Smith Academy for Excellence

Summary:

Smith Academy for Excellence is an alternative public charter school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, serving 73 students in grades 4-12. The school has a diverse student population, with a high percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Despite its small size and relatively low student-teacher ratio, Smith Academy for Excellence faces significant challenges. The school has struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 35.7% to 54.7% over the past few years, which is much higher than the state average and nearby schools like Allen County Juvenile Center. Academically, the school's proficiency rates in ILEARN and SAT assessments are alarmingly low, with only 16.67% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 16.22% in Math. This performance is significantly below the state and Fort Wayne Community Schools district averages.

While the school's spending per student has increased over the years, reaching $12,321 in 2021-2022, this is still higher than the nearby Fort Wayne Virtual Academy, which spent $3,479 per student. The data suggests that Smith Academy for Excellence faces significant challenges in student engagement and academic support, which may require a comprehensive approach to address the unique needs of its diverse student population and improve educational outcomes.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative 4-12

 725 W Washington Blvd
       Fort Wayne, IN  46802


(260) 579-6939

District: Smith Academy for Excellence

SchoolDigger Rank:
412th of 485 Indiana Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,321 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  8.1 Help
Number of students:  73

Racial breakdown:

African American:
46.6%
White:
24.7%
Two or more races:
17.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  78.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Smith Academy for Excellence is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.52. (See more...)
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Compare Details Smith Academy for Excellence ranks worse than 84.9% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.84. (See more...)
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Compare Details Smith Academy for Excellence ranks worse than 89.3% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.64. (See more...)
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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
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Compare Details Student population at Smith Academy for Excellence is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (46.6%), White (24.7%), two or more races (17.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 78.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smith Academy for Excellence is 8.1. (See more...)
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Compare Smith Academy for Excellence employs 9 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Smith Academy for Excellence is $12,321.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Smith Academy for Excellence was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Smith Academy for Excellence 412th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Smith Academy for Excellence in the ranking list.)
SchoolDigger ranks Smith Academy for Excellence 385th of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See Smith Academy for Excellence in the ranking list.)



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Rank History for Smith Academy for Excellence

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2016 5.06 1001st 1046 4.3%
2017 3.05 1003rd 1033 2.9%
2019 14.89 899th 1031 12.8%
2022 56.71 465th 1020 54.4%
2023 31.52 712th 1016 29.9%
See the entire list of Indiana Alternative School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Smith Academy for Excellence

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2015 7.38 448th 485 7.6%
2016 4.36 468th 494 5.3%
2017 3.05 454th 472 3.8%
2018 13.40 421st 473 11.0%
2019 9.34 434th 470 7.7%
2023 25.17 364th 489 25.6%
2024 14.84 412th 485 15.1%
See the entire list of Indiana Alternative School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Smith Academy for Excellence

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2016 1.24 393rd 394 0.3%
2024 9.64 385th 431 10.7%
See the entire list of Indiana Alternative School Rankings!

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

Smith Academy for Excellence Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
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Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Smith Academy for Excellence

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2013 14 46 0 2 0 0 7 0 69
2014 8 59 0 7 0 0 11 0 85
2015 9 42 1 2 0 0 9 0 63
2016 17 56 2 1 0 0 14 0 90
2017 20 40 2 1 0 0 9 0 72
2018 28 35 1 2 0 0 7 0 73
2019 35 33 0 3 0 0 11 0 82
2020 23 38 0 4 0 0 13 0 78
2021 28 33 0 7 0 0 14 0 82
2022 19 33 1 9 0 0 13 0 75
2023 18 34 0 8 0 0 13 0 73

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 Smith Academy for Excellence

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 69 5.6 12.1 81.2
2014 85 5.3 15.8 84.7
2015 63 n/a n/a 84.1
2016 90 7.0 12.8 84.4
2017 72 7.0 10.2 83.3
2018 73 6.6 10.9 86.3
2019 82 7.1 11.4 89
2020 78 6.6 11.6 83.3
2021 82 6.6 12.3 81.7
2022 75 8.0 9.3 76
2023 73 9.0 8.1 78.1

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 Smith Academy for Excellence

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2013 69 5.6 12.1 81.2
2014 85 5.3 15.8 84.7
2015 63 n/a n/a 84.1
2016 90 7.0 12.8 84.4
2017 72 7.0 10.2 83.3
2018 73 6.6 10.9 86.3
2019 82 7.1 11.4 89
2020 78 6.6 11.6 83.3
2021 82 6.6 12.3 81.7
2022 75 8.0 9.3 76
2023 73 9.0 8.1 78.1

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 Smith Academy for Excellence

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $763 (9.2%) $7,511 (90.8%) $8,274
2020 $860 (8.5%) $9,280 (91.5%) $10,140
2021 $1,328 (14.1%) $8,109 (85.9%) $9,437
2022 $2,794 (22.7%) $9,526 (77.3%) $12,321

Data source: Indiana Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Smith Academy for Excellence

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 899th of 1031 Elementary schoolsRanks 712th of 1016 Elementary schools
 17.1%
Ranks 434th of 470 Middle schoolsRanks 364th of 489 Middle schools
 17.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Smith Academy for Excellence)16.733.3
 16.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Smith Academy for Excellence)16.733.3
 16.6%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)47.840.8
 7%
6th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)16.76.7
 10%
   6th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)16.76.7
 10%
   6th Grade Math (Indiana)46.438.3
 8.1%
6th Grade Science (Smith Academy for Excellence)33.328.6
 4.7%
   6th Grade Science (Smith Academy for Excellence)33.328.6
 4.7%
   6th Grade Science (Indiana)48.638.2
 10.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Smith Academy for Excellence)7.710
 2.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Smith Academy for Excellence)7.710
 2.3%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)50.743.8
 6.9%
8th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)010
 10%
   8th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)010
 10%
   8th Grade Math (Indiana)3831.4
 6.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students8273
 11%
African American3334
 3%
American Indian00
Asian00
Hispanic38
 166.7%
Pacific Islander00
White3518
 48.6%
Two or More Races1113
 18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients89%78.1%
 10.9%


Schools Near Smith Academy for Excellence









Frequently Asked Questions about Smith Academy for Excellence

Smith Academy for Excellence ranks in the bottom 15.1% of Indiana alternative schools.

Students at Smith Academy for Excellence are 47% African American, 25% White, 18% Two or more races, 11% Hispanic.

In the 2022-23 school year, 73 students attended Smith Academy for Excellence.


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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.





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