State profile · OH

Ohio Public Schools

Every public school, district, and the headline NCES measures for Ohio — 999 districts, drawn straight from federal records.

3,586
Schools
1,675,943
Students
18.3:1
Avg ratio
31.6%
Free lunch

The state in one line

Ohio runs 3,586 public schools across 999 districts, with a 18.3:1 average classroom and 31.6% of students on subsidized lunch.

3,586
public schools
999
school districts
18.3:1
avg student–teacher
31.6%
free/reduced lunch

How Ohio ranks nationally

Per-pupil spending

$14,655

#31 of 51 · highest-spending

Average class size

18.3:1

#45 of 51 · smallest classes

Public schools

3,586

#6 of 51 · most schools

On subsidized lunch

31.6%

#34 of 43 · highest share

Ohio ranks #31 of 51 nationally on per-pupil spending and #45 of 51 on average class size, derived live by comparing it against every other state. Ranked among all 50 states + DC from NCES enrollment/staffing and the F-33 finance survey. Lunch share is an indicator of student need, not of quality.

What the NCES Data Says About Ohio Schools

Ohio operates 3,586 public K-12 schools organised into 999 independent school districts serving 1,675,943 students, per the National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data 2024-25. The largest district, Columbus City Schools District, enrolls 45,338 pupils across 118 schools at $20,324 per student, while smaller rural districts can run fewer than a dozen campuses. This fragmentation — inherited from century-old township governance patterns in many states — is why per-pupil spending, class sizes, and programme availability vary dramatically inside a single state boundary.

Statewide, the average student-teacher ratio is 18.3:1, a useful benchmark for comparing any individual district or school on PlainSchools. Free-lunch eligibility averages 31.6% across Ohio public schools, a federal indicator of economic need that drives Title I funding allocations. The district table below is sortable by enrollment, school count, and per-pupil expenditure — the three fields that best predict a district's financial and demographic profile. For schools specifically, use the rankings links above to view per-category leaderboards covering spending, class size, best schools by composite quality score, chronic absenteeism, and funding-equity distribution within the state.

Every district figure here pulls from two distinct federal surveys: enrollment and demographic data come from the NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (school membership and directory), while per-pupil spending, teacher salaries, and federal/state/local revenue shares originate in the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey (typically FY 2021-22). Civil-rights indicators — gifted enrollment, AP course counts, counselor staffing, chronic absenteeism, in- and out-of-school suspensions — come from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Cross-referencing these three sources is what lets PlainSchools produce composite scores and equity rankings that single-source tools cannot.

Ohio's average class size vs. every US state

Average students per teacher, state by state (lower means smaller classes)

18 smaller classes than 10% of 51 US states

11–12: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 12–13: 4 US states (8%). Below this entry. 13–14: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 14–15: 10 US states (20%). Below this entry. 15–16: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. 16–17: 4 US states (8%). Below this entry. 17–18: 4 US states (8%). Below this entry. 18–19: 5 US states (10%). This entry sits in this band. 20–21: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 21–22: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 22–23: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. 23–24: 1 US states (2%). Above this entry. This state 11 24 every US state, by average class size, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education — NCES Common Core of Data · 2024-25

Or browse all Ohio schools

Federal data — no proprietary formula. PlainSchools publishes the actual federal survey data — enrollment, staffing, finance, and demographics from NCES — without a composite rating on top. The insights below are computed directly from those datasets; every number traces to a cited source.

Ohio per-pupil spending varies 8.0× across districts

Per-pupil spending in Ohio ranges from $6,797 (lowest district) to $54,195 (highest), a spread of $47,398. That spread reflects typical state-level variation between high-property-value suburbs and rural or low-tax-base districts. High-spending districts typically draw on higher property tax bases, a structural feature of state education finance under the federal Title I framework that sets the floor but not the ceiling.

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Local Education Agency Finance Survey (F-33) · FY 2021-22

Ohio operates 999 school districts — among the most fragmented K-12 governance structures in the country

Each district has independent budgeting, hiring, and curriculum authority. The fragmentation predates modern county-level consolidation efforts and reflects 19th-century township governance patterns — a feature of states that organised public schooling around small civic units rather than centralised state systems. Per-pupil spending and accountability variations are largest in fragmented states because each district sets its own tax rate, contracts, and programme mix without state-level coordination above the regulatory floor.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data Local Education Agency Universe · 2024-25

Average Ohio student-teacher ratio is 18.3:1 — high (typically associated with larger urban systems or staffing constraints)

Student-teacher ratio is the simplest staffing metric reported on NCES Common Core of Data, but it does not capture push-in specialists, intervention staff, English Language Learner aides, special education co-teachers, or counseling and support staff. Higher ratios in this state may reflect urban district scale where one school enrolls thousands of students, or recent staffing shortages that have widened the headcount gap. Class-load comparisons are most meaningful at the district or school level, not the state aggregate.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data — Public School Universe School-level enrollment and staffing · 2024-25

School Spending

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Schools ranked by per-pupil expenditure

District Spending

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Districts ranked by per-pupil expenditure

Largest Schools

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Schools ranked by student enrollment

Funding Equity

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Districts ranked by funding equity score

Best Student-Teacher Ratios

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Schools with the smallest class sizes

Best Schools

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Top-rated schools by quality score

Best Districts

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Top-ranked districts by quality score

Chronic Absenteeism

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Schools ranked by absenteeism rates

Largest districts in Ohio

By total K-12 enrollment — NCES Common Core 2024-25

Diverse district mix
Columbus City Schools District45,338Cincinnati Public Schools35,585Cleveland Municipal33,998Olentangy Local23,281Toledo City21,814South-Western City21,766Akron City20,543Lakota Local17,721Dublin City16,525Hilliard City16,082
# District Enrollment
1 Columbus City Schools District Columbus 45,338
2 Cincinnati Public Schools Cincinnati 35,585
3 Cleveland Municipal Cleveland 33,998
4 Olentangy Local Lewis Center 23,281
5 Toledo City Toledo 21,814
6 South-Western City Grove City 21,766
7 Akron City Akron 20,543
8 Lakota Local Liberty Township 17,721
9 Dublin City Dublin 16,525
10 Hilliard City Columbus 16,082
11 Westerville City Westerville 14,571
12 Ohio Virtual Academy Maumee 14,334
13 Dayton City Dayton 12,075
14 Pickerington Local Pickerington 11,370
15 Worthington City Worthington 10,810
16 Mason City Mason 10,179
17 Fairfield City Fairfield 9,647
18 Hamilton City Hamilton 9,337
19 Parma City Parma 9,257
20 Northwest Local Cincinnati 8,584
Show the next 80 districts
# District Enrollment
21 Centerville City Centerville 8,266
22 Beavercreek City Beavercreek 7,994
23 West Clermont Local Cincinnati 7,965
24 Gahanna-Jefferson City Gahanna 7,961
25 Canton City Canton 7,934
26 Kettering City School District Kettering 7,766
27 Sylvania Schools Sylvania 7,662
28 Oak Hills Local Cincinnati 7,571
29 Reynoldsburg City Reynoldsburg 7,374
30 Mentor Exempted Village Mentor 7,267
31 Willoughby-Eastlake City Eastlake 7,196
32 Forest Hills Local Cincinnati 7,118
33 Springfield City School District Springfield 7,099
34 Washington Local Toledo 6,877
35 Upper Arlington City Upper Arlington 6,455
36 Milford Exempted Village Milford 6,321
37 Lancaster City Lancaster 6,263
38 Groveport Madison Local Groveport 6,242
39 Brunswick City Brunswick 6,236
40 Medina City Sd Medina 6,172
41 Middletown City Middletown 6,123
42 Springboro Community City Springboro 6,089
43 Plain Local Canton 5,977
44 Jackson Local Massillon 5,973
45 Lorain City Lorain 5,935
46 Princeton City Cincinnati 5,909
47 Newark City Newark 5,907
48 Huber Heights City Huber Heights 5,903
49 Elyria City Schools Elyria 5,804
50 Alternative Education Academy Independence 5,783
51 Strongsville City Strongsville 5,695
52 Sycamore Community City Blue Ash 5,684
53 Delaware City Delaware 5,595
54 Findlay City Findlay 5,565
55 Berea City Berea 5,551
56 Marysville Exempted Village Marysville 5,551
57 Perrysburg Exempted Village Perrysburg 5,535
58 Little Miami Local Maineville 5,409
59 Ohio Connections Academy Inc Cleveland 5,380
60 Lebanon City Lebanon 5,337
61 Stow-Munroe Falls City School District Stow 5,175
62 New Albany-Plain Local New Albany 5,101
63 Licking Heights Local Pataskala 5,073
64 Miamisburg City Miamisburg 5,012
65 Cleveland Heights-University Heights City University Heights 5,010
66 Kings Local Kings Mills 4,967
67 Southwest Licking Local Pataskala 4,794
68 Euclid City Euclid 4,748
69 Northmont City Englewood 4,702
70 Warren City Warren 4,685
71 Solon City Solon 4,673
72 Youngstown City Youngstown 4,639
73 Hudson City Hudson 4,614
74 Avon Local Avon 4,583
75 North Ridgeville City North Ridgeville 4,511
76 Wadsworth City Wadsworth 4,464
77 Shaker Heights City Shaker Heights 4,452
78 North Canton City North Canton 4,419
79 Teays Valley Local Ashville 4,366
80 Southwest Local Harrison 4,365
81 Lakewood City Lakewood 4,362
82 Perry Local Massillon 4,352
83 Mayfield City Mayfield Heights 4,263
84 Riverside Local Painesville 4,256
85 Fairborn City Fairborn 4,238
86 Loveland City Loveland 4,238
87 Anthony Wayne Local Whitehouse 4,226
88 Marion City Marion 4,223
89 Big Walnut Local Sunbury 4,172
90 Austintown Local Schools Youngstown 4,105
91 Troy City Troy 4,072
92 Green Local Uniontown 4,030
93 Twinsburg City Twinsburg 4,027
94 Cuyahoga Falls City Cuyahoga Falls 4,022
95 Massillon City Massillon 4,017
96 Winton Woods City Cincinnati 3,873
97 Xenia Community City Xenia 3,829
98 Canal Winchester Local Canal Winchester 3,801
99 North Royalton City North Royalton 3,762
100 Mad River Local Dayton 3,758

Top 100 of 999 districts by enrollment. Browse all districts →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data As of 2024-25 Local Education Agency Universe Federal universe survey of all U.S. school districts

Largest Schools in Ohio

Ohio Virtual Academy
Maumee — other
15,339
students
Alternative Education Academy
Independence — other
6,276
students
Ohio Connections Academy Inc
Cleveland — other
5,191
students
William Mason High School
Mason — high
3,435
students
Mason Intermediate Elementary School
Mason — elementary
3,086
students
Lakota West High School
West Chester — high
2,968
students
Centerville High School
Centerville — high
2,720
students
Lakota East High School
Liberty Township — high
2,660
students
Lincoln High School
Gahanna — high
2,468
students
Walnut Hills High School
Cincinnati — other
2,453
students

Other States

New York
NY public schools
North Carolina
NC public schools
North Dakota
ND public schools
Oklahoma
OK public schools
Oregon
OR public schools
Pennsylvania
PA public schools

Side-by-side: Compare Columbus City Schools District vs Cincinnati Public Schools → · Compare any two districts

Data sourced from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25, NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Using the Ohio data

Ohio's 3,586 schools sit inside 999 districts — compare at the district level first.

  • District boundaries decide enrollment: shortlist 2-3 districts on spending, ratio, and size before comparing individual schools. Compare districts
  • Check how Ohio distributes money across its districts — funding equity varies more within states than between them. Funding equity
  • Verify any school's federal record (enrollment, staffing, CRDC flags) before a visit or enrollment decision. Look up a school

Figures are the federal record (CCD 2024-25, F-33 FY 2021-22, CRDC 2021-22) — they lag the current school year and describe reported data, not school quality. PlainSchools does not rate or rank schools.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public schools are in Ohio?

Ohio has 3,586 public schools across 999 school districts, serving 1,675,943 students.

What is the average student-teacher ratio in Ohio?

The average student-teacher ratio in Ohio public schools is 18.3:1. This varies by district — use the district table below to compare.

What percentage of Ohio students qualify for free lunch?

31.6% of students in Ohio qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, an indicator of economic need used for Title I funding.

What is the largest school district in Ohio?

The largest school district in Ohio is Columbus City Schools District with 45,338 students across 118 schools.

Why does per-pupil spending vary so much across Ohio districts?

Ohio districts spend between $6,797 and $54,195 per pupil — a 8.0× range. Most U.S. states fund schools through a mix of state aid (typically 40-60%), local property tax (30-50%), and federal Title I (5-15%). Districts in higher property-value areas raise more per pupil from local taxes, while state aid is intended to partially equalise but rarely closes the full gap. The federal F-33 finance survey reports actual current expenditures including instructional and support services.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Top schools in Ohio by enrollment

Largest K-12 public schools by total students enrolled

students

What this shows The largest public schools in Ohio by enrollment — often statewide virtual academies or large consolidated campuses, so size here reflects reach, not quality.

Source NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) As of 2024-25

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data (CCD) — Public school universe · 2023-2024 Public K-12 school enrollment, demographics, and operational data; collected annually by NCES from state education agencies.