Middle Schools in Indianapolis Public Schools

The Indianapolis Public Schools district contains 5 middle schools, serving students in grades 6-8. These schools vary significantly in their academic performance and student demographics, with one standout school, Merle Sidener Gifted Academy, significantly outperforming the others.

Merle Sidener Gifted Academy is ranked 4th out of 485 Indiana middle schools and has a 5-star rating, placing it among the top performing middle schools in the state. The school has exceptionally high academic performance, with over 70% of students proficient in English Language Arts and Math, far exceeding the Indianapolis Public Schools district averages. Merle Sidener Gifted Academy also has a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate of 10.1%, compared to the other schools which range from 29.9% to 49.5%. Additionally, the school has a diverse student population and lower per-student spending than the other middle schools in the data set.

In contrast, the other 4 middle schools - H L Harshman Middle School, HW Longfellow Med/STEM Magnet Midl, Northwest Community Middle School, and Arlington Community Middle School - all have test scores well below the district and state averages, with the latter two performing the worst. These schools also have high chronic absenteeism rates and free/reduced lunch rates, indicating significant challenges related to poverty and economic disadvantage among their student populations.