The Students

Enrollment

Hispanic enrollment in the district has increased steadily over the past two decades. Currently, Hispanic students comprise about 50% of the student body. The proportion of White non-Hispanic students has been decreasing in recent years to the current 23% of total enrollment, and the proportion of Black non-Hispanic students has increased to about 17% of total enrollment. Multiracial students constitute about 9% of district enrollment. Enrollment proportions are roughly similar in all district schools except for Elm Street Elementary, at which Hispanic students comprise nearly 75% of enrollment, and Black and White non-Hispanic students each constitute about 14% of enrollment.

Identified Subgroups

Nearly 100% of Painesville’s students confront economic disadvantage. About one quarter of students face economic disadvantage and exhibit limited English proficiency, and about one-eighth of students face economic disadvantage and have an identified disability. Just over half of the students facing economic disadvantage have neither an identified disability nor limited English proficiency. Approximately 4% of students exhibit all three conditions.

The proportion of students identified as having disabilities is similar at all but one of the district’s schools, ranging from 15% to 19%. The proportion is greatest (19%) at the high school. Elm Street Elementary has a notably lower proportion of students identified with disabilities: 10%.

About 30% of Painesville City Local Schools’ total student population exhibit limited English proficiency (LEP). The proportion of students identified as LEP varies significantly among schools. Slightly more than a third of enrolled students at two of Painesville’s elementary schools, and about 29% of enrolled students at the middle school, are identified as having limited English proficiency. The proportion of students at the high school identified as exhibiting LEP is considerably lower (17%). Elm Street Elementary again shows demographic distinction, with about half of its enrolled students identified as LEP. Of Painesville’s enrolled population of Hispanic students, around 40% do exhibit English proficiency, and many of these students are bilingual.

Reflective Questions

In Painesville’s high school, middle school, and two of its elementary schools, students identified as having disabilities constitute around 17% to 19% of enrollment. The average percentage of students enrolled in U.S. schools identified as having disabilities is in the range of 12% to 13%. At Painesville’s Elm Street Elementary, enrollment of students identified as having disabilities is slightly less than 10%.

What might account for Elm Street’s lower than average percentage of students identified with disabilities?