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Needs Improvement

#1658 of 1,823 schools in IN

Decatur Middle School

Middle School · Msd Decatur Township · Indianapolis, IN

A Msd Decatur Township middle school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

5108 S High School Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46221

  • Math 13% vs IN 38% (2025)
  • Reading 22% vs IN 41% (2025)
  • 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.8Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-4.37 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.9Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency12.9% (2025 ILEARN)
Reading/ELA Proficiency22.1% (2025 ILEARN)
Math vs. State Avg-23.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16 pts
Overall Proficiency17% (2025 ILEARN, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)22% (model expectation from 2025 ILEARN)
vs. Expected-4.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile20th
Resources & Environment4.7Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.9:1
District spending per student$12,193
Chronic Absenteeism32.7%

Students at Decatur Middle School score 17% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 22%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ILEARN proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IN average.

Math Proficiency13%(2025 ILEARN)
School
State
38%(2025 ILEARN)
ELA Proficiency22%(2025 ILEARN)
School
State
41%(2025 ILEARN)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 49 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 18% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
64%
ELA
68%
2010
Math
66%
ELA
69%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
66%
2012
Math
78%
ELA
69%
2013
Math
75%
ELA
68%
2014
Math
48%
ELA
59%
2015
Math
42%
ELA
55%
2016
Math
34%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
30%
ELA
48%
2018
Math
15%
ELA
25%
2019
Math
15%
ELA
25%
2020*
Math
10%
ELA
24%
2021*
Math
10%
ELA
24%
2022
Math
14%
2025
Math
13%
ELA
22%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 36% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 45% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from IN state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

81.3%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Decatur Middle School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Indianapolis map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 38Car-Dependent
  • Transit 21Minimal Transit
  • Bike 36Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High4,237/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Indianapolis), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$58,316

Median home value

$174,900

Median rent

$1,111/mo

College educated

16.2%

Homeownership

60.8%

Poverty rate

16%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 46221; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

2 from a 5-mile search

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Damar Charter AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified4.4K–120.8 mi179Compare →
Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade CenterEnrollment path unverified4.17–82.9 mi1,134Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Msd Decatur Township

Schools in district
10
Rank in district
#6 of 8
District spending per student
$12,193NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
19.6%Census SAIPE · 2024

Decatur Middle School is listed in MSD Decatur Township; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Decatur Middle School

Decatur Middle School is a public middle school in Indianapolis, IN, part of Msd Decatur Township, serving approximately 985 students in grades 7th-8th with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10 and ranks #1,658 of 1,823 schools in IN. State assessment records show 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 45% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Decatur Middle School

What grades does Decatur Middle School serve?

Decatur Middle School serves students in grades 7th through 8th.

How many students attend Decatur Middle School?

Decatur Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 985 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School is 14.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Decatur Middle School rank in IN?

Decatur Middle School ranks #1,658 of 1,823 schools in IN.

What is Decatur Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Decatur Middle School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.7 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Decatur Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Decatur Middle School has 36% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 45% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Decatur Middle School a charter school?

No, Decatur Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Decatur Middle School a Title I school?

No, Decatur Middle School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Decatur Middle School?

81.3% of students at Decatur Middle School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
7th – 8th
Enrollment
985
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
66
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Marion County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
32.7%
Area population (ZIP 46221)
26,255
Area average commute
25.4 min
Area median age
34.2
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ILEARN · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ILEARN. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2025 ILEARN · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2025 ILEARN. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 46221; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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