Summary:
ZIP code 44307 in Akron, Ohio contains two public schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade: Miller-South Visual Performing Arts, a grades 4–8 middle school with 403 students, and Helen Arnold Community Learning Center, a PK–5 elementary with 288 students. Both belong to the Akron City district, which is rated in the bottom fifth of Ohio (643rd of 773, 17th percentile, 1 star). Together they enroll 691 students.
The two schools perform very differently despite sharing a district, a ZIP code, and nearly identical per-student funding ($11,924 vs. $11,718). Miller-South is rated 3 stars and has held the 55th–60th percentile of Ohio middle schools for three straight years. In 2025‑26 all 13 of its reported tests beat the district average and 11 of 13 beat the state, with standout results in 5th grade ELA (94.1%) and 4th grade math (85.3%). Its chronic absenteeism is 15.5%, far below the district's 40.9%. Its soft spot is grade 8, where math (32.6%) and science (48.7%) fall below state averages even as reading runs above them.
Helen Arnold is heading the other way: 0 stars, 6th percentile, down from the 21st percentile three years ago. All seven of its 2025‑26 assessments fell below both district and state averages, with 5th grade math at 6.9% and 5th grade ELA dropping 31.9 points in a year. Its chronic absenteeism is 35.6%, more than double Miller-South's. One shared signal stands out: 5th grade science fell about 19 points at both schools while the state barely moved — worth asking the district about. Note that free/reduced lunch data is unavailable and spending figures date to 2018‑19.
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