Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

Summary:

Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry is a public charter elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Muncie, Indiana, a city with a population of around 70,000. The school has faced significant challenges, including declining student diversity, high chronic absenteeism, and consistently low academic performance compared to nearby public schools.

Inspire Academy has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 64.9% in 2020-2021 and remaining high at 43.6% in 2022-2023, which is significantly higher than the state average and the nearby schools like Yorktown Elementary, Royerton Elementary, and Selma Elementary. The school's academic performance, as measured by ILEARN test scores, is also significantly below the state and local averages, with only 11.4% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 7.27% proficient or better in Math in 2023-2024.

Despite the higher spending per student at Inspire Academy compared to nearby schools, the academic outcomes remain poor, raising questions about the effective use of resources and the need for targeted interventions to address the unique challenges faced by the school. The high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, coupled with the low test scores, suggests a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and academic achievement, a common trend observed in many schools serving disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the decreasing percentage of white students at Inspire Academy, coupled with the overall low performance, suggests the need to examine potential issues related to equity and inclusion within the school.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-8

2801 E 16th St
Muncie, IN 47302

(765) 216-7980

District: Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,597

Student/teacher ratio: 27.7

Number of students: 194

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.3%

African American:

19.6%

Two or more races:

14.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 99.5%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry ranks worse than 97.6% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 6. (See more...)

Compare Details Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry ranks worse than 94.4% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 8.91. (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 Student population at Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (59.3%), African American (19.6%), two or more races (14.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 99.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry is 27.7. (See more...)

Compare Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry employs 7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry is $14,597.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry 458^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry in the ranking list.)

Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry:

SchoolDigger ranks Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry 367^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2015	25.87	844^th	1040	18.8%
2016	10.32	970^th	1046	7.3%
2017	18.25	888^th	1033	14.0%
2018	12.22	918^th	1027	10.6%
2019	21.68	846^th	1031	17.9%
2021	16.29	840^th	1016	17.3%
2022	10.69	914^th	1020	10.4%
2023	5.25	994^th	1016	2.2%
2024	6.00	986^th	1010	2.4%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2016	29.83	391^st	494	20.9%
2017	22.79	391^st	472	17.2%
2018	7.27	450^th	473	4.9%
2019	26.67	366^th	470	22.1%
2022	7.81	467^th	490	4.7%
2023	10.98	444^th	489	9.2%
2024	8.91	458^th	485	5.6%

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

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	54	48	1	1	0	0	20	124
2015	87	53	1	7	0	0	21	169
2016	88	58	1	7	3	0	26	183
2017	103	37	0	10	0	0	24	174
2018	123	36	0	9	1	0	27	196
2019	101	44	0	9	0	0	24	178
2020	106	37	0	9	0	0	28	180
2021	100	28	0	7	1	0	21	157
2022	85	28	0	7	1	0	34	155
2023	86	38	0	6	1	0	45	176
2024	115	38	0	11	0	1	29	194

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 Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	124	9.0	13.7	80.6
2015	169	n/a	n/a	81.1
2016	183	11.0	16.6	80.9
2017	174	8.0	21.7	74.7
2018	196	10.0	19.6	79.6
2019	178	10.0	17.8	80.3
2020	180	10.0	18.0	70.6
2021	157	11.4	13.6	73.9
2022	155	n/a	n/a	68.4
2023	176	10.0	17.6	100
2024	194	7.0	27.7	99.5

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 Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	124	9.0	13.7	80.6
2015	169	n/a	n/a	81.1
2016	183	11.0	16.6	80.9
2017	174	8.0	21.7	74.7
2018	196	10.0	19.6	79.6
2019	178	10.0	17.8	80.3
2020	180	10.0	18.0	70.6
2021	157	11.4	13.6	73.9
2022	155	n/a	n/a	68.4
2023	176	10.0	17.6	100
2024	194	7.0	27.7	99.5

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 Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$813 (8.3%)	$9,003 (91.7%)	$9,816
2020	$1,875 (19.3%)	$7,816 (80.7%)	$9,691
2021	$1,753 (16.7%)	$8,716 (83.3%)	$10,469
2022	$3,508 (24.0%)	$11,089 (76.0%)	$14,597

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

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 846^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 994^th of 1016 Elementary schools	15.8%
Ranks 366^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 444^th of 489 Middle schools	12.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	14.3	0	14.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	14.3	0	14.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	28.6	23.5	5.1%
3rd Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	28.6	23.5	5.1%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	15.4	0	15.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	15.4	0	15.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	30.8	10.5	20.3%
4th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	30.8	10.5	20.3%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	0	5.3	5.3%
4th Grade Science (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	0	5.3	5.3%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	23.1	0	23.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	23.1	0	23.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	38.5	0	38.5%
5th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	38.5	0	38.5%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	23.1	5.6	17.5%
5th Grade Social Studies (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	23.1	5.6	17.5%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	50	4.8	45.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	50	4.8	45.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	33.3	0	33.3%
6th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	33.3	0	33.3%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	58.3	10	48.3%
6th Grade Science (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	58.3	10	48.3%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	13.3	21.4	8.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	13.3	21.4	8.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	0	15.4	15.4%
7th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	0	15.4	15.4%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	15.4	7.7	7.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	15.4	7.7	7.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.1	7.6%
8th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	23.1	0	23.1%
8th Grade Math (Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry)	23.1	0	23.1%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	29.8	8.2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	178	176	1.1%
African American	44	38	13.6%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	9	6	33.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	101	86	14.9%
Two or More Races	24	45	87.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	80.3%	100%	19.7%

Schools Near Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

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
Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	2801 E 16th St	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry	Yes	No	No	Yes	(765) 216-7980	194	7	27.7	99.5%	115 (59.3%)	38 (19.6%)	11 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	29 (14.9%)	6	986^th of 1010 public elementary schools	2.4%		5.3	994^th of 1016 public elementary schools	2.2%	8	5.0	15.8	11.8	0.0	22.7	12.5	11.4	20.0	5.3	12.5	0.0	5.0	0.0	7.3	0.0	$14,597	$3,508	$11,089
Grissom Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3201 S Macedonia Ave	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5401	451	33	13.5	63.0%	287 (63.6%)	65 (14.4%)	18 (4.0%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	78 (17.3%)	12.2	907^th of 1010 public elementary schools	10.2%		11.3	903^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	11.1%	4	7.1	17.0	18.2				13.5	14.1	20.8	16.4				16.8	21.8	$10,007	$2,317	$7,690
South View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2100 S Franklin	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5226	498	35	14.3	68.1%	274 (55.0%)	93 (18.7%)	29 (5.8%)	16 (3.2%)	8 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	78 (15.7%)	6.5	976^th of 1010 public elementary schools	3.4%		4.3	1011^th of 1016 public elementary schools	0.5%	35	7.4	12.0	9.9				10.0	9.4	16.0	8.8				11.5	4.9	$9,651	$2,183	$7,469
East Washington Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 E Washington	Muncie	47305	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5434	491	31	15.8	52.5%	288 (58.7%)	113 (23.0%)	18 (3.7%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	68 (13.8%)	63	374^th of 1010 public elementary schools	63.0%		61.8	394^th of 1016 public elementary schools	61.2%	20	48.7	43.1	42.9				44.9	52.6	52.8	41.6				48.9	41.6	$10,135	$1,824	$8,311
Longfellow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1900 E Centennial	Muncie	47303	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5410	332	24	13.8	69.0%	92 (27.7%)	144 (43.4%)	15 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	79 (23.8%)	10.6	924^th of 1010 public elementary schools	8.5%		8.6	935^th of 1016 public elementary schools	8.0%	11	12.2	19.4	15.2				15.3	20.4	22.2	8.7				16.8	10.9	$10,641	$2,301	$8,341
West View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3401 W Gilbert St	Muncie	47304	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5437	490	32	15.2	48.0%	287 (58.6%)	67 (13.7%)	51 (10.4%)	6 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	78 (15.9%)	31.5	713^th of 1010 public elementary schools	29.4%		36.1	671^st of 1016 public elementary schools	34.0%	42	19.4	32.5	23.3				25.2	37.3	52.0	25.6				37.6	22.2	$8,800	$1,467	$7,333
North View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	807 W Yale Ave	Muncie	47304	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5422	390	26	15.0	49.0%	203 (52.1%)	80 (20.5%)	11 (2.8%)	26 (6.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	68 (17.4%)	39.8	633^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	37.3%		51.2	528^th of 1016 public elementary schools	48.0%	105	13.3	41.9	36.7				30.4	36.7	43.6	36.7				39.2	30.6	$9,240	$1,675	$7,564
Selma Elementary School	Public	K-5	200 S East St	Selma	47383	Delaware County	Liberty-Perry Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 282-2455	547	32	17.0		497 (90.9%)	5 (0.9%)	16 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.9%)	82.5	158^th of 1010 public elementary schools	84.4%		84.9	128^th of 1016 public elementary schools	87.4%	30	44.1	68.0	57.1				57.0	65.5	78.4	55.1				66.3	45.9	$9,062	$1,109	$7,953
Cowan Elementary School	Public	K-6	1000 W Cr 600 S	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Cowan Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 289-7129	436	29	15.2	55.0%	382 (87.6%)	3 (0.7%)	19 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.3%)	61	401^st of 1010 public elementary schools	60.3%		47.7	563^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	44.6%	162	32.2	25.4	31.9	47.7			34.5	55.9	50.9	48.6	56.9			52.9	51.4	$8,376	$516	$7,861
Royerton Elementary School	Public	K-5	1401 E Royerton Rd	Muncie	47303	Delaware County	Delaware Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(765) 282-2044	597	36	16.5	44.1%	502 (84.1%)	14 (2.3%)	25 (4.2%)	6 (1.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	46 (7.7%)	83.6	144^th of 1010 public elementary schools	85.7%		84.9	127^th of 1016 public elementary schools	87.5%	17	54.3	58.7	49.0				54.2	66.0	71.6	56.3				64.9	57.3	$9,506	$895	$8,611

Frequently Asked Questions about Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

What district is Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry in?

Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry

What is the racial makeup of Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry?

Students at Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry are 59% White, 20% African American, 15% Two or more races, 6% Hispanic.

Is Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry a good school?

Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry ranks in the bottom 2.4% of Indiana elementary schools.

How many students attend Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry?

In the 2023-24 school year, 194 students attended Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry.

Rate Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

INIndiana Elementary School Rankings

INIndiana District Rankings

Schools in Muncie, IN

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry!

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.