Summary:
ZIP code 45805 in Lima, Ohio is served by a single middle school, Lima West Middle School, which enrolls 334 students in grades 7 and 8 — so families here have one public middle school option rather than a choice among several.
Academically, Lima West performs below both its district (Lima City) and the state. In 2025–2026, proficiency was 21.4% in 8th grade science, 14.6% in 7th grade math, 10.2% in 8th grade math, 25.6% in 7th grade ELA, and 20.5% in 8th grade ELA — each well under state rates, which range from about 48.6% to 62.7%. The one bright spot is Algebra I, where 44.4% of students tested proficient, above the district's 31.5%. Because Algebra I in 8th grade typically enrolls a selected group of students while the Math 8 test covers the whole grade, that figure likely reflects an accelerated cohort rather than broad math mastery across the school. Year over year, three measures improved, two declined, and one held roughly flat.
Roughly 53.8% of students were chronically absent in 2025–2026, compared with 39.3% district-wide — the most direct challenge facing the school, and one that likely compounds the proficiency gaps. Class sizes are a relative strength, with a 10.1-to-1 student–teacher ratio, and per-student spending was reported at $7,928 (2018–2019, the most recent figure available). The school has ranked in the bottom decile of Ohio middle schools for three straight years (8th, 13th, and 10th percentile, with 0, 1, and 0 stars), suggesting steady performance at the bottom rather than a sharp decline. Free/reduced-price lunch data was not reported for 2024–2025, so no poverty measure is available for this school.
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