The Academy for Urban Scholars

Summary:

The Academy for Urban Scholars is a public charter high school in Columbus, Ohio, serving grades 9-12 with a predominantly African American student population. Unfortunately, the school has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing high schools in the state, with very low academic proficiency rates and graduation rates well below the state average.

The school faces significant challenges, including extremely low academic performance, with proficiency rates ranging from just 1.1% in Geometry to 13.2% in American Government. The school has also experienced alarmingly high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 100% in the 2020-2021 school year. Compared to nearby schools like Fort Hayes Career Center and Columbus Downtown High School, which have more diverse student populations and better performance, The Academy for Urban Scholars appears to be struggling to provide a high-quality education to its students.

The persistent underperformance of The Academy for Urban Scholars, despite its predominantly African American and low-income student population, suggests the need for targeted interventions and support to address the unique challenges faced by these student groups. The school's high student-teacher ratio may also be a contributing factor to its low academic performance and high chronic absenteeism. Overall, The Academy for Urban Scholars faces significant hurdles in improving student outcomes, and the Columbus City Schools District may need to consider comprehensive strategies to support this struggling school.

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

1808 E Broad St
Columbus, OH 43203-2003

(614) 545-9890

District: The Academy for Urban Scholars

SchoolDigger Rank:
855^th of 864 Ohio High Schools

Student/teacher ratio: 22.2

Number of students: 333

Racial breakdown:

African American:

92.5%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Hispanic:

2.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 94.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details The Academy for Urban Scholars ranks worse than 99% of high schools in Ohio. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.46. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at The Academy for Urban Scholars who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

The Academy for Urban Scholars:

SchoolDigger ranks The Academy for Urban Scholars 855^th of 864 Ohio public high schools. (See The Academy for Urban Scholars in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Homeless students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

The Academy for Urban Scholars:

SchoolDigger ranks The Academy for Urban Scholars 828^th of 839 Ohio school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for The Academy for Urban Scholars

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Rank History for all students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	0.84	795^th	800	0.6%
2019	1.03	829^th	836	0.8%
2021	3.23	802^nd	819	2.1%
2022	2.19	830^th	836	0.7%
2023	2.51	855^th	867	1.4%
2024	2.46	855^th	864	1.0%

See the entire list of Ohio High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	6.14	613^th	614	0.2%

See the entire list of Best Ohio High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	0.31	758^th	758	0.0%
2019	1.00	771^st	779	1.0%
2021	0.31	763^rd	763	0.0%
2022	0.37	771^st	773	0.3%
2023	2.04	796^th	805	1.1%
2024	0.74	819^th	822	0.4%

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

Rank History for Homeless students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	7.03	32^nd	32	0.0%
2024	6.40	30^th	30	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Ohio High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile
2019	0.40	777^th	781	0.5%
2022	0.24	790^th	794	0.5%
2023	1.29	803^rd	813	1.2%
2024	0.32	798^th	798	0.0%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	6.77	605^th	606	0.2%

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

Rank History for Male students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	0.24	763^rd	763	0.0%
2019	0.22	791^st	792	0.1%
2021	0.39	778^th	778	0.0%
2022	0.09	807^th	808	0.1%
2023	0.46	819^th	819	0.0%
2024	1.31	805^th	816	1.3%

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

Rank History for African American students at The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	3.45	279^th	279	0.0%
2019	4.50	296^th	303	2.3%
2022	3.22	305^th	306	0.3%
2023	4.38	321^st	323	0.6%
2024	3.85	316^th	318	0.6%

See the entire list of Best Ohio High Schools for African American 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

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Enrollment information for The Academy for Urban Scholars

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2012	8	170	0	0	0	0	0	178
2013	12	208	0	4	0	0	2	226
2014	13	241	1	6	0	0	7	268
2015	4	288	2	4	0	1	12	311
2016	0	308	0	2	0	0	4	314
2017	5	319	0	2	0	0	7	333
2018	6	268	0	2	0	0	15	291
2019	7	313	0	2	0	0	11	333
2020	3	314	0	2	1	0	10	330
2021	5	313	0	0	1	0	10	329
2022	2	321	0	2	0	0	11	336
2023	3	308	0	7	2	0	13	333

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 The Academy for Urban Scholars

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	178	4.0	44.5	93.3
2013	226	6.0	37.6	91.2
2014	268	6.0	44.6	97
2015	311	n/a	n/a	92.6
2016	314	7.0	44.8	91.7
2017	333	6.0	55.5	94.6
2018	291	7.0	41.5	n/a
2019	333	7.0	47.5	n/a
2020	330	9.0	36.6	n/a
2021	329	9.0	36.5	n/a
2022	336	14.0	24.0	n/a
2023	333	15.0	22.2	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 The Academy for Urban Scholars

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	178	4.0	44.5	93.3
2013	226	6.0	37.6	91.2
2014	268	6.0	44.6	97
2015	311	n/a	n/a	92.6
2016	314	7.0	44.8	91.7
2017	333	6.0	55.5	94.6
2018	291	7.0	41.5	n/a
2019	333	7.0	47.5	n/a
2020	330	9.0	36.6	n/a
2021	329	9.0	36.5	n/a
2022	336	14.0	24.0	n/a
2023	333	15.0	22.2	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 The Academy for Urban Scholars

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2022	$12,996
2023	$12,903

Data source: Ohio Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on The Academy for Urban Scholars

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 829^th of 836 High schools	Ranks 855^th of 867 High schools	0.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course American Government (The Academy for Urban Scholars)	13.8	13.9	0.1%
End of Course American Government (Ohio)	77.7	72	5.7%
End of Course American History (The Academy for Urban Scholars)	12.9	12.5	0.4%
End of Course American History (Ohio)	78.1	69.7	8.4%
End of Course Biology (The Academy for Urban Scholars)	7.9	3.8	4.1%
End of Course Biology (Ohio)	73.7	63.7	10%
End of Course English II (The Academy for Urban Scholars)	3.4	6.4	3%
End of Course English II (Ohio)	66.2	60.8	5.4%
End of Course Geometry (The Academy for Urban Scholars)	1	1.1	0.1%
End of Course Geometry (Ohio)	50.1	41.8	8.3%
End of Course Algebra I (The Academy for Urban Scholars)	5.2	5.9	0.7%
End of Course Algebra I (Ohio)	61.1	53	8.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	333	333
African American	313	308	1.6%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	2	7	250%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	7	3	57.1%
Two or More Races	11	13	18.2%

Schools Near The Academy for Urban Scholars

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				Ohio State Tests American Government (2024)	Ohio State Tests American History (2024)	Ohio State Tests Biology (2024)	Ohio State Tests English II (2024)	Ohio State Tests Geometry (2024)	Ohio State Tests Algebra I (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 American Government End of Course	Ohio State Tests American History End of Course	Ohio State Tests Biology End of Course	Ohio State Tests English II End of Course	Ohio State Tests Geometry End of Course	Ohio State Tests Algebra I End of Course	Total
The Academy for Urban Scholars	Public, Charter	9-12	1808 E Broad St	Columbus	43203	Franklin County	The Academy for Urban Scholars	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 545-9890	333	15	22.2		3 (0.9%)	308 (92.5%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.9%)	2.5	855^th of 864 public high schools	1.0%		2.5	855^th of 867 public high schools	1.4%		13.2	11.4	5.2	5.3	1.1	4.9	$12,903
East High School	Public	9-12	1500 E Broad St	Columbus	43205	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-6096	440	29	15.1		29 (6.6%)	353 (80.2%)	31 (7.0%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.7%)	8.7	752^nd of 864 public high schools	13.0%		5.7	795^th of 867 public high schools	8.3%	43	53.8	35.4	15.6	16.9	0.0	3.0	$16,419
Bexley High School	Public	9-12	326 S Cassingham Rd	Bexley	43209	Franklin County	Bexley City	No	(n/a)	No	No	(614) 231-4591	736	45	16.2	23.1%	594 (80.7%)	52 (7.1%)	32 (4.3%)	16 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.7%)	84.2	41^st of 864 public high schools	95.3%		85.3	36^th of 867 public high schools	95.8%	5	94.0	88.0	90.4	80.6	75.0	89.0	$16,690
Charles School at Ohio Dominican University	Public, Charter	9-12	1270 Brentnell Ave	Columbus	43219	Franklin County	Charles School at Ohio Dominican University	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 258-8588	301	17	17.7	70.1%	39 (13.0%)	208 (69.1%)	47 (15.6%)	3 (1.0%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	20.2	669^th of 864 public high schools	22.6%		32	612^th of 867 public high schools	29.4%	57	47.7	59.7	36.8	39.0	19.0	21.1	$11,216
Fort Hayes Career Center	Public	10-12	546 Jack Gibbs Blvd	Columbus	43215	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	No	(614) 365-6681	117	29	4.0		63 (53.8%)	35 (29.9%)	14 (12.0%)	2 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.6%)								(n/a)
Fort Hayes Arts and Academic High School	Public	9-12	546 Jack Gibbs Blvd	Columbus	43215	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-6681	718	37	19.4		114 (15.9%)	482 (67.1%)	64 (8.9%)	11 (1.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (6.3%)	23.2	650^th of 864 public high schools	24.8%		19.1	673^rd of 867 public high schools	22.4%	23	51.3	56.1	45.8	53.2	7.7	13.8	$17,075
Columbus Africentric Early College High School	Public	9-12	3223 Allegheny Ave	Columbus	43209	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-8675	367	19	19.3		3 (0.8%)	336 (91.6%)	16 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.3%)	9	745^th of 864 public high schools	13.8%		11.8	729^th of 867 public high schools	15.9%	16	51.4	24.1	9.9	33.0	2.2	10.4	$16,228
Mason Run High School	Public, Charter	9-12	923 S James Rd	Columbus	43227	Franklin County	Mason Run High School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 362-7540	156	4	39.0		6 (3.8%)	130 (83.3%)	16 (10.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.6%)	2.9	849^th of 864 public high schools	1.7%		5.1	804^th of 867 public high schools	7.3%	45	19.4	13.6	12.0	9.5	0.0	6.3	$9,960
YB Columbus Community School	Public, Charter	9-12	1183 Essex Ave	Columbus	43201	Franklin County	YB Columbus Community School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 291-0805	208	9	23.1		21 (10.1%)	151 (72.6%)	14 (6.7%)	1 (0.5%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (9.6%)	2.1	860^th of 864 public high schools	0.5%		2.4	857^th of 867 public high schools	1.2%	3	9.5	5.4	2.6	0.0	0.0	3.6	$13,167
Eastmoor Academy	Public	9-12	417 S Weyant Ave	Columbus	43213	Franklin County	Columbus City Schools District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(614) 365-6158	673	42	16.0		12 (1.8%)	597 (88.7%)	29 (4.3%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.9%)	12.7	710^th of 864 public high schools	17.8%		12.6	723^rd of 867 public high schools	16.6%	13	56.3	40.7	29.7	25.3	5.2	12.9	$16,073

Frequently Asked Questions about The Academy for Urban Scholars

How many students attend The Academy for Urban Scholars?

In the 2022-23 school year, 333 students attended The Academy for Urban Scholars.

Is The Academy for Urban Scholars a good school?

The Academy for Urban Scholars ranks in the bottom 1.0% of Ohio high schools.

What district is The Academy for Urban Scholars in?

The Academy for Urban Scholars

What is the racial makeup of The Academy for Urban Scholars?

Students at The Academy for Urban Scholars are 92% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Hispanic.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Ohio Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.