Lakewood has many different elementary schools. Based on where the resident lives, will determine which school the child goes to. Of course unless the child open and enrolls into another school. Not all of the schools have been able to stay open and some end up closing, Taft Elementary being one of them.

Taft was built in 1927 making it almost 100 years old. There have been additions and now it is supposed to be completely renovated. It closed in 2008, but has been used for many different things.

It was used for a couple of years for Lakewood’s other public high school, LCA (Lakewood City Academy). They moved from Taft into another old elementary school, Franklin. It was also used for Lakewood students’ weight room. Kids could go workout and the school’s sports teams would lift and train there, until recently when a weight room was built at the high school and along with a completely new gym.

Construction has been going on for quite some time at the old elementary school. It is said that the Lakewood Board of Education has now moved into Taft for ‘Innovation’. The Board used to be located on Warren.

In August of 2020 the city is supposed to open an all district all-day preschool program. The super attendant, Michael Barnes, makes a point by saying that now the tax dollars are being used properly from this project. This is estimated to cost $1 million, but is also said they are renting space out that will cover the investment, so no money will have to be taken from tax dollars.

A student from Lakewood High School, Abbie Tuleta, says, “I’m excited to see how the old school will turn out.”