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:
412^th of 485 Indiana Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,321

Student/teacher ratio: 8.1

Number of students: 73

Racial breakdown:

African American:

46.6%

White:

24.7%

Two or more races:

17.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Smith Academy for Excellence is not ranked due for the most recent year due to insufficient test score data. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.52. (See more...)

Compare Details Smith Academy for Excellence ranks worse than 84.9% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 14.84. (See more...)

Compare Details Smith Academy for Excellence ranks worse than 89.3% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.64. (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 Smith Academy for Excellence is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (46.6%), White (24.7%), two or more races (17.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Smith Academy for Excellence is 8.1. (See more...)

Compare Smith Academy for Excellence employs 9 full-time teachers.

Finance

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 412^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Smith Academy for Excellence in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Smith Academy for Excellence 385^th 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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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2016	5.06	1001^st	1046	4.3%
2017	3.05	1003^rd	1033	2.9%
2019	14.89	899^th	1031	12.8%
2022	56.71	465^th	1020	54.4%
2023	31.52	712^th	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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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2015	7.38	448^th	485	7.6%
2016	4.36	468^th	494	5.3%
2017	3.05	454^th	472	3.8%
2018	13.40	421^st	473	11.0%
2019	9.34	434^th	470	7.7%
2023	25.17	364^th	489	25.6%
2024	14.84	412^th	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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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2016	1.24	393^rd	394	0.3%
2024	9.64	385^th	431	10.7%

See the entire list of Indiana Alternative 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 Smith Academy for Excellence

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2013	14	46	0	2	7	69
2014	8	59	0	7	11	85
2015	9	42	1	2	9	63
2016	17	56	2	1	14	90
2017	20	40	2	1	9	72
2018	28	35	1	2	7	73
2019	35	33	0	3	11	82
2020	23	38	0	4	13	78
2021	28	33	0	7	14	82
2022	19	33	1	9	13	75
2023	18	34	0	8	13	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

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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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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total 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 899^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 712^th of 1016 Elementary schools	17.1%
Ranks 434^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 364^th 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)	16.7	33.3	16.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Smith Academy for Excellence)	16.7	33.3	16.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)	16.7	6.7	10%
6th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)	16.7	6.7	10%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Smith Academy for Excellence)	33.3	28.6	4.7%
6th Grade Science (Smith Academy for Excellence)	33.3	28.6	4.7%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Smith Academy for Excellence)	7.7	10	2.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Smith Academy for Excellence)	7.7	10	2.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)	0	10	10%
8th Grade Math (Smith Academy for Excellence)	0	10	10%
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	82	73	11%
African American	33	34	3%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	3	8	166.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	35	18	48.6%
Two or More Races	11	13	18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	89%	78.1%	10.9%

Schools Near Smith Academy for Excellence

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)						ILEARN Math (2024)					ILEARN Social Studies (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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th 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 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Smith Academy for Excellence	Public, Charter, Alternative	4-12	725 W Washington Blvd	Fort Wayne	46802	Allen County	Smith Academy for Excellence	Yes	No	No	Yes	(260) 579-6939	73	9	8.1	78.1%	18 (24.7%)	34 (46.6%)	8 (11.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (17.8%)								(n/a)	22.2	0.0				21.4	0.0	16.7			14.3	8.3	16.2			$12,321	$2,795	$9,527
Fort Wayne Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	1200 S Clinton St	Fort Wayne	46802	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(260) 467-7550	202	22	9.0	56.4%	83 (41.1%)	52 (25.7%)	37 (18.3%)	9 (4.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (10.4%)								(n/a)	32.5	7.5	30.0	46.2	15.8	18.0	24.3	23.7	21.4	21.1	10.3	5.7	12.1	28.6	32.4	$3,479	$832	$2,647
Allen County Juvenile Center	Public, Alternative	K-12	2929 N Wells	Fort Wayne	46808	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 449-8068	25	27	.9	36.0%	9 (36.0%)	7 (28.0%)	4 (16.0%)	4 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.0%)								(n/a)	0.0	0.0
Allen County Youth Services Center	Public, Alternative	1-12	11805 Lima Rd	Fort Wayne	46818	Allen County	Northwest Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 449-3561	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Smith Academy for Excellence

What district is Smith Academy for Excellence in?

Smith Academy for Excellence

What is the racial makeup of Smith Academy for Excellence?

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

Is Smith Academy for Excellence a good school?

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

How many students attend Smith Academy for Excellence?

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.