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Excellent

#58 of 1,823 schools in IN

Top 3% in state

John Simatovich Elementary School

Elementary School · Union Township School Corp · Valparaiso, IN

An Union Township School Corp elementary school where students score 17 points above what's typical for similar communities.

424 W 500 N, Valparaiso, IN 46385

  • Math 70% vs IN 46% (2025)
  • Reading 53% vs IN 41% (2025)
  • 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.9Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.23 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics9.3Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency69.8% (2025 ILEARN)
Reading/ELA Proficiency52.2% (2025 ILEARN)
Math vs. State Avg+18.3 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+12 pts
Overall Proficiency61% (2025 ILEARN, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)44% (model expectation from 2025 ILEARN)
vs. Expected+17.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile89th
Resources & Environment9.4Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio12.5:1
District spending per student$12,501
Chronic Absenteeism13.1%

Students at John Simatovich Elementary School score 61% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 44%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ILEARN proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IN average.

Math Proficiency70%(2025 ILEARN)
School
State
46%(2025 ILEARN)
ELA Proficiency53%(2025 ILEARN)
School
State
41%(2025 ILEARN)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 7 points since 2020, reaching 61% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
87%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2011
Math
87%
ELA
87%
2012
Math
98%
ELA
98%
2013
Math
98%
ELA
92%
2014
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2015
Math
77%
ELA
82%
2016
Math
82%
ELA
82%
2017
Math
77%
ELA
82%
2018
Math
77%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
77%
ELA
62%
2020*
Math
62%
ELA
47%
2021*
Math
62%
ELA
47%
2022
Math
72%
2025
Math
70%
ELA
53%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 78% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 70% (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 37 test records from IN state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

44.3%

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 John Simatovich Elementary 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 Chicago map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 13Car-Dependent
  • Bike 26Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated874/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Valparaiso), 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

$97,208

Median home value

$305,400

Median rent

$1,225/mo

College educated

34.3%

Homeownership

87.9%

Poverty rate

7.4%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 46385; 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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Emmanuel Baptist AcademyPrivate · tuition7.9privatePK–102.6 mi56Compare →
South Haven Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.7K–52.6 mi288Compare →
Paul Saylor Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified2.9K–52.7 mi283Compare →
Union Center Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.6K–52.9 mi407Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

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

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Union Township School Corp

Schools in district
4
Rank in district
#1 of 4
District spending per student
$12,501NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
5.5%Census SAIPE · 2024

John Simatovich Elementary School is listed in Union Township School Corp; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About John Simatovich Elementary School

John Simatovich Elementary School is a public elementary school in Valparaiso, IN, part of Union Township School Corp, serving approximately 237 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 12.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 9.1 out of 10 and ranks #58 of 1,823 schools in IN. State assessment records show 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 70% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about John Simatovich Elementary School

What grades does John Simatovich Elementary School serve?

John Simatovich Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend John Simatovich Elementary School?

John Simatovich Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 237 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at John Simatovich Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at John Simatovich Elementary School is 12.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does John Simatovich Elementary School rank in IN?

John Simatovich Elementary School ranks #58 of 1,823 schools in IN.

What is John Simatovich Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

John Simatovich Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 9.1 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 John Simatovich Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, John Simatovich Elementary School has 78% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 70% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is John Simatovich Elementary School a charter school?

No, John Simatovich Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is John Simatovich Elementary School a Title I school?

No, John Simatovich Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for John Simatovich Elementary School?

44.3% of students at John Simatovich Elementary 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
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
237
Student-Teacher Ratio
12.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
19
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Porter County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
13.1%
Area population (ZIP 46385)
41,390
Area average commute
30.5 min
Area median age
43.2
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 46385; 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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