The brief
The top-rated elementary schools in Cleveland for 2026 are Millridge Elementary School (8.9/10), Campus International School (8.6/10), and William Rainey Harper (8.4/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of 96 elementary schools with real test data included in this ranking. Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Cleveland's elementary school landscape spans 96 ranked schools, with performance varying considerably across the metro. Millridge Elementary School leads the field at 8.1 out of 10, well ahead of the average composite score of 4.7 — a gap that underscores how much ground separates the top performers from the middle of the pack. Only two schools clear the 7.0 threshold, meaning strong options exist but require deliberate searching. The table below covers the full ranked list, sortable by score, location, and other key metrics. Menlo Park Academy, Cleveland Preparatory Academy, Lake Erie College Preparatory School, and Whitney M Young round out the top five, all clustered between 6.8 and 7.0. Whether you're prioritizing academic scores, proximity, or school type, sorting and filtering the data will help you zero in on the right fit for your family.
Ranked by composite score; the tick is the score on the 1–10 axis.
- 18.9
- 28.6
- 38.4
- 48.2
- 58.2
- 68.2
- 77.8
- 87.8
- 97.5
- 107.5
All 96 ranked
Every ranked school on the axis, then the ledger.Top 25 of 96
Rating · students · student-teacher ratio · grades- 1Millridge Elementary SchoolMayfield Citystudents 600student-teacher ratio 19.4:1grades Kindergarten–5th
- 2Campus International SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 694student-teacher ratio 15.1:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 3William Rainey HarperCleveland Municipalstudents 419student-teacher ratio 17.5:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 4Innovation Academy WestcharterInnovation Academy Weststudents 127student-teacher ratio 12.7:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 5Cleveland Arts and Social Sciences AcademycharterCleveland Arts and Social Sciences Academystudents 386student-teacher ratio 16.8:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 6Clark SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 627student-teacher ratio 19.6:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 7BuhrerCleveland Municipalstudents 406student-teacher ratio 17.7:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 8Paul L Dunbar Elementary SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 376student-teacher ratio 16.3:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 9Joseph M Gallagher SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 632student-teacher ratio 14.7:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 10Louisa May Alcott Elementary SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 177student-teacher ratio 14.8:1grades Kindergarten–5th
- 11Broadway AcademycharterBroadway Academystudents 559student-teacher ratio 16.4:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 12Tremont Montessori SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 363student-teacher ratio 13.0:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 13Wilbur Wright SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 496student-teacher ratio 16.0:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 14University of Cleveland Preparatory SchoolcharterUniversity of Cleveland Preparatory Schoolstudents 164student-teacher ratio 13.7:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 15Clara E Westropp SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 381student-teacher ratio 14.7:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 16Phoenix Village Academy Primary 2 Dba Wings Academy 1charterPhoenix Village Academy Primary 2 Dba Wings Academy 1students 101student-teacher ratio 14.4:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 17Horizon Science Academy-Cleveland Middle SchoolcharterHorizon Science Academy-Cleveland Middle Schoolstudents 233student-teacher ratio 12.3:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 18Albert Bushnell HartCleveland Municipalstudents 237student-teacher ratio 15.8:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 19Northwest School of the ArtscharterNorthwest School of the Artsstudents 255student-teacher ratio 19.6:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 20Harvard Avenue Performance AcademycharterHarvard Avenue Performance Academystudents 312grades Kindergarten–8th
- 21Whitney M YoungCleveland Municipalstudents 272student-teacher ratio 14.3:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 22Newton D Baker SchoolCleveland Municipalstudents 332student-teacher ratio 13.8:1grades Pre-K–8th
- 23Cleveland Preparatory AcademycharterCleveland Preparatory Academystudents 121student-teacher ratio 20.2:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 24Lincoln Park AcademycharterLincoln Park Academystudents 287student-teacher ratio 15.1:1grades Kindergarten–8th
- 25Warrensville Heights Elementary SchoolWarrensville Heights Citystudents 702student-teacher ratio 13.0:1grades Kindergarten–5th
Scores are based on 2024-25 data from the NCES Common Core of Data and Ohio education department. Rankings are relative to all public elementary schools in Ohio. Learn about our methodology.
The map
The top 25 pinned; open a pin for the campus.Campus by campus
What each of the top ten reports.- 1
Millridge Elementary School
Mayfield City
600 students · 19.4:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–5th
Top 1% in Ohio
- Academics
- 9.6
- Growth
- 8.8
- Environment
- 7.9
- 2
Campus International School
Cleveland Municipal
694 students · 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–8th
Top 2% in Ohio
- Academics
- 6.9
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 9.6
- 3
William Rainey Harper
Cleveland Municipal
419 students · 17.5:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 4% in Ohio
- Academics
- 6.1
- Growth
- 9.6
- Environment
- 9.0
- 4
Innovation Academy West
Innovation Academy West
127 students · 12.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–8th
Top 6% in Ohio · charter
- Academics
- 5.7
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 7.6
- 5
Cleveland Arts and Social Sciences Academy
Cleveland Arts and Social Sciences Academy
386 students · 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–8th
Top 6% in Ohio · charter
- Academics
- 8.1
- Growth
- 10.0
- Environment
- 3.8
- 6
Clark School
Cleveland Municipal
627 students · 19.6:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 6% in Ohio
- Academics
- 6.1
- Growth
- 9.9
- Environment
- 7.1
- 7
Buhrer
Cleveland Municipal
406 students · 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 12% in Ohio
- Academics
- 5.6
- Growth
- 8.9
- Environment
- 8.4
- 8
Paul L Dunbar Elementary School
Cleveland Municipal
376 students · 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 12% in Ohio
- Academics
- 5.1
- Growth
- 9.4
- Environment
- 7.7
- 9
Joseph M Gallagher School
Cleveland Municipal
632 students · 14.7:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Pre-K–8th
Top 17% in Ohio
- Academics
- 3.8
- Growth
- 9.2
- Environment
- 9.0
- 10
Louisa May Alcott Elementary School
Cleveland Municipal
177 students · 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio · grades Kindergarten–5th
Top 17% in Ohio
- Academics
- 4.8
- Growth
- 8.6
- Environment
- 8.7
Questions
What is the best elementary school in Cleveland, Ohio?
According to MySchoolScout's 2026 rankings, Millridge Elementary School is the top-rated elementary school in Cleveland with a composite score of 8.9/10. The score blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools — with equity shown as context, not scored.
How many elementary schools are in Cleveland, Ohio?
Cleveland has 116 elementary schools, including 39 charter schools. Of these, 116 have enough data for a full composite rating on MySchoolScout.
What is the average elementary school rating in Cleveland?
Among 116 Cleveland elementary schools with a composite score, the average is 5.8/10. Scores range from 1.0 (bottom of the state) to 10.0 (top 1% in Ohio).
How does MySchoolScout rate elementary schools?
Schools with enough data receive a 1-10 composite score that blends Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, with growth counting most in elementary and middle grades. Equity data is shown for context but not scored. All scores are computed within Ohio, so schools are compared to peers in the same state. Data comes from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments.
What is a good school rating on MySchoolScout?
A score of 7 or above means a school is in roughly the top 30% of its state. A 5 is average. Anything above 8 is exceptional. Our ratings are relative to other schools in Ohio, not a national comparison, because each state has different testing standards.
Are charter schools included in the Cleveland elementary school rankings?
Cleveland has 39 charter elementary schools in its directory. Charter schools that meet this ranking's data requirements are included alongside traditional public schools using the same composite scoring methodology.
How should I use this ranking?
Consider your child's learning style. Some children thrive in smaller settings (look for student-teacher ratios under 14:1), while others do well in larger, more social environments. The schools on this list range widely in size and approach.
Look beyond the composite score. A school ranked #15 might be the best fit if it excels in growth (improving student outcomes year over year) even if its raw academic score is lower. Click into individual school profiles to see the breakdown.
Visit your top choices. Walk the hallways during a school day. Watch how teachers interact with students. Ask about before- and after-school care, transportation, and parent involvement. These details matter more than any dataset.
Explore more
- Best middle schools in Cleveland2026 rankings and ratings
- Best high schools in Cleveland2026 rankings and ratings
- All 185 schools in ClevelandElementary, middle and high
- Ohio schoolsStatewide rankings and city comparisons
- Our methodologyHow we calculate school ratings