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Public school systems play a crucial role in shaping local economies, influencing everything from property values to workforce development. The economic impact of local public schools extends far beyond education, affecting businesses, government budgets, and community well-being. Below are key ways in which public schools contribute to local economic health.

  1. Boosting Property Values and Municipal Revenue A strong public school system increases demand for housing in the district, driving up property values. Studies consistently show that homes in high-performing school districts command higher prices than comparable homes in weaker districts. Higher property values, in turn, generate more property tax revenue for local governments, which can be reinvested in infrastructure, public safety, and other community services.

    Additionally, businesses are more likely to establish themselves in areas with well-regarded schools, knowing that educated communities attract skilled workers and stable families. This creates a positive feedback loop where better schools lead to economic growth, which then further supports school funding.

  2. Workforce Development and Economic Competitiveness Public schools are the primary source of skilled labor for local industries. By providing foundational education, vocational training, and college preparation, schools ensure that businesses have access to qualified employees. Areas with strong school systems tend to have lower unemployment rates and higher average incomes because educated workers are more productive and adaptable to changing job markets.

    Investments in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs, career and technical education (CTE), and partnerships with local businesses further enhance workforce readiness. Companies often consider school quality when deciding where to locate, as they need a pipeline of talent to sustain operations.

  3. Direct Employment and Local Spending Public schools are among the largest employers in many communities, providing jobs for teachers, administrators, custodians, and support staff. These employees spend their salaries locally, supporting restaurants, retail stores, and service providers. The multiplier effect means that every dollar spent on school payroll circulates through the economy multiple times, stimulating additional business activity.

    Beyond salaries, schools also contribute to local economies through construction projects (e.g., building new facilities or renovating old ones), purchasing supplies from area vendors, and contracting services like transportation and food supply. These expenditures create jobs and generate tax revenue.

  4. Reducing Long-Term Public Costs Quality education correlates with lower crime rates, reduced reliance on social welfare programs, and better public health outcomes. Students who graduate from strong school systems are less likely to require government assistance, engage in criminal activity, or face chronic unemployment. This reduces the burden on taxpayers, who would otherwise fund prisons, healthcare for the uninsured, and social services.

    Early childhood education programs, in particular, have been shown to yield high long-term returns by improving graduation rates and future earnings while decreasing incarceration costs.

  5. Attracting and Retaining Families and Businesses Families with children prioritize school quality when choosing where to live. Communities with reputable schools experience population growth, which sustains local businesses and services. Conversely, declining school performance can lead to outmigration, shrinking the tax base and harming economic vitality.

    Similarly, corporations evaluating relocation opportunities assess school systems to ensure employees will have access to good education for their children. A weak school system can deter investment, while a strong one can attract high-paying jobs and stimulate economic diversification.

Conclusion

The local public school system is not just an educational institution but a cornerstone of economic stability and growth. By enhancing property values, developing a skilled workforce, employing residents, reducing public costs, and attracting businesses, schools create a thriving economic ecosystem. Policymakers and community leaders must recognize that investing in education yields broad economic benefits, making it one of the most impactful ways to ensure long-term prosperity.

The following report contains those school districts that are completely or partially within the county. The school districts are sorted in a left to right order based on the number of students that are estimated to live in the county, although they may actually attend a school outside the county boundary. Except where noted all figures are for the entire disctrict population and not just that portion that are in the county.

Where available, the district's name contains a link to that district's website.
 
Osnaburg Local School District
Northwest Local School District  
Tuslaw Local School District  
Fairless Local School District  
Marlington Local School District  
Canton Local School District  
Alliance City School District  
Louisville City School District  
Lake Local School District  
Massillon City School District  
Perry Local School District  
North Canton City School District  
Jackson Local School District  
Plain Local School District  
Canton City School District  
Grade Span of Agency
Number of Schools
Total Classroom Teachers
Student/Teachers

    Prekindergarten
    Kindergarten
    Grade 1
    Grade 2
    Grade 3
    Grade 4
    Grade 5
    Grade 6
    Grade 7
    Grade 8
    Grade 9
    Grade 10
    Grade 11
    Grade 12
PK thru 12 Students
Ungraded Students
Adult Education and Other Students
Special Ed IEP Students
Total Students

White
Black
Asian
Hispanic
Native American
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
Undefined or Multiple Races

Prekindergarten Teachers
Kindergarten Teachers
Elementary Teachers
Secondary Teachers
Ungraded Class Teachers
Total FTE Teachers

Elementary School Counselors
Secondary School Counselors
School Counselors
Total Counselors

School Administrators
School Administrative Support Staff
Instr. Coord. and Super. to Staff
Student Support Services Staff
Librarians/media specialists
Library/Media Support Staff
School Psychologists
Paraprofessionals/Instructional Aides
Total School Staff

LEA Administrators
LEA Administrative Support Staff
Total LEA Staff

All Other Support Staff
Total Other Staff
PK-12
18
508
15.59

368
584
552
584
538
560
542
520
552
553
621
603
593
624
7,794
0
0
127
7,921

2,804
2,787
15
906
26
9
1,247

17
33
205
242
11
508

0
0
30
30

42
64
5
161
1
0
13
127
407

9
101
115

697
697
PK-12
9
287
20.76

1
413
412
460
420
401
400
425
414
457
479
494
591
550
5,917
0
0
42
5,959

4,163
871
54
175
17
7
630

0
20
124
128
15
287

0
0
20
20

19
43
17
44
0
8
6
42
163

4
30
51

474
474
KG-12
6
304
19.15

0
372
410
476
441
421
455
449
441
437
419
486
527
485
5,819
0
0
2
5,821

4,827
194
238
220
1
0
339

0
24
137
135
8
304

0
0
13
13

13
50
0
48
3
8
6
2
130

3
24
27

521
521
PK-12
4
240
18.80

168
280
283
295
286
286
312
330
311
331
327
398
412
396
4,415
0
0
97
4,512

3,741
150
76
124
6
0
318

6
14
95
123
2
240

0
0
14
14

13
28
0
66
0
6
6
97
216

3
24
27

404
404
PK-12
8
249
17.20

161
268
280
294
301
291
292
298
282
338
348
360
396
371
4,280
0
0
3
4,283

3,661
137
22
176
6
1
277

6
17
113
113
0
249

0
0
16
16

12
32
3
34
1
7
4
3
93

3
17
23

373
373
PK-12
7
238
17.29

174
308
306
318
291
296
300
303
301
262
336
322
290
282
4,089
0
0
26
4,115

2,568
568
5
360
7
6
575

7
18
104
108
1
238

0
0
10
10

13
27
3
56
2
4
4
26
131

7
21
30

293
293
KG-12
3
175
18.78

0
191
244
195
253
252
239
255
297
268
248
269
306
241
3,258
0
0
29
3,287

3,008
20
32
82
1
3
112

0
10
69
92
4
175

0
0
10
10

9
16
2
23
1
3
3
29
83

3
12
17

235
235
PK-12
4
146
19.29

123
195
221
211
218
187
201
195
223
225
248
226
153
151
2,777
0
0
40
2,817

2,609
24
10
35
1
0
98

4
9
63
70
0
146

0
0
8
8

9
13
0
46
1
8
2
40
119

2
13
15

236
236
PK-12
6
165
18.33

231
191
207
179
199
209
211
180
195
198
215
227
255
260
2,957
0
0
68
3,025

2,011
319
10
122
7
0
488

8
13
67
76
1
165

0
0
10
10

19
25
1
89
1
3
5
68
209

6
22
29

201
201
PK-12
3
101
19.87

59
124
106
121
102
120
124
117
130
124
134
157
288
268
1,974
0
0
33
2,007

1,523
192
3
57
2
0
197

2
6
36
54
3
101

0
0
7
7

7
12
0
42
0
0
3
33
97

4
12
16

227
227
KG-12
5
108
17.79

0
140
133
142
114
130
149
114
143
137
164
156
193
194
1,909
0
0
12
1,921

1,695
28
2
63
1
2
118

0
7
45
54
2
108

0
0
5
5

6
11
0
32
0
4
1
12
66

2
10
12

231
231
KG-12
3
87
14.56

0
102
96
107
103
94
94
113
88
110
108
114
45
68
1,242
0
0
25
1,267

1,150
15
2
31
0
0
44

0
6
38
39
4
87

0
0
4
4

6
5
0
21
0
1
1
25
58

2
11
13

158
158
KG-12
3
63
19.48

0
80
95
102
90
103
99
96
112
124
123
107
43
45
1,219
0
0
9
1,228

1,152
10
1
24
0
0
32

0
4
27
29
3
63

0
0
3
3

3
9
1
20
0
2
1
9
43

1
7
9

132
132
KG-12
4
112
14.72

0
105
138
122
139
122
130
151
123
121
143
162
92
101
1,649
0
0
0
1,649

1,535
14
12
23
5
0
60

0
7
51
50
4
112

0
0
4
4

5
15
1
17
1
0
2
0
40

2
14
17

160
160
PK-12
3
49
18.62

63
65
74
68
57
63
74
60
56
63
70
72
64
58
907
0
0
5
912

856
12
0
13
2
0
24

1
3
21
23
1
49

0
0
3
3

4
3
1
11
0
1
0
5
24

1
6
8

64
64


Sources: STI: PopStats and STI: Colossus

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