preparatory School

Canton College Preparatory School is a K–8 charter elementary/middle school at 101 Cleveland Ave NW in Canton, Ohio, serving 402 students — the largest enrollment among the nearby charter schools and similar in size to the bigger Canton City elementaries such as Worley Elementary School, Belle Stone Elementary School, and Cedar Elementary School.

On state tests, the school performs at roughly half the state average — about 31% proficient across all 14 reported Ohio State Tests versus roughly 60% statewide — and no subject met or exceeded the state line in 2025-26. It ranks in the bottom quartile statewide (22nd percentile, 1 star). The K–8 span hides two very different schools inside one building: grades 4–5 are the relative strength, while grades 6–8 fall sharply, with 8th grade science and 8th grade ELA trailing the state by about 52 and about 50 points. Chronic absenteeism is 56.9%, meaning roughly 6 in 10 students are chronically absent — the second-highest rate in its comparison group and well above every Canton City school (which range from 9.9% to 31.7%). The rate has stayed essentially flat for five years: 59.3% → 60.1% → 56.4% → 54.4% → 56.9%.

There are real positives to build on. Fifth grade ELA has risen four straight years (23.1 → 35.2 → 46.9 → 67.6), and 5th grade science three straight years. The student–teacher ratio improved from 23.7 to 17.4, now in line with neighboring district elementaries, though per-student spending ($7,546, last reported for 2018-19) is second-lowest in the group. One student group stands out: African American students rank 55th–59th percentile with 3 stars, well above the school's overall 22nd percentile standing. The most instructive comparison is Canton Arts Academy @ Summit, 0.66 miles away, which serves the same city with 9.9% chronic absenteeism and near- or above-state proficiency in most subjects — showing that the surrounding city and state standards are not a ceiling.