Bedford City

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Bedford, Ohio - 7 schools

An equity score of 72/100 ranks Bedford City #59 of 806 districts in Ohio (state average 46). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $18,737 per pupil, Bedford City ranks #102 of 966 Ohio districts by per-pupil spending (Ohio districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

2,799
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$18,737
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bedford City operates 7 public schools serving 2,799 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Ohio. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 combined, 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Cuyahoga County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $18,737 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 966 Ohio districts by per-pupil spending. See how Ohio compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 65.1% local, 22.6% state, and 12.3% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 72/100, ranked #59 of 806 in Ohio against a state average of 46, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (6 AP courses district-wide), a 307.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 37.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 78.3% African American, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Central Primary School, with a diversity index of 43.7/100.

Its largest campus is Bedford High School, enrolling 836 students (29% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Excel, at 118 students, a 7x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Bedford High School accounts for 29.0% of all Bedford City student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Bedford City-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bedford City school enrollment varies 7.1× across entities

Bedford City school enrollment ranges from 118 students (lowest) to 836 students (highest), a spread of 718 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Bedford City has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.6% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Bedford City student-counselor ratio is 308:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Bedford City is typically wider than the Bedford City-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Bedford City chronic absenteeism rate is 37.4% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

12.3%
Federal
22.6%
State
65.1%
Local

Funding Equity

72
Equity Score
59 / 806
State Rank
46
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in Bedford City.

White 6.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.5%
African American 78.3%
Multiracial 6.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 36.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Bedford City's schools, about the same as the Ohio average of 35.3.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Central Primary School 43.7
  2. 2 Columbus Intermediate School 42.2
  3. 3 Glendale Primary School 42.2
  4. 4 Heskett Middle School 35.2
  5. 5 Bedford High School 33.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
307.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
37.4%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Bedford City

School Enrollment
Bedford High School
836
Heskett Middle School
592
Central Primary School
406
Columbus Intermediate School
378
Glendale Primary School
309
Carylwood Intermediate School
248
Excel
118

How Bedford City Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Ohio districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Goshen Local Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Madison Local Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Midview Local Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Steubenville City Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Louisville City Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Bedford City's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Ohio

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Columbus City Schools District
45,338 students · 118 schools · $20,324/pupil
Compare vs Bedford City →
Cincinnati Public Schools
35,585 students · 65 schools · $18,181/pupil
Compare vs Bedford City →
Cleveland Municipal
33,998 students · 95 schools · $21,661/pupil
Compare vs Bedford City →
Olentangy Local
23,281 students · 27 schools · $13,879/pupil
Compare vs Bedford City →
Toledo City
21,814 students · 57 schools · $18,515/pupil
Compare vs Bedford City →

Compare Bedford City

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Columbus City Schools District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Bedford City?

Bedford City has 7 schools, including 1 high, 1 middle, 3 combined, 2 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,799 students.

How much does Bedford City spend per student?

Bedford City spends $18,737 per student. The district has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #59 in Ohio.

What is the demographic composition of Bedford City?

Bedford City students are 78.3% African American, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% White, 0.4% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bedford City?

Bedford City has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #59 out of 806 districts in Ohio.