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Needs Improvement

#1730 of 1,823 schools in IN

Stephen Decatur Elementary School

Elementary School · Msd Decatur Township · Indianapolis, IN

A Msd Decatur Township elementary school serving grades Kindergarten – 6th.

3425 S Foltz St, Indianapolis, IN 46221

  • Math 16% vs IN 45% (2025)
  • Reading 18% vs IN 41% (2025)
  • 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-5.05 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics4.1Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency16.4% (2025 ILEARN)
Reading/ELA Proficiency17.5% (2025 ILEARN)
Math vs. State Avg-35.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-22.7 pts
Overall Proficiency17% (2025 ILEARN, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)19% (model expectation from 2025 ILEARN)
vs. Expected-2.3 pts
Adjusted Percentile22th
Resources & Environment5.3Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.2:1
District spending per student$12,193
Chronic Absenteeism21%

Students at Stephen Decatur Elementary School score 17% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 19%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 ILEARN proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. IN average.

Math Proficiency16%(2025 ILEARN)
School
State
45%(2025 ILEARN)
ELA Proficiency18%(2025 ILEARN)
School
State
41%(2025 ILEARN)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 63 points across the 17-year record (2009–2025) and has held near 17% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
82%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
79%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
73%
2012
Math
80%
ELA
75%
2013
Math
77%
ELA
75%
2014
Math
55%
ELA
58%
2015
Math
49%
ELA
53%
2016
Math
44%
ELA
51%
2017
Math
34%
ELA
45%
2018
Math
33%
ELA
26%
2019
Math
33%
ELA
26%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
16%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
16%
2022
Math
18%
2025
Math
16%
ELA
18%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 42% (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 40 test records from IN state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

85.8%

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 Stephen Decatur 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 Indianapolis map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 51Somewhat Walkable
  • Transit 19Minimal Transit
  • Bike 63Bikeable
  • 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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Lynwood ElementaryEnrollment path unverified3.8PK–60.8 mi673Compare →
Stout Field Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.2PK–61.4 mi629Compare →
Blue AcademyEnrollment path unverified5.0K–62.3 mi683Compare →
Gold AcademyEnrollment path unverified4.6K–62.3 mi534Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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
#7 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

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

About Stephen Decatur Elementary School

Stephen Decatur Elementary School is a public elementary school in Indianapolis, IN, part of Msd Decatur Township, serving approximately 471 students in grades Kindergarten-6th with a 16.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.2 out of 10 and ranks #1,730 of 1,823 schools in IN. State assessment records show 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Stephen Decatur Elementary School

What grades does Stephen Decatur Elementary School serve?

Stephen Decatur Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 6th.

How many students attend Stephen Decatur Elementary School?

Stephen Decatur Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 471 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Stephen Decatur Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Stephen Decatur Elementary School is 16.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Stephen Decatur Elementary School rank in IN?

Stephen Decatur Elementary School ranks #1,730 of 1,823 schools in IN.

What is Stephen Decatur Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Stephen Decatur Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.2 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 Stephen Decatur Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Stephen Decatur Elementary School has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Stephen Decatur Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Stephen Decatur Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

85.8% of students at Stephen Decatur 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 – 6th
Enrollment
471
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
29
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Marion County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
21.0%
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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