Bluffton Exempted Village Schools has a proud history and tradition dating back to 1861. Records were first kept for the school district in 1875, when a new school building was erected on the current-day elementary school playground. Over the years, the name of the district has been altered several times. In 1861, the district was known as the “Bluffton Special School District”; that name changed in 1904 to the “Bluffton Village School District.” Another name change occurred in 1921 when the district became known as “Bluffton-Richland Exempted Village School District.” Finally, in March 1938, the name became “Bluffton Exempted Village School District.”

In 1911, a high school was built and then expanded in 1933; the 1933 section is the part of the high school that faces Main Street today. The 1911 section was replaced in 1987 to provide new classrooms, cafeteria, and gymnasium. The elementary building was opened in 1956 and is still in use today. Several additions have been made to that building (1963, 1989, 1997) as the school district grew.

Beaverdam School District merged with the Bluffton Exempted Village School district in 1964, and the enrollment for 1964-65 was 1,340 students K-12. The Beaverdam School was used by the district until 1987 when the new section of the high school was built.

Over the past 25 years, our district has consistently served around 1,200 students K-12, with a high of 1,240 and a low of 1,114 during this time frame. Currently, we have over 1200 students in our district. A point of pride is the fact that Bluffton students continue to rank in the top 8% of all school districts in the state on state achievement scores. This excellence was acknowledged with a National Blue Ribbon School Award for the elementary school in 2018. This is the highest honor a school can achieve. At Bluffton Exempted Village Schools, we strive to form strong relationships among students, staff, parents, and community—all with the goal of preparing students to be successful, lifelong learners in whatever career path they choose.

If you are new to our district, we welcome you and are excited to have you as part of the Bluffton family! If you are currently a part of our district, please know that we are here to provide the best possible academic opportunities for your child.

On behalf of our board of education and our staff, thank you for trusting us to educate your family members. From the past to the present, Bluffton Schools has taken pride in its mission of serving the educational needs of this community.