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ENROLLMENT TRENDS · OHIO

Ohio schools in decline

Ohio public schools with the largest enrollment loss from 2017-18 to 2024-25.

Schools in this report
50
steepest declines in state
Largest drop
-98%
Cardinal Middle School
Range
-98% to -43%
2017-18 → 2024-25
TOP 50 OH PUBLIC SCHOOLS BY ENROLLMENT LOSS · 2017-18 → 2024-25
SchoolCityDistrict2017-182024-25% change ↑
Cardinal Middle SchoolMIDDLEFIELDCardinal Local3165-98.4%
Prospect AcademyEAST CLEVELANDEast Cleveland City School District32670-78.5%
Westfield/Robinson AchievementTOLEDOToledo City20845-78.4%
Riverview East AcademyCINCINNATICincinnati Public Schools581165-71.6%
Summit Academy Community School - DaytonDAYTONSummit Academy Community School - Dayton13439-70.9%
ReGeneration Schools Avondale ElementaryCINCINNATIReGeneration Schools Avondale Elementary497146-70.6%
Parkview Early Education CenterFAIRVIEW PARKFairview Park City16049-69.4%
Huron Primary SchoolASHTABULAAshtabula Area City342114-66.7%
Chaney MiddleYOUNGSTOWNYoungstown City740253-65.8%
Summit Academy Secondary - YoungstownYOUNGSTOWNSummit Academy Secondary - Youngstown23982-65.7%
Felicity-Franklin Local Junior High SchoolFELICITYFelicity-Franklin Local302106-64.9%
Wilson Alternative SchoolYOUNGSTOWNYoungstown City296104-64.9%
University of Cleveland Preparatory SchoolCLEVELANDUniversity of Cleveland Preparatory School380138-63.7%
A+ Arts AcademyCOLUMBUSA+ Arts Academy667247-63.0%
Dayton Business Technology High SchoolDAYTONDayton Business Technology High School16462-62.2%
Bucyrus Secondary SchoolBUCYRUSBucyrus City631247-60.9%
Constellation Schools: Westside Community School of the ArtsCLEVELANDConstellation Schools: Westside Community School of the Arts412164-60.2%
Ripley Union Lewis Huntington Junior High SchoolRIPLEYRipley-Union-Lewis-Huntington Local254102-59.8%
Capital High SchoolCOLUMBUSCapital High School18876-59.6%
Facing History High School@Charles MooneyCLEVELANDCleveland Municipal322134-58.4%
Summit Academy Community School - ParmaPARMASummit Academy Community School - Parma19887-56.1%
Constellation Schools: Lorain Community ElementaryLORAINConstellation Schools: Lorain Community Elementary20189-55.7%
Constellation Schools: Stockyard Community ElementaryCLEVELANDConstellation Schools: Stockyard Community Elementary275125-54.5%
Cleveland College Preparatory SchoolCLEVELANDCleveland College Preparatory School288132-54.2%
Promise AcademyCLEVELANDPromise Academy220101-54.1%
Grand Valley Middle SchoolORWELLGrand Valley Local374172-54.0%
Springfield School of InnovationSPRINGFIELDSpringfield City School District265122-54.0%
Townsend Community SchoolCASTALIATownsend Community School1,050494-53.0%
Bluestone Elementary SchoolEUCLIDEuclid City582274-52.9%
Northland Preparatory and Fitness AcademyCOLUMBUSNorthland Preparatory and Fitness Academy282133-52.8%
Summit Academy Community School - CincinnatiCINCINNATISummit Academy Community School - Cincinnati14268-52.1%
Youngstown PreschoolYOUNGSTOWNYoungstown City391190-51.4%
Bella Academy of ExcellenceCLEVELANDBella Academy of Excellence316155-50.9%
Waterloo Middle SchoolATWATERWaterloo Local261131-49.8%
Shaw High SchoolEAST CLEVELANDEast Cleveland City School District813420-48.3%
Summit Academy Transition High School DaytonDAYTONSummit Academy Transition High School Dayton17290-47.7%
Lowell Elementary SchoolLOWELLFort Frye Local15481-47.4%
Newton Falls Middle SchoolNEWTON FALLSNewton Falls Exempted Village225119-47.1%
Western Reserve High SchoolBERLIN CENTERWestern Reserve Local240127-47.1%
Henry Defer Intermediate Elementary SchoolSTREETSBOROStreetsboro City542288-46.9%
Fort Frye High SchoolBEVERLYFort Frye Local427227-46.8%
Hicksville High SchoolHICKSVILLEHicksville Exempted Village School District396211-46.7%
MC^2 STEM High SchoolCLEVELANDCleveland Municipal402215-46.5%
Lake Erie International High SchoolCLEVELANDLake Erie International High School243133-45.3%
Eastgate Elementary SchoolCOLUMBUSColumbus City Schools District311171-45.0%
Summit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-LorainLORAINSummit Academy Community School Alternative Learners-Lorain12569-44.8%
Phillips SchoolMARIETTAMarietta City363204-43.8%
Innovation Academy WestCLEVELANDInnovation Academy West233131-43.8%
Graham School TheCOLUMBUSGraham School The245139-43.3%
Black River Education Center Middle SchoolSULLIVANBlack River Local269153-43.1%
50 of 50 rows · Brick-and-mortar only. Virtual, online, and cyber schools excluded. Schools must have had ≥100 students in 2017-18 and be open in both school years.↓ Download schools-in-decline-by-state-oh.csv

How this list was built

Every Ohio public school that reported total enrollment in both the NCES SY 2017-18 and SY 2024-25 vintages was scored on percent change in enrollment. Schools needed at least 100 students in 2017-18 to qualify, and must have been open in both school years. Schools that closed entirely are tracked in the separate school closures report. Virtual academies, cyber charters, and online schools are excluded so the list reflects neighborhood schools that families have moved away from rather than program-design changes.

Enrollment loss is not a verdict on a school. Schools shrink because catchment populations shrink, because new schools open nearby, because a magnet program elsewhere pulls transfers, because districts redraw boundaries, or because the building physically aged out. Use this list as a starting point for understanding which Ohio schools are operating with substantially fewer students than they were seven years ago.

Source data

NCES Common Core of Data, EDGE_ADMINDATA_PUBLICSCH MapServer, vintages 2017-18 and 2024-25. Refreshed yearly when NCES publishes a new admin-data release. School names, slugs, and current district affiliation come from the 2024-25 snapshot.

HOW TO CITE THIS REPORT

Anyone is welcome to cite or republish these findings. Please credit allk12.com and link back to this page so readers can verify the underlying data.

allk12 (2026). "Ohio schools in decline: enrollment loss 2017–2024." Retrieved from https://allk12.com/reports/in-decline/ohio
For interview requests or custom data pulls: [email protected]
DOWNLOAD THE DATA
↓ schools-in-decline-by-state-oh.csv
RELATED
Ohio schools on the rise · All Ohio schools · Best Ohio schools · All states
DATA NOTICE

allk12 is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NCES, the US Census Bureau, any state education agency or assessment program, or any other government agency. Source data is compiled from public records and provided "as is," without warranty of accuracy or completeness. You rely on it, and any analysis derived from it, at your own risk. See the full disclaimer.