Is James A. Garfield Elementary School a good school?

James A. Garfield Elementary School ranks in the bottom 13.3% of Ohio elementary schools.

How many students attend James A. Garfield Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 365 students attended James A. Garfield Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of James A. Garfield Elementary School?

Students at James A. Garfield Elementary School are 75% White, 14% Two or more races, 7% Hispanic, 4% African American.

What schools do graduates of James A. Garfield Elementary School attend?

Students who attend James A. Garfield Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Ulysses S. Grant Middle School High : Harding High School

James A. Garfield Elementary School

Summary:

James A. Garfield Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 368 students in grades PK-5 in Marion, Ohio, which is part of the Marion City School District. The school faces significant challenges, with consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, below-average academic performance, and struggles to support the needs of various student subgroups.

James A. Garfield Elementary has chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 38.5% to 62.9% over the past few years, which is much higher than the state average and nearby schools like George Washington Elementary (32.8%) and William H. Taft Elementary (42.5%). Academically, the school's proficiency rates on state tests are consistently below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with the 5th-grade science proficiency rate at just 28.6% compared to the state average of 64% and the Marion City average of 31.1%. The school also ranks in the bottom 20% of Ohio elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When compared to other elementary schools in the Marion City district and nearby districts, James A. Garfield Elementary consistently underperforms. For example, Benjamin Harrison Elementary, also part of the Marion City district, outperforms James A. Garfield Elementary across multiple academic measures. The school's challenges suggest the need for targeted interventions and strategies to address attendance, academic achievement, and support for various student subgroups.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1170 Brookside Rd
Marion, OH 43302-5900

(740) 223-4444

District: Marion City

SchoolDigger Rank:
1367^th of 1,577 Ohio Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,752

Students who attend James A. Garfield Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Ulysses S. Grant Middle School
High:	Harding High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.0

Number of students: 365

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.5%

Two or more races:

14.0%

Hispanic:

7.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.4%

See top rated Ohio elementary schools

Compare James A. Garfield Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details James A. Garfield Elementary School ranks worse than 86.7% of elementary schools in Ohio. It also ranks 5^th among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Marion City School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 12.16. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (74.5%), two or more races (14%), Hispanic (7.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James A. Garfield Elementary School is 14, which is the lowest among 6 elementary schools in the Marion City School District! (See more...)

Compare James A. Garfield Elementary School employs 26 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James A. Garfield Elementary School is $10,752. 4 elementary schools in the Marion City School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

James A. Garfield Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks James A. Garfield Elementary School 1367^th of 1577 Ohio public elementary schools. (See James A. Garfield Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

Marion City:

SchoolDigger ranks Marion City 655^th of 839 Ohio school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for James A. Garfield Elementary School.

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Rank History for James A. Garfield Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2005	21.83	1281^st	1501	14.7%
2006	14.42	1357^th	1504	9.8%
2007	14.08	1435^th	1609	10.8%
2008	18.20	1370^th	1582	13.4%
2009	18.47	1389^th	1610	13.7%
2010	38.29	1225^th	1662	26.3%
2011	43.07	1202^nd	1686	28.7%
2012	33.43	1318^th	1709	22.9%
2013	27.13	1352^nd	1701	20.5%
2014	28.87	1317^th	1687	21.9%
2015	24.23	1339^th	1684	20.5%
2016	19.48	1350^th	1678	19.5%
2017	17.68	1358^th	1651	17.7%
2018	21.28	1315^th	1636	19.6%
2019	10.30	1503^rd	1676	10.3%
2021	13.84	1319^th	1610	18.1%
2022	17.88	1263^rd	1588	20.5%
2023	15.83	1308^th	1596	18.0%
2024	12.16	1367^th	1577	13.3%

See the entire list of Ohio Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	29.41	1143^rd	1465	22.0%
2019	14.38	1306^th	1465	10.9%
2021	16.63	1145^th	1404	18.4%
2022	23.37	1096^th	1419	22.8%
2023	20.72	1163^rd	1447	19.6%
2024	14.52	1281^st	1484	13.7%

See the entire list of Best Ohio Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	33.68	1111^th	1518	26.8%
2019	6.47	1410^th	1502	6.1%
2021	12.12	1222^nd	1467	16.7%
2022	15.65	1228^th	1488	17.5%
2023	9.23	1314^th	1483	11.4%
2024	7.23	1364^th	1466	7.0%

See the entire list of Best Ohio Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	15.42	946^th	1021	7.3%
2022	23.35	678^th	824	17.7%

See the entire list of Best Ohio Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	11.60	1365^th	1536	11.1%
2019	12.70	1350^th	1535	12.1%
2021	7.56	1356^th	1499	9.5%
2022	15.24	1253^rd	1518	17.5%
2023	16.09	1237^th	1498	17.4%
2024	14.67	1272^nd	1485	14.3%

See the entire list of Best Ohio Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	4.59	1269^th	1309	3.1%
2019	1.31	1253^rd	1271	1.4%
2021	1.81	1220^th	1249	2.3%
2022	2.94	1199^th	1242	3.5%
2023	1.60	1197^th	1215	1.5%
2024	1.77	1167^th	1190	1.9%

See the entire list of Best Ohio Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Ohio Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Ohio Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, October 29, 2012

Greetings! My name is Jeff Street, I'm the PTA President at Garfield. I've had many conversations with the principle about how the 2 5th grade teachers talk and treat the students. They yell,scream,intimadate and humiliate the students. Up until the last couple weeks it was a rule at lunch to take a childs lunch and throw it away and make them stand with their nose against the wall . This would happen for something as simple as talking when told not to. I've had conversations with the superintendent about what is going on at Garfield and was told that he has never seen it their for it does not happen.It has come down to me reaching out to the parents and grouping together in order to try to make changes in this school.This is the worst school I have ever seen and Marion City Schools is a horrible district! Close Quote

Enrollment information for James A. Garfield Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	407	18	12	0	n/a	n/a	4	441
2006	342	20	9	0	n/a	n/a	2	373
2007	347	17	9	0	n/a	n/a	9	382
2008	334	18	6	0	n/a	n/a	6	364
2009	346	22	10	0	n/a	n/a	12	390
2010	308	13	17	0	n/a	n/a	12	350
2011	266	18	25	1	0	25	0	335
2012	248	14	25	0	0	22	0	309
2013	266	14	36	2	0	23	0	341
2014	276	8	38	1	0	24	0	347
2015	274	10	35	0	0	19	0	338
2016	297	12	34	0	0	18	0	361
2017	336	17	27	1	0	14	0	395
2018	336	12	30	1	0	29	0	408
2019	346	16	31	1	0	24	0	418
2020	326	17	25	1	0	34	0	403
2021	282	12	28	0	0	32	0	354
2022	275	13	23	0	0	43	0	354
2023	286	14	30	0	0	38	0	368
2024	272	15	27	0	0	51	0	365

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	441	25.2	17.5	69.3
2006	373	27.0	13.8	70.6
2007	382	26.8	14.3	70.8
2008	364	22.2	16.4	n/a
2009	390	23.1	16.9	78.3
2010	350	23.5	14.8	79.9
2011	335	23.5	14.2	82.7
2012	309	23.3	13.2	98.4
2013	341	24.8	13.7	n/a
2014	347	25.4	13.6	84.7
2015	338	n/a	n/a	87
2016	361	25.0	14.4	81.4
2017	395	24.8	15.9	n/a
2018	408	24.8	16.4	n/a
2019	418	24.7	16.9	n/a
2020	403	25.6	15.7	n/a
2021	354	22.6	15.6	n/a
2022	354	23.0	15.3	n/a
2023	368	22.0	16.7	n/a
2024	365	26.0	14.0	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio James A. Garfield Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	441	25.2	17.5	69.3
2006	373	27.0	13.8	70.6
2007	382	26.8	14.3	70.8
2008	364	22.2	16.4	n/a
2009	390	23.1	16.9	78.3
2010	350	23.5	14.8	79.9
2011	335	23.5	14.2	82.7
2012	309	23.3	13.2	98.4
2013	341	24.8	13.7	n/a
2014	347	25.4	13.6	84.7
2015	338	n/a	n/a	87
2016	361	25.0	14.4	81.4
2017	395	24.8	15.9	n/a
2018	408	24.8	16.4	n/a
2019	418	24.7	16.9	n/a
2020	403	25.6	15.7	n/a
2021	354	22.6	15.6	n/a
2022	354	23.0	15.3	n/a
2023	368	22.0	16.7	n/a
2024	365	26.0	14.0	n/a

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for James A. Garfield Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$7,667
2022	$10,259
2023	$9,972
2024	$10,752

Data source: Ohio Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James A. Garfield Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1503^rd of 1676 Elementary schools	Ranks 1308^th of 1596 Elementary schools	7.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (James A. Garfield Elementary School)	44.2	27.5	16.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Marion City)	39.5	34.3	5.2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ohio)	67.1	62.2	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (James A. Garfield Elementary School)	40.7	36.5	4.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Marion City)	43.3	41.6	1.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ohio)	66.7	62.3	4.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (James A. Garfield Elementary School)	31.3	27.5	3.8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Marion City)	45.4	35.3	10.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ohio)	74.3	66.8	7.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Garfield Elementary School)	23.4	29.4	6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Marion City)	37.3	33.9	3.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ohio)	63.3	58.9	4.4%
5th Grade Science (James A. Garfield Elementary School)	27.8	35.4	7.6%
5th Grade Science (Marion City)	39.3	33.1	6.2%
5th Grade Science (Ohio)	65	63.9	1.1%
5th Grade Mathematics (James A. Garfield Elementary School)	29.7	26.5	3.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Marion City)	33.1	27.1	6%
5th Grade Mathematics (Ohio)	62.5	56.6	5.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (James A. Garfield Elementary School)	37.8	44.9	7.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Marion City)	51.3	46.7	4.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Ohio)	69.8	67.4	2.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	418	368	12%
African American	16	14	12.5%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	31	30	3.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	346	286	17.3%
Two or More Races	24	38	58.3%

Schools Near James A. Garfield Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Ohio State Tests Science (2024)	Ohio State Tests Mathematics (2024)			Ohio State Tests English Language Arts (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	Ohio State Tests Science 5th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 3rd Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 4th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 5th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 3rd Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 4th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 5th Grade	Total
James A. Garfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1170 Brookside Rd	Marion	43302	Marion County	Marion City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 223-4444	365	26	14.0		272 (74.5%)	15 (4.1%)	27 (7.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (14.0%)	12.2	1367^th of 1577 public elementary schools	13.3%		15.8	1308^th of 1596 public elementary schools	18.0%	59	28.6	30.0	37.8	30.6	34.0	31.1	31.9	$10,752
William McKinley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	925 Chatfield Rd	Marion	43302	Marion County	Marion City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 223-4600	388	25	15.5		292 (75.3%)	18 (4.6%)	26 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (13.1%)	10.8	1389^th of 1577 public elementary schools	11.9%		9.4	1421^st of 1596 public elementary schools	11.0%	32	20.0	29.6	37.3	16.0	40.7	30.5	38.0	$11,662
Rutherford B. Hayes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	750 Silver St	Marion	43302	Marion County	Marion City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 223-4950	263	17	15.4		190 (72.2%)	13 (4.9%)	20 (7.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (15.2%)	20.5	1250^th of 1577 public elementary schools	20.7%		17.5	1279^th of 1596 public elementary schools	19.9%	29	36.1	50.0	54.8	25.0	27.8	38.7	43.2	$10,722
Benjamin Harrison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	625 Brightwood Dr	Marion	43302	Marion County	Marion City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 223-4999	367	23	15.9		251 (68.4%)	13 (3.5%)	44 (12.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (15.5%)	40.9	1024^th of 1577 public elementary schools	35.1%		49.7	929^th of 1596 public elementary schools	41.8%	95	44.4	46.0	59.0	40.3	52.9	65.0	71.4	$13,279
George Washington Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Pennsylvania Ave	Marion	43302	Marion County	Marion City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 223-3883	447	26	17.1		307 (68.7%)	17 (3.8%)	41 (9.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (17.9%)	17.5	1287^th of 1577 public elementary schools	18.4%		23.3	1228^th of 1596 public elementary schools	23.1%	59	31.3	24.2	47.2	29.7	38.1	38.9	51.6	$11,377
William H. Taft Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 Robinson St	Marion	43302	Marion County	Marion City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 223-4500	399	21	19.0		260 (65.2%)	32 (8.0%)	35 (8.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (17.8%)	15.4	1318^th of 1577 public elementary schools	16.4%		8.6	1441^st of 1596 public elementary schools	9.7%	123	26.2	45.1	27.5	4.6	55.8	31.4	38.5	$11,848
Pleasant Elementary School	Public	K-4	1105 Owens Rd W	Marion	43302	Marion County	Pleasant Local	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 389-4815	489	31	15.6	43.4%	436 (89.2%)	7 (1.4%)	25 (5.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.9%)	66	631^st of 1577 public elementary schools	60.0%		63.4	699^th of 1596 public elementary schools	56.2%	68		69.8	77.3		69.8	67.0		$12,678
Elgin Elementary School	Public	K-5	1250 Keener Rd S	Marion	43302	Marion County	Elgin Local	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 223-4301	465	29	16.3	66.9%	430 (92.5%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (5.2%)	58.6	781^st of 1577 public elementary schools	50.5%		65.8	652^nd of 1596 public elementary schools	59.1%	129	76.6	60.2	78.9	68.8	54.2	60.8	66.7	$11,895
Ridgedale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3105 Hillman Ford Rd	Morral	43337	Marion County	Ridgedale Local	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(740) 382-6065	317	21	15.0	60.3%	291 (91.8%)	1 (0.3%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	18 (5.7%)	47.4	955^th of 1577 public elementary schools	39.4%		47.9	961^st of 1596 public elementary schools	39.8%	6	72.7	63.4	60.5	43.6	56.1	46.5	69.1	$12,410
Heritage Elementary School	Public	K-5	720 Columbus Sandusky Rd S	Marion	43302	Marion County	River Valley Local	No	(n/a)	No	No	(740) 725-5500	498	27	18.6	38.8%	452 (90.8%)	8 (1.6%)	14 (2.8%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.6%)	70.6	525^th of 1577 public elementary schools	66.7%		72.3	502^nd of 1596 public elementary schools	68.5%	23	69.8	67.8	87.1	66.3	73.6	80.6	70.9	$10,961

James A. Garfield Elementary School

James A. Garfield Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Marion City:

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for James A. Garfield Elementary School

Rank History for all students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Rank History for Disabled students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Rank History for White students at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for James A. Garfield Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at James A. Garfield Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio James A. Garfield Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for James A. Garfield Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on James A. Garfield Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near James A. Garfield Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about James A. Garfield Elementary School

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