Kilgour School landed at No. 19 among 1,019 ranked Ohio elementary schools in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Elementary Schools rankings, released Oct. 20. The K-6 school on Herschel Avenue scored 98.23 out of 100.

At Kilgour, 88% of students scored at or above proficiency in reading and 77% did so in math, according to U.S. News. Those numbers far exceed CPS district averages of 34% in reading and 27% in math. Statewide, 55% of students tested proficient in reading and 49% in math.

U.S. News rated Kilgour's math and reading performance as "well above expectations." That measure factors in socioeconomic demographics alongside raw scores.

The school enrolls 577 students with a 19-to-1 student-teacher ratio and 30 full-time teachers, 96% of whom are certified. It enrolls 21% economically disadvantaged students, according to U.S. News.

Hyde Park School, which serves students primarily from Hyde Park and Oakley, also performed well. It placed No. 57 statewide with 83% math proficiency and 85% reading proficiency. Both schools earned "well above expectations" ratings in math and reading performance.

Spencer Center for Gifted and Exceptional Students, also a CPS school, claimed the No. 1 spot in Ohio. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported Spencer Center rose from No. 8 last year to top the state list, with 89% math proficiency and 88% reading proficiency.

The rankings compare public schools within each state using four equally weighted factors: math proficiency, math performance, reading proficiency and reading performance. Half the formula measures raw scores. The other half accounts for how schools perform relative to their student populations, according to U.S. News. The assessment data comes from the 2023-2024 school year.

Nearly 47,000 elementary schools nationwide were ranked.

CPS Superintendent Shauna Murphy, who previously served as principal at Hyde Park School, has not publicly commented on the rankings. Jill Sunderman is the current Hyde Park School principal, according to Hyde Park Neighborhood Council meeting records.

CPS recently earned its first three-star overall rating on Ohio's state report card, as we reported Oct. 28. The district improved from 2.5 stars in each of the previous two years.