Families consistently report concerns about:

• Frequent behavior disruptions

• Bullying or safety worries

• High teacher turnover

• Inconsistent staffing or substitutes

• Large class sizes with limited individual attention

When classrooms feel chaotic or unstable, families look for environments they believe will be calmer or more structured.

Parents want:

• More one‑on‑one support

• Stronger reading and math outcomes

• More consistent instruction

• Smaller class sizes

When they feel their child is not progressing — especially after COVID learning loss — they explore alternatives like charters, private schools, or homeschooling.

Ohio now offers universal private‑school vouchers, meaning:

• Any family can receive state money to attend a private school

• Income no longer limits eligibility

• Charter schools continue to expand in urban areas

This makes switching schools easier and more affordable than ever before.

Some students are not “choosing” another school — they’re simply not attending.

Reasons include:

• Transportation barriers

• Mental‑health challenges

• Family instability

• Work obligations for older students

• Lack of connection to school

This creates enrollment decline even without families formally transferring.

Dayton has experienced:

• Housing instability

• Families relocating for jobs

• Movement to suburbs with perceived stronger schools

• Post‑pandemic migration patterns

Every move takes students — and funding — with it.

Dayton has:

• A high concentration of charter schools

• A large voucher‑eligible population

• Higher rates of chronic absenteeism

• More families facing economic instability

• A long‑term pattern of population decline

This combination accelerates enrollment loss faster than the statewide average.

Short answer: Yes — these percentages are realistic for what’s happening to students in many Ohio urban districts, including Dayton.

Here’s why:

✔ Charter (38%) — Very realistic

Urban districts like Dayton, Cleveland, Columbus, and Toledo have very high charter‑school enrollment.

In some neighborhoods, 30–45% of students attend charters.

✔ Private (12%) — Realistic

Ohio’s universal voucher expansion has dramatically increased private‑school enrollment.

Urban areas see the highest voucher usage.

✔ Homeschool (9%) — Realistic

Homeschooling surged after COVID and remains high, especially in districts with safety or behavior concerns.

✔ Virtual (7%) — Realistic

Ohio has several statewide online schools (ECOT’s replacements, Ohio Virtual Academy, etc.).

✔ Moved (22%) — Very realistic

Urban districts experience:

• High mobility

• Housing instability

• Families relocating to suburbs

• Out‑migration from the region

Dayton specifically has seen significant population shifts.

✔ Disengaged (12%) — Very realistic

Chronic absenteeism in Dayton and similar districts is 30–50%, so a 12% “disengaged” estimate is conservativ