Summary:
Beacon Academy is a public charter elementary school serving 236 students in grades K-8 in Canton, Ohio. The school has a diverse student population, with 29.24% White, 42.37% African American, 5.51% Hispanic, and 22.88% two or more races. However, Beacon Academy faces significant challenges, including consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, well below average academic performance, and disparities in student group rankings.
Beacon Academy's chronic absenteeism rates have ranged from 43.7% to 63.1% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average and nearby schools. The school's academic performance, as measured by Ohio State Tests, is also well below state and local averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 6.7% of 5th-grade students and 10.5% of 8th-grade students were proficient or better in Science, compared to the state averages of 64% and 62.1%, respectively. Additionally, while Beacon Academy's African American students perform relatively better than the overall student population, ranking in the top 40% of Ohio elementary schools, the school's White students and students with disabilities rank in the bottom 5% and bottom 10%, respectively.
When compared to nearby schools, such as AIM Academy @ Belden, Worley Elementary School, and Faircrest Memorial Elementary School, Beacon Academy consistently underperforms across a range of metrics, including academic achievement, chronic absenteeism, and student-teacher ratios. The school's lower spending per student, at $7,486 in 2018-2019, compared to the state average, may also be a contributing factor to its poor academic outcomes. Addressing these challenges will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach that focuses on targeted interventions and support systems for Beacon Academy's diverse student population.
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