Independence Elementary School

Summary:

Independence Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 275 students in grades PK-4 in the Lima City School District in Lima, Ohio.

Despite spending $10,270 per student, which is higher than the district and state averages, Independence Elementary has consistently struggled academically. The school's proficiency rates on Ohio state tests are generally lower than the Lima City and state averages, with its 3rd grade math proficiency rate at 50% compared to 42.5% for the district and 62.1% for the state. Independence Elementary has also grappled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 30.2% to 32.5% in recent years, significantly higher than the state average.

When compared to other nearby schools in the Lima City district, Independence Elementary generally performs worse academically, with lower proficiency rates and higher chronic absenteeism. However, the school's African American students perform better than the district average, suggesting the school may have some effective practices for this subgroup that could be scaled up. Addressing the school's high chronic absenteeism, racial achievement gaps, and socioeconomic factors will be crucial for driving sustainable improvements and better preparing its students for future success.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

615 Tremont Ave
Lima, OH 45801

(419) 996-3330

District: Lima City

SchoolDigger Rank:
1199^th of 1,577 Ohio Elementary Schools

Students who attend Independence Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Lima North Middle School
	Lima West Middle School
High:	Lima Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.7

Number of students: 275

Racial breakdown:

White:

40.7%

African American:

32.0%

Two or more races:

21.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Independence Elementary School ranks worse than 76% of elementary schools in Ohio. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.67. (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

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Teachers

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Finance

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Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Independence Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Independence Elementary School 1199^th of 1577 Ohio public elementary schools. (See Independence 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:

Lima City:

SchoolDigger ranks Lima City 581^st of 839 Ohio school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Independence Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2005	24.06	1261^st	1501	16.0%
2006	27.46	1238^th	1504	17.7%
2007	32.96	1255^th	1609	22.0%
2008	41.38	1131^st	1582	28.5%
2009	34.71	1240^th	1610	23.0%
2010	39.67	1216^th	1662	26.8%
2011	27.48	1352^nd	1686	19.8%
2012	26.79	1389^th	1709	18.7%
2013	13.02	1515^th	1701	10.9%
2014	20.91	1399^th	1687	17.1%
2015	18.59	1408^th	1684	16.4%
2016	23.87	1292^nd	1678	23.0%
2017	34.64	1187^th	1651	28.1%
2018	25.98	1261^st	1636	22.9%
2019	35.41	1190^th	1676	29.0%
2021	21.24	1211^th	1610	24.8%
2022	20.48	1237^th	1588	22.1%
2023	25.56	1197^th	1596	25.0%
2024	24.67	1199^th	1577	24.0%

See the entire list of Ohio Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	52.13	74^th	166	55.4%
2022	8.24	156^th	162	3.7%

See the entire list of Best Ohio Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	37.47	1047^th	1465	28.5%
2019	49.82	836^th	1465	42.9%
2021	28.01	1007^th	1404	28.3%
2022	28.45	1047^th	1419	26.2%
2023	34.92	1007^th	1447	30.4%
2024	32.18	1079^th	1484	27.3%

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

Rank History for Female students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	21.10	1235^th	1518	18.6%
2019	40.44	1022^nd	1502	32.0%
2021	20.68	1111^th	1467	24.3%
2022	18.35	1197^th	1488	19.6%
2023	20.35	1174^th	1483	20.8%
2024	12.71	1271^st	1466	13.3%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	27.62	796^th	1021	22.0%
2022	12.30	810^th	824	1.7%

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

Rank History for Male students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	29.17	1157^th	1536	24.7%
2019	33.45	1118^th	1535	27.2%
2021	13.08	1228^th	1499	18.1%
2022	16.53	1232^nd	1518	18.8%
2023	26.99	1117^th	1498	25.4%
2024	34.16	1047^th	1485	29.5%

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

Rank History for African American students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	21.47	518^th	598	13.4%
2021	53.47	168^th	533	68.5%
2023	54.38	223^rd	610	63.4%

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

Rank History for White students at Independence Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	OH State Percentile
2018	16.58	1160^th	1309	11.4%
2019	32.97	996^th	1271	21.6%
2021	16.25	1088^th	1249	12.9%
2023	12.24	1111^th	1215	8.6%
2024	10.03	1101^st	1190	7.5%

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

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Enrollment information for Independence Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	309	86	1	8	1	n/a	n/a	51	456
2006	291	97	3	10	2	n/a	n/a	55	458
2007	284	120	3	11	1	n/a	n/a	63	482
2008	273	116	2	13	1	n/a	n/a	51	456
2009	285	122	2	10	1	n/a	n/a	71	491
2010	261	107	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	63	439
2011	243	102	0	20	0	0	80	0	445
2012	213	81	1	21	1	0	60	0	377
2013	187	91	1	17	2	0	47	0	345
2014	177	79	1	25	1	0	56	0	339
2015	208	85	0	27	1	0	62	0	383
2016	193	70	1	20	0	0	62	0	346
2017	170	65	1	29	0	0	66	0	331
2018	158	86	2	26	0	0	65	0	337
2019	152	93	0	24	0	0	74	0	343
2020	119	83	0	22	0	0	75	0	299
2021	111	88	0	19	0	0	67	0	285
2022	102	79	0	18	0	0	67	0	266
2023	112	88	0	15	0	0	60	0	275

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 Independence Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	456	27.8	16.4	82.7
2006	458	27.8	16.5	84.6
2007	482	23.0	21.0	83.8
2008	456	23.0	19.8	n/a
2009	491	26.0	18.9	95.2
2010	439	24.0	18.2	96.5
2011	445	25.0	17.7	87.4
2012	377	23.0	16.3	92.6
2013	345	19.0	18.1	93
2014	339	19.0	17.8	99.1
2015	383	n/a	n/a	91.4
2016	346	20.0	17.3	100
2017	331	21.0	15.7	n/a
2018	337	21.0	16.0	n/a
2019	343	21.0	16.3	n/a
2020	299	19.0	15.7	n/a
2021	285	20.0	14.2	n/a
2022	266	18.0	14.7	n/a
2023	275	n/a	n/a	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 Independence Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	456	27.8	16.4	82.7
2006	458	27.8	16.5	84.6
2007	482	23.0	21.0	83.8
2008	456	23.0	19.8	n/a
2009	491	26.0	18.9	95.2
2010	439	24.0	18.2	96.5
2011	445	25.0	17.7	87.4
2012	377	23.0	16.3	92.6
2013	345	19.0	18.1	93
2014	339	19.0	17.8	99.1
2015	383	n/a	n/a	91.4
2016	346	20.0	17.3	100
2017	331	21.0	15.7	n/a
2018	337	21.0	16.0	n/a
2019	343	21.0	16.3	n/a
2020	299	19.0	15.7	n/a
2021	285	20.0	14.2	n/a
2022	266	18.0	14.7	n/a
2023	275	n/a	n/a	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 Independence Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$10,270
2022	$12,228
2023	$11,959

Data source: Ohio Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Independence 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 1190^th of 1676 Elementary schools	Ranks 1197^th of 1596 Elementary schools	4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Independence Elementary School)	57.9	47.2	10.7%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lima City)	58.2	54.7	3.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Ohio)	67.1	62.2	4.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Independence Elementary School)	57.9	30.6	27.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lima City)	53.1	36.2	16.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Ohio)	66.7	62.3	4.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Independence Elementary School)	67.4	53.7	13.7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lima City)	63.7	47.6	16.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Ohio)	74.3	66.8	7.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Independence Elementary School)	45.7	36.6	9.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lima City)	48.8	31.5	17.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Ohio)	63.3	58.9	4.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	343	275	19.8%
African American	93	88	5.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	24	15	37.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	152	112	26.3%
Two or More Races	74	60	18.9%

Schools Near Independence 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 (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 Science 5th Grade	Ohio State Tests Science 8th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 3rd Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 4th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 5th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 6th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 7th Grade	Ohio State Tests Mathematics 8th 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	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 6th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 7th Grade	Ohio State Tests English Language Arts 8th Grade	Total
Independence Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	615 Tremont Ave	Lima	45801	Allen County	Lima City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 996-3330	275	18	14.7		112 (40.7%)	88 (32.0%)	15 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (21.8%)	24.7	1199^th of 1577 public elementary schools	24.0%		25.6	1197^th of 1596 public elementary schools	25.0%	2			50.0	38.5					36.7	51.3					$11,959
Heir Force Community School	Public, Charter	K-8	150 W Grand Ave	Lima	45801	Allen County	Heir Force Community School	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 228-9241	238	6	39.6		49 (20.6%)	124 (52.1%)	17 (7.1%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (19.3%)	24.8	1196^th of 1577 public elementary schools	24.2%		27.2	1178^th of 1596 public elementary schools	26.2%	18	42.4	38.9	15.0	35.0	60.6	34.8	20.0	38.9	33.3	25.0	54.5	43.5	15.0	38.9	$8,579
Heritage Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	816 College Ave	Lima	45805	Allen County	Lima City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 996-3390	421	29	14.7		166 (39.4%)	136 (32.3%)	34 (8.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (19.2%)	31.7	1116^th of 1577 public elementary schools	29.2%		37.6	1070^th of 1596 public elementary schools	33.0%	46			53.4	51.2					46.6	48.8					$11,672
Liberty Arts Magnet K-8	Public	K-8	338 W Kibby St	Lima	45804	Allen County	Lima City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 996-3320	416	24	16.5		124 (29.8%)	158 (38.0%)	35 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	98 (23.6%)	29.4	1143^rd of 1577 public elementary schools	27.5%		27.4	1176^th of 1596 public elementary schools	26.3%	33	45.0	44.4	38.2	48.8	52.5	17.9	21.9	27.8	44.1	37.2	67.5	39.5	30.3	52.3	$13,626
Freedom Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	575 Calumet Ave	Lima	45804	Allen County	Lima City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 996-3380	232	30	7.7		88 (37.9%)	69 (29.7%)	11 (4.7%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (27.2%)	30.3	1128^th of 1577 public elementary schools	28.5%		18.8	1272^nd of 1596 public elementary schools	20.3%	144			41.7	59.4					48.7	46.9					$13,590
Lima South Science-Technology Magnet K-8	Public	K-8	755 Saint Johns Ave	Lima	45804	Allen County	Lima City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 996-3190	186	41	4.5		65 (34.9%)	69 (37.1%)	19 (10.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (17.7%)	68.2	580^th of 1577 public elementary schools	63.2%		67.6	614^th of 1596 public elementary schools	61.5%	34	62.5	50.0	38.1	76.5	66.7	72.7	73.7	66.7	71.4	82.4	80.0	77.3	78.9	25.0	$16,777
Unity Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	925 E 3rd St	Lima	45804	Allen County	Lima City	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 996-3300	191	28	6.8		53 (27.7%)	90 (47.1%)	11 (5.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (19.4%)	9	1428^th of 1577 public elementary schools	9.4%		6.4	1493^rd of 1596 public elementary schools	6.5%	65			28.6	31.0					27.6	31.0					$13,625
Bath Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2450 Bible Rd	Lima	45801	Allen County	Bath Local	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 221-1837	800	44	18.5	47.0%	662 (82.8%)	12 (1.5%)	33 (4.1%)	16 (2.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	76 (9.5%)	87.7	111^th of 1577 public elementary schools	93.0%		86.6	156^th of 1596 public elementary schools	90.2%	45	88.5		89.3	92.7	83.8				86.0	86.2	89.2				$9,513
Elida Elementary	Public	K-5	300 Pioneer Rd	Elida	45807	Allen County	Elida Local	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 331-7901	1,018	51	19.9	55.9%	650 (63.9%)	142 (13.9%)	55 (5.4%)	9 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	162 (15.9%)	59.8	760^th of 1577 public elementary schools	51.8%		69.4	575^th of 1596 public elementary schools	64.0%	185	73.0		69.4	79.6	71.1				47.6	53.8	76.3				$8,567
Maplewood Elementary School	Public	3-4	1670 Wonderlick Rd	Lima	45805	Allen County	Shawnee Local	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(419) 998-8076	339	19	17.8	29.8%	290 (85.5%)	14 (4.1%)	14 (4.1%)	7 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.1%)	78.1	363^rd of 1577 public elementary schools	77.0%		84	233^rd of 1596 public elementary schools	85.4%	130			80.0	77.3					78.8	80.7					$11,835

Frequently Asked Questions about Independence Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Independence Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Independence Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lima North Middle School
Middle : Lima West Middle School
High : Lima Senior High School

How many students attend Independence Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 275 students attended Independence Elementary School.

Is Independence Elementary School a good school?

Independence Elementary School ranks in the bottom 24.0% of Ohio elementary schools.

What district is Independence Elementary School in?

Lima City

What is the racial makeup of Independence Elementary School?

Students at Independence Elementary School are 41% White, 32% African American, 22% Two or more races, 5% 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.