Aspire Charter Academy

Q: Is Aspire Charter Academy a good school?

Aspire Charter Academy ranks 684 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Aspire Charter Academy is an elementary school located in Gary, Indiana that serves grades K-8, with a predominantly African American student population of 666 students.

Aspire Charter Academy faces significant challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has a much higher chronic absenteeism rate of 32.6%, well above the 15.3% rate at Judith Morton Johnston Elementary and the 25.9% rate at Longfellow New Technical Elementary School. Academically, Aspire's test scores on the ILEARN assessments are consistently lower than state and nearby school averages, with only 31.18% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 20.34% in math, compared to state averages of 38.6% and 52.4% for 3rd grade, and 41.8% and 48% for 4th grade. Additionally, Aspire has an extremely high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, reaching 98.35% in 2022-2023, much higher than the rates at nearby schools like Southridge Elementary (42.71%).

Aspire Charter Academy's performance has been declining over the years, with its statewide ranking dropping from 839 out of 1,031 Indiana elementary schools in 2018-2019 to 684 out of 1,010 in 2023-2024. This trend is concerning and suggests the need for significant interventions to improve student outcomes. The school's high poverty concentration and increased spending per student (from $8,404 in 2019-2020 to $14,719 in 2021-2022) without improved academic performance also raise questions about the effective use of resources and the need for a more comprehensive approach to school improvement.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

4900 W 15th Ave
Gary, IN 46406

(219) 944-7400

District: Aspire Charter Academy

SchoolDigger Rank:
684^th of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,719

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 666

Racial breakdown:

African American:

79.9%

Two or more races:

11.7%

Hispanic:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 98.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Aspire Charter Academy ranks worse than 67.7% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 33.85. (See more...)

Compare Details Aspire Charter Academy ranks worse than 74.4% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.63. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (79.9%), two or more races (11.7%), Hispanic (8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 98.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Aspire Charter Academy is $14,719.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Aspire Charter Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Aspire Charter Academy 361^st of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Aspire Charter Academy in the ranking list.)

Aspire Charter Academy:

SchoolDigger ranks Aspire Charter Academy 277^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Aspire Charter Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2011	3.62	999^th	1025	2.5%
2012	9.12	958^th	1015	5.6%
2013	25.31	875^th	1035	15.5%
2014	19.29	925^th	1036	10.7%
2015	16.03	930^th	1040	10.6%
2016	10.38	967^th	1046	7.6%
2017	14.08	919^th	1033	11.0%
2018	13.78	907^th	1027	11.7%
2019	22.15	839^th	1031	18.6%
2021	8.30	933^rd	1016	8.2%
2022	21.03	816^th	1020	20.0%
2023	23.93	784^th	1016	22.8%
2024	33.85	684^th	1010	32.3%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Aspire Charter Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2011	6.47	431^st	451	4.4%
2012	2.92	433^rd	447	3.1%
2013	7.48	427^th	444	3.8%
2014	7.29	443^rd	470	5.7%
2015	6.01	450^th	485	7.2%
2016	12.43	443^rd	494	10.3%
2017	9.00	427^th	472	9.5%
2018	8.07	444^th	473	6.1%
2019	19.39	399^th	470	15.1%
2021	16.35	402^nd	483	16.8%
2022	24.55	370^th	490	24.5%
2023	20.02	391^st	489	20.0%
2024	24.63	361^st	485	25.6%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Aspire Charter Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2009	6	404	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	413
2010	8	478	0	7	0	n/a	n/a	1	494
2011	12	579	0	7	0	0	0	0	598
2012	7	620	0	30	0	0	10	0	667
2013	4	609	0	32	0	0	12	0	657
2014	0	655	1	29	0	0	12	0	697
2015	2	668	0	22	0	0	12	0	704
2016	2	656	0	24	0	0	19	0	701
2017	3	651	0	27	0	0	14	0	695
2018	1	646	0	32	0	0	13	0	692
2019	9	632	0	40	0	0	13	0	694
2020	5	565	0	35	1	0	25	0	631
2021	7	562	0	34	1	0	43	0	647
2022	6	573	0	40	0	0	44	0	663
2023	3	532	0	53	0	0	78	0	666

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Aspire Charter Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	413	20.0	20.7	88.9
2010	494	22.0	22.4	90.3
2011	598	30.0	19.9	89.6
2012	667	32.0	20.8	89.7
2013	657	37.0	17.7	91.8
2014	697	36.0	19.3	93.4
2015	704	35.0	20.1	94.2
2016	701	36.0	19.4	94.6
2017	695	41.0	16.9	93.1
2018	692	41.6	16.6	93.4
2019	694	37.4	18.5	93.7
2020	631	35.0	18.0	94.6
2021	647	39.1	16.5	95.8
2022	663	n/a	n/a	64
2023	666	n/a	n/a	98.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Aspire Charter Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2009	413	20.0	20.7	88.9
2010	494	22.0	22.4	90.3
2011	598	30.0	19.9	89.6
2012	667	32.0	20.8	89.7
2013	657	37.0	17.7	91.8
2014	697	36.0	19.3	93.4
2015	704	35.0	20.1	94.2
2016	701	36.0	19.4	94.6
2017	695	41.0	16.9	93.1
2018	692	41.6	16.6	93.4
2019	694	37.4	18.5	93.7
2020	631	35.0	18.0	94.6
2021	647	39.1	16.5	95.8
2022	663	n/a	n/a	64
2023	666	n/a	n/a	98.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Aspire Charter Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$2,092 (20.1%)	$8,304 (79.9%)	$10,395
2020	$1,764 (21.0%)	$6,640 (79.0%)	$8,404
2021	$2,211 (21.5%)	$8,058 (78.5%)	$10,270
2022	$2,623 (17.8%)	$12,096 (82.2%)	$14,719

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Aspire Charter Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 839^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 784^th of 1016 Elementary schools	4.2%
Ranks 399^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 391^st of 489 Middle schools	4.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	32.9	22.4	10.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	32.9	22.4	10.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	52.2	31.1	21.1%
3rd Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	52.2	31.1	21.1%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	23.8	26	2.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	23.8	26	2.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	27	27.4	0.4%
4th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	27	27.4	0.4%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Aspire Charter Academy)	15.9	12.2	3.7%
4th Grade Science (Aspire Charter Academy)	15.9	12.2	3.7%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	36.5	41.2	4.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	36.5	41.2	4.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	33.8	27.9	5.9%
5th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	33.8	27.9	5.9%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Aspire Charter Academy)	18.9	10.3	8.6%
5th Grade Social Studies (Aspire Charter Academy)	18.9	10.3	8.6%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	43.8	30.7	13.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	43.8	30.7	13.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	23.3	11.3	12%
6th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	23.3	11.3	12%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Aspire Charter Academy)	15.1	11.3	3.8%
6th Grade Science (Aspire Charter Academy)	15.1	11.3	3.8%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	32.3	20.5	11.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	32.3	20.5	11.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	6.5	10.3	3.8%
7th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	6.5	10.3	3.8%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	40.6	29.2	11.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Aspire Charter Academy)	40.6	29.2	11.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	6.3	8.5	2.2%
8th Grade Math (Aspire Charter Academy)	6.3	8.5	2.2%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	694	666	4%
African American	632	532	15.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	40	53	32.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	9	3	66.7%
Two or More Races	13	78	500%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	93.7%	98.3%	4.7%

Schools Near Aspire Charter Academy

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)							ILEARN Math (2024)							ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ILEARN English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Aspire Charter Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	4900 W 15th Ave	Gary	46406	Lake County	Aspire Charter Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 944-7400	666			98.3%	3 (0.5%)	532 (79.9%)	53 (8.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	78 (11.7%)	33.8	684^th of 1010 public elementary schools	32.3%		23.9	784^th of 1016 public elementary schools	22.8%	100	26.1	34.2	46.2	33.8	17.2	28.8	31.2	33.3	23.1	27.0	17.8	7.8	12.1	20.3	26.6	$14,719	$2,623	$12,096
Beveridge Elementary School	Public	K-5	1234 Cleveland St	Gary	46404	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 321-8546	310	19	16.3	85.2%	4 (1.3%)	288 (92.9%)	9 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.6%)	5	996^th of 1010 public elementary schools	1.4%		4.3	1012^th of 1016 public elementary schools	0.4%	16	7.0	9.1	7.8				8.1	7.1	10.6	3.9				7.6	5.9	$18,803	$5,491	$13,312
Frankie Woods McCullough Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	1110 W 21st Ave	Gary	46407	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 944-7301	411	25	16.4	83.7%	3 (0.7%)	369 (89.8%)	26 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.2%)	3	1010^th of 1010 public elementary schools	0.0%		4.4	1009^th of 1016 public elementary schools	0.7%	1	3.9	4.4	0.0				3.1	9.0	1.1	1.9				4.0	1.9	$17,418	$5,639	$11,779
Joseph Hess Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3640 Orchard Dr	Hammond	46323	Lake County	School City of Hammond	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 989-7355	688	37	18.5	75.6%	93 (13.5%)	272 (39.5%)	292 (42.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (4.5%)	15.4	864^th of 1010 public elementary schools	14.5%		14.8	862^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	15.2%	2	17.7	17.8	20.3	15.9			18.0	32.9	23.3	18.2	5.8			20.5	15.6	$10,883	$1,907	$8,976
Warren G Harding Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3211 165th St	Hammond	46323	Lake County	School City of Hammond	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 989-7351	684	43	15.8	77.2%	109 (15.9%)	223 (32.6%)	311 (45.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.0%)	26.1	759^th of 1010 public elementary schools	24.9%		29.1	737^th of 1016 public elementary schools	27.5%	22	23.4	25.6	20.7	24.1			23.5	26.3	31.4	35.4	19.5			28.1	25.6	$11,963	$1,968	$9,995
Morton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7006 Marshall Ave	Hammond	46323	Lake County	School City of Hammond	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 989-7336	476	30	15.6	68.1%	45 (9.5%)	176 (37.0%)	235 (49.4%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.6%)	12.4	903^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	10.6%		12.6	887^th of 1016 public elementary schools	12.7%	16	9.4	16.7	21.7	12.1			14.8	9.4	9.2	26.1	10.3			13.7	17.4	$11,989	$1,868	$10,121
Judith Morton Johnston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8220 Fifth St	Highland	46322	Lake County	School Town of Highland	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 923-2428	364	19	19.6	53.6%	180 (49.5%)	27 (7.4%)	148 (40.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.2%)	64.1	366^th of 1010 public elementary schools	63.8%		66.5	344^th of 1016 public elementary schools	66.1%	22	40.0	35.7	45.6				40.4	60.0	51.4	48.5				52.5	48.5	$9,577	$635	$8,942
Longfellow New Technical Elementary School	Public	K-4	45th/Calhoun Sts	Gary	46408	Lake County	Lake Ridge New Technical Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 923-7004	524	30	17.4	90.3%	175 (33.4%)	148 (28.2%)	168 (32.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (6.3%)	6.4	982^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	2.8%		8.1	948^th of 1016 public elementary schools	6.7%	34	12.7	12.6					12.6	10.1	10.5					10.3		$12,888	$3,529	$9,359
Southridge Elementary School	Public	K-5	9221 Johnston St	Highland	46322	Lake County	School Town of Highland	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 922-5650	398	20	19.9	42.7%	237 (59.5%)	20 (5.0%)	126 (31.7%)	5 (1.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.3%)	54.8	470^th of 1010 public elementary schools	53.5%		61.7	396^th of 1016 public elementary schools	61.0%	74	39.0	37.5	33.8				36.8	61.0	47.2	43.7				50.9	33.8	$9,083	$469	$8,613
George Washington Elementary School	Public	K-6	2400 Cardinal Drive	East Chicago	46312	Lake County	School City of East Chicago	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 391-4169	462	32	14.6	80.1%	11 (2.4%)	260 (56.3%)	180 (39.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (2.4%)	9.7	936^th of 1010 public elementary schools	7.3%		10.2	911^th of 1016 public elementary schools	10.3%	25	6.6	0.0	19.1	8.1			8.5	13.3	12.9	27.0	8.2			15.5	6.4	$13,003	$2,900	$10,103

Frequently Asked Questions about Aspire Charter Academy

Is Aspire Charter Academy a good school?

Aspire Charter Academy ranks 684^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Aspire Charter Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 666 students attended Aspire Charter Academy.

What is the racial makeup of Aspire Charter Academy?

Students at Aspire Charter Academy are 80% African American, 12% Two or more races, 8% Hispanic.

What district is Aspire Charter Academy in?

Aspire Charter Academy

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.