Legacy Academy of Excellence

Legacy Academy of Excellence is a small public charter elementary school serving grades K-8 in Columbus, Ohio, with just 170 students. Unfortunately, the school has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing elementary schools in the state, with a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past three school years. The school's district rank is 811 out of 828 districts in Ohio, indicating it is one of the lowest-performing districts in the state.

The school faces significant challenges, including extremely high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 11.9% to 49.2% over the past three school years, which is much higher than the state average and nearby schools. The school's performance on state assessments is also very low across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, only 10.5% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in science, compared to the state average of 63.4%. Math and English Language Arts proficiency rates were also dismal, with many grade levels having 0% proficiency. The school also ranks very low among Ohio elementary schools for specific student subgroups, such as female students, male students, and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds.

When comparing Legacy Academy of Excellence to nearby schools, it is clear that the school is an outlier in terms of performance. For instance, Cesar Chavez College Preparatory School, located just 0.63 miles away, has significantly higher test scores and a higher school ranking. The high chronic absenteeism rates at Legacy Academy of Excellence are also concerning and likely contribute to the school's poor academic performance, as nearby schools, such as Cassady Alternative Elementary School and South Mifflin STEM Academy, also have high chronic absenteeism rates, suggesting this may be a broader issue in the local community.