Career Academy High School

Summary:

Career Academy High School is a public charter high school serving grades 9-12 in South Bend, Indiana, with a student population of 431. While the school boasts a diverse student body, it has struggled academically compared to nearby high schools, with lower proficiency rates on standardized tests and inconsistent graduation rates.

One key differentiator for Career Academy High School is its racial diversity, with a student population that is 48.26% White, 29% African American, 11.37% Hispanic, and 9.51% two or more races. This diversity is higher than schools like Penn High School, New Prairie High School, and Mishawaka High School. However, the school's academic performance has been a concern, with only 36.36% of 11th graders proficient or better in SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing, and only 9.09% proficient or better in SAT Mathematics.

Career Academy High School's graduation rates have fluctuated, ranging from 88.6% in 2020-2021 to 100% in 2022-2023, while nearby schools like Penn High School and New Prairie High School have maintained higher and more consistent graduation rates. Additionally, the school has faced challenges with chronic absenteeism, with rates ranging from 16% to 23.7% in the past three school years, higher than the rates of Penn High School (12.4%) and New Prairie High School (13.1%).

Detail:

Public, Charter 9-12

3801 Crescent Circle
South Bend, IN 46628

(574) 299-9800

District: Career Academy High School

SchoolDigger Rank:
328^th of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,956

Student/teacher ratio: 7.3

Number of students: 431

Racial breakdown:

White:

48.3%

African American:

29.0%

Hispanic:

11.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 54.3%

See top rated Indiana high schools

Compare Career Academy High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Career Academy High School ranks worse than 76.1% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.78. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Career Academy High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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: White (48.3%), African American (29%), Hispanic (11.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 54.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Career Academy High School is 7.3. (See more...)

Compare Career Academy High School employs 59 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Career Academy High School is $11,956.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Career Academy High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Career Academy High School 328^th of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See Career Academy High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Career Academy High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Career Academy High School 296^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Career Academy High School.

What do you think?

Your rating for Career Academy High School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Career Academy High School

Compare

Rank History for all students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2014	0.76	374^th	379	1.3%
2015	8.45	366^th	400	8.5%
2016	36.09	286^th	394	27.4%
2019	73.24	58^th	389	85.1%
2021	45.80	201^st	388	48.2%
2022	45.15	236^th	409	42.3%
2023	39.66	244^th	398	38.7%
2024	23.78	328^th	431	23.9%

See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	31.96	57^th	94	39.4%
2023	50.99	47^th	104	54.8%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	47.70	129^th	285	54.7%
2024	72.98	53^rd	289	81.7%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	42.98	218^th	379	42.5%
2024	26.05	296^th	377	21.5%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	35.64	256^th	388	34.0%
2024	24.74	304^th	392	22.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.36	228^th	383	40.5%
2024	19.31	319^th	392	18.6%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	54.67	46^th	125	63.2%
2023	41.35	51^st	125	59.2%
2024	32.43	85^th	132	35.6%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	98.58	2^nd	164	98.8%
2024	54.22	63^rd	184	65.8%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Career Academy High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	36.19	250^th	378	33.9%
2023	41.68	202^nd	375	46.1%
2024	14.85	338^th	381	11.3%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for White Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, February 15, 2017

love love this school, teachers really care about the students. They really want the best for each and every student. The communication between the teachers and parents its wonderful. The support you get from them its amazing! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Career Academy High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2012	67	51	0	17	0	16	151
2013	142	127	1	44	3	23	340
2014	186	110	3	47	4	30	380
2015	251	147	5	54	3	49	509
2016	132	59	3	27	3	25	249
2017	148	53	3	30	3	29	266
2018	171	56	5	39	2	24	297
2019	176	72	4	27	1	25	305
2020	184	90	4	31	2	32	343
2021	187	95	4	37	1	36	360
2022	215	105	5	41	3	42	411
2023	208	125	6	49	2	41	431

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 Career Academy High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	151	17.0	8.8	76.2
2013	340	30.0	11.3	64.7
2014	380	34.7	10.9	67.6
2015	509	39.0	13.0	67.4
2016	249	23.0	10.8	61.4
2017	266	20.8	12.7	55.6
2018	297	24.2	12.2	53.2
2019	305	25.9	11.7	53.8
2020	343	25.0	13.7	50.1
2021	360	23.8	15.1	48.1
2022	411	53.0	7.7	56.9
2023	431	59.0	7.3	54.3

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 Career Academy High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	151	17.0	8.8	76.2
2013	340	30.0	11.3	64.7
2014	380	34.7	10.9	67.6
2015	509	39.0	13.0	67.4
2016	249	23.0	10.8	61.4
2017	266	20.8	12.7	55.6
2018	297	24.2	12.2	53.2
2019	305	25.9	11.7	53.8
2020	343	25.0	13.7	50.1
2021	360	23.8	15.1	48.1
2022	411	53.0	7.7	56.9
2023	431	59.0	7.3	54.3

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 Career Academy High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$976 (8.5%)	$10,480 (91.5%)	$11,456
2020	$694 (6.9%)	$9,395 (93.1%)	$10,089
2021	$1,966 (16.7%)	$9,795 (83.3%)	$11,761
2022	$988 (8.3%)	$10,968 (91.7%)	$11,956

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Career Academy High School

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 58^th of 389 High schools	Ranks 244^th of 398 High schools	46.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Career Academy High School)	66	6.9	59.1%
End of Course Biology (Career Academy High School)	66	6.9	59.1%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	305	431	41.3%
African American	72	125	73.6%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	4	6	50%
Hispanic	27	49	81.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	176	208	18.2%
Two or More Races	25	41	64%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.8%	54.3%	0.5%

Schools Near Career Academy High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN Biology (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	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Career Academy High School	Public, Charter	9-12	3801 Crescent Circle	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	Career Academy High School	Yes	No	No	No	(574) 299-9800	431	59	7.3	54.3%	208 (48.3%)	125 (29.0%)	49 (11.4%)	6 (1.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (9.5%)	23.8	328^th of 431 public high schools	23.9%		39.7	244^th of 398 public high schools	38.7%	84	36.4	9.1	20.7	$11,956	$988	$10,968
Washington High School	Public	9-12	4747 W Washington Ave	South Bend	46619	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-5500	834	59	14.2	79.3%	88 (10.6%)	415 (49.8%)	260 (31.2%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	66 (7.9%)	8.3	396^th of 431 public high schools	8.1%		8.7	368^th of 398 public high schools	7.5%	28	11.5	3.4	12.1	$14,939	$2,864	$12,075
Excel Center - South Bend	Public, Charter	9-12	2721 Kenwood Avenue	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	Excel Center - South Bend	Yes	No	No	No	(574) 314-5570	180	10	18.0	49.4%	42 (23.3%)	77 (42.8%)	44 (24.4%)	1 (0.6%)	3 (1.7%)	1 (0.6%)	12 (6.7%)								(n/a)				$4,022	$00	$4,022
Clay High School	Public	9-12	19131 Darden Rd	South Bend	46637	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4900	628	66	9.4	64.8%	207 (33.0%)	264 (42.0%)	93 (14.8%)	8 (1.3%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (8.4%)	21.2	339^th of 431 public high schools	21.3%		23.3	316^th of 398 public high schools	20.6%	23	36.7	7.3	12.5	$17,717	$2,816	$14,901
Purdue Polytechnic High School South Bend	Public, Charter	9-12	635 S Lafayette Blvd	South Bend	46601	St. Joseph County	Purdue Polytechnic High School South Bend	Yes	No	No	No	(765) 494-7872	141	16	8.8	56.7%	56 (39.7%)	24 (17.0%)	46 (32.6%)	3 (2.1%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (7.8%)	36	281^st of 431 public high schools	34.8%		47.7	192^nd of 398 public high schools	51.8%	89	40.0	13.3	36.0	$16,270	$2,130	$14,141
Rise Up Academy at Eggleston	Public	9-12	740 N Eddy Street	South Bend	46617	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-3500	187	16	11.5	69.5%	33 (17.6%)	104 (55.6%)	36 (19.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (7.5%)	5.4	420^th of 431 public high schools	2.6%		4.2	392^nd of 398 public high schools	1.5%	28	6.0	0.0		$20,033	$2,944	$17,089
Riley High School	Public	9-12	1902 Fellows St	South Bend	46613	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-5100	992	75	13.2	67.2%	312 (31.5%)	342 (34.5%)	222 (22.4%)	7 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	107 (10.8%)	20.1	345^th of 431 public high schools	20.0%		23.2	317^th of 398 public high schools	20.4%	28	34.3	5.6	22.3	$15,330	$2,616	$12,715
Adams High School	Public	9-12	808 S Twyckenham Dr	South Bend	46615	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-5300	1,976	124	15.9	56.3%	678 (34.3%)	480 (24.3%)	621 (31.4%)	45 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	149 (7.5%)	43.2	246^th of 431 public high schools	42.9%		45.5	208^th of 398 public high schools	47.7%	38	49.2	18.0	25.4	$12,340	$2,470	$9,870
Mishawaka High School	Public	9-12	1202 Lincolnway E	Mishawaka	46544	St. Joseph County	School City of Mishawaka	No	No	No	No	(574) 254-7300	1,488	96	15.5	64.7%	1,006 (67.6%)	178 (12.0%)	151 (10.1%)	8 (0.5%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	141 (9.5%)	36.8	278^th of 431 public high schools	35.5%		34.1	278^th of 398 public high schools	30.2%		39.9	18.2	27.6	$9,831	$1,260	$8,571
Penn High School	Public	9-12	56100 Bittersweet Rd	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 259-7961	3,624	180	20.1	26.9%	2,583 (71.3%)	276 (7.6%)	312 (8.6%)	235 (6.5%)	12 (0.3%)	4 (0.1%)	202 (5.6%)	87.2	23^rd of 431 public high schools	94.7%		89.4	17^th of 398 public high schools	95.7%	6	64.6	40.2	67.5	$9,068	$377	$8,691

Frequently Asked Questions about Career Academy High School

What district is Career Academy High School in?

Career Academy High School

What is the racial makeup of Career Academy High School?

Students at Career Academy High School are 48% White, 29% African American, 11% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Career Academy High School a good school?

Career Academy High School ranks in the bottom 23.9% of Indiana high schools.

How many students attend Career Academy High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 431 students attended Career Academy High School.

Rate Career Academy High School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

INIndiana High School Rankings

INIndiana District Rankings

Schools in South Bend, IN

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Career Academy High School!

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.