Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

Summary:

Higher Institute of Arts & Technical is a public charter elementary school serving 208 students in grades K-8 in Merrillville, Indiana. The school has a predominantly African American student population (87.02%) and a high percentage of students (80.29% to 82.67%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage.

Despite the school's higher per-student spending ($11,786 in 2021-2022) compared to nearby schools, which range from $8,908 to $12,888 per student, Higher Institute of Arts & Technical faces significant challenges. The school has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 37.8% to 43.1% over the past three school years, which is significantly higher than the state average and nearby schools. Academically, the school's performance, as measured by ILEARN test scores, is significantly below state and local averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 15.75% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 38.6-42.6%, and just 8.22% were proficient or better in math, compared to the state average of 31.4-52.4%. As a result, Jonas E Salk Elementary School, which is 2.74 miles away, outperformed Higher Institute of Arts & Technical on academic measures, with 36.06% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 49.06% in Math.

The data suggests that Higher Institute of Arts & Technical is struggling to provide a high-quality education to its students, and significant improvements are needed to ensure that all students have access to the resources and support they need to succeed. The school's low academic performance, high chronic absenteeism rates, and bottom-tier state ranking (consistently in the bottom 10% of Indiana elementary schools) indicate that the current educational model is not effectively serving the needs of the student population. Addressing these issues will require a comprehensive approach, potentially including targeted interventions to improve attendance, instructional quality, and overall school climate and culture.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

5861 Harrison Street
Merrillville, IN 46410

(219) 359-1522

District: Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,786

Student/teacher ratio: 17.4

Number of students: 227

Racial breakdown:

African American:

86.3%

Two or more races:

5.3%

Hispanic:

4.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Higher Institute of Arts & Technical ranks worse than 92.8% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.57. (See more...)

Compare Details Higher Institute of Arts & Technical ranks worse than 87.4% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.04. (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 (86.3%), two or more races (5.3%), Hispanic (4.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Higher Institute of Arts & Technical is 17.4. (See more...)

Compare Higher Institute of Arts & Technical employs 13 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Higher Institute of Arts & Technical is $11,786.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Higher Institute of Arts & Technical was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Higher Institute of Arts & Technical 424^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Higher Institute of Arts & Technical in the ranking list.)

Higher Institute of Arts & Technical:

SchoolDigger ranks Higher Institute of Arts & Technical 347^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2019	6.69	974^th	1031	5.5%
2021	8.45	931^st	1016	8.4%
2022	7.38	961^st	1020	5.8%
2023	4.70	1003^rd	1016	1.3%
2024	9.57	937^th	1010	7.2%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2019	4.26	455^th	470	3.2%
2021	15.97	404^th	483	16.4%
2022	8.35	461^st	490	5.9%
2023	5.31	481^st	489	1.6%
2024	13.04	424^th	485	12.6%

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 Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2017	7	123	15	1	7	153
2018	4	208	5	0	8	225
2019	5	152	5	0	4	166
2020	6	212	11	0	6	235
2021	3	187	7	0	10	207
2022	6	197	11	0	11	225
2023	8	181	11	0	8	208
2024	9	196	10	0	12	227

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 Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	153	9.5	16.1	81
2018	225	n/a	n/a	84
2019	166	9.0	18.4	81.9
2020	235	12.3	18.9	47.2
2021	207	11.0	18.8	81.2
2022	225	13.0	17.3	82.7
2023	208	20.0	10.4	80.3
2024	227	13.0	17.4	78.4

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 Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2017	153	9.5	16.1	81
2018	225	n/a	n/a	84
2019	166	9.0	18.4	81.9
2020	235	12.3	18.9	47.2
2021	207	11.0	18.8	81.2
2022	225	13.0	17.3	82.7
2023	208	20.0	10.4	80.3
2024	227	13.0	17.4	78.4

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 Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,603 (19.7%)	$6,551 (80.3%)	$8,154
2020	$1,615 (18.0%)	$7,352 (82.0%)	$8,967
2021	$2,928 (29.5%)	$7,007 (70.5%)	$9,935
2022	$4,436 (37.6%)	$7,349 (62.4%)	$11,786

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

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 974^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 1003^rd of 1016 Elementary schools	4.2%
Ranks 455^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 481^st of 489 Middle schools	1.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	4.8	4.6	0.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	4.8	4.6	0.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.8	9.1	14.7%
3rd Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.8	9.1	14.7%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.1	3.9	19.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.1	3.9	19.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	7.7	0	7.7%
4th Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	7.7	0	7.7%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	15.4	7.7	7.7%
4th Grade Science (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	15.4	7.7	7.7%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.5	4.2	19.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.5	4.2	19.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	17.6	8.3	9.3%
5th Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	17.6	8.3	9.3%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.5	0	23.5%
5th Grade Social Studies (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	23.5	0	23.5%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	0	8.3	8.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	0	8.3	8.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	17.6	4.2	13.4%
6th Grade Math (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	17.6	4.2	13.4%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	5.9	0	5.9%
6th Grade Science (Higher Institute of Arts & Technical)	5.9	0	5.9%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	166	208	25.3%
African American	152	181	19.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	5	11	120%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	5	8	60%
Two or More Races	4	8	100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	81.9%	80.3%	1.6%

Schools Near Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

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
Higher Institute of Arts & Technical	Public, Charter	K-8	5861 Harrison Street	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Higher Institute of Arts & Technical	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 359-1522	227	13	17.4	78.4%	9 (4.0%)	196 (86.3%)	10 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.3%)	9.6	937^th of 1010 public elementary schools	7.2%		4.7	1003^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	1.3%	66	3.9	25.0	8.7	18.5	14.3	24.0	15.8	11.5	8.3	13.0	7.4	4.8	4.0	8.2	8.7	$11,786	$4,436	$7,349
Henry P Fieler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	407 W 61st Ave	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5301	444	28	15.6	70.9%	40 (9.0%)	275 (61.9%)	96 (21.6%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.8%)	35.1	674^th of 1010 public elementary schools	33.3%		9.1	930^th of 1016 public elementary schools	8.5%	256	21.2	46.3					33.5	30.6	37.8					34.1		$10,779	$1,850	$8,929
Glen Park Academy for Excel in Learning	Public	K-5	5002 Madison St	Gary	46408	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 318-2800	533	24	22.2	54.2%	6 (1.1%)	473 (88.7%)	44 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.9%)	4	1008^th of 1010 public elementary schools	0.2%		4.9	999^th of 1016 public elementary schools	1.7%	9	6.9	6.4	8.0				7.1	4.0	4.6	2.0				3.5	4.0	$16,579	$5,265	$11,314
Edgar L Miller Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	5901 Waite St	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5303	348	27	12.9	75.6%	18 (5.2%)	253 (72.7%)	56 (16.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.0%)	26.7	752^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	25.5%		18.8	829^th of 1016 public elementary schools	18.4%	77	26.2	22.4					23.9	43.9	31.3					36.1		$12,348	$1,888	$10,460
Homer Iddings Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	7249 VanBuren St	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5302	471	33	14.3	58.4%	57 (12.1%)	299 (63.5%)	81 (17.2%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (5.9%)	18.5	830^th of 1010 public elementary schools	17.8%		18.4	831^st of 1016 public elementary schools	18.2%	1	15.1	26.9					21.0	31.2	24.7					28.0		$10,674	$1,784	$8,889
Jonas E Salk Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	3001 W 77th Ave	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5304	593	39	15.4	59.5%	72 (12.1%)	344 (58.0%)	134 (22.6%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.7%)	50.2	523^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	48.2%		44.8	588^th of 1016 public elementary schools	42.1%	65	29.0	42.8					36.1	45.4	52.6					49.1		$10,174	$1,193	$8,981
Henry S Evans Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2915 E 35th Ave	Lake Station	46405	Lake County	River Forest Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 962-1608	401	23	17.8	76.3%	142 (35.4%)	49 (12.2%)	179 (44.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.2%)	23.5	777^th of 1010 public elementary schools	23.1%		28.4	745^th of 1016 public elementary schools	26.7%	32	16.0	42.3	24.1				27.6	16.0	30.8	25.9				24.4	11.1	$11,013	$1,597	$9,417
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	486	31	15.9	94.0%	160 (32.9%)	148 (30.5%)	146 (30.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.4%)	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
Early Learning Center-George Earle	Public	PK-K	400 N Wilson St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 942-7263	304	15	20.2	62.5%	166 (54.6%)	31 (10.2%)	94 (30.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)								(n/a)																$9,923	$1,068	$8,855
Elsie Wadsworth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	600 N Jay St	Griffith	46319	Lake County	Griffith Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 923-4488	452	37	12.2	44.2%	168 (37.2%)	111 (24.6%)	150 (33.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.9%)								(n/a)																$8,908	$1,681	$7,226

Frequently Asked Questions about Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

How many students attend Higher Institute of Arts & Technical?

In the 2023-24 school year, 227 students attended Higher Institute of Arts & Technical.

Is Higher Institute of Arts & Technical a good school?

Higher Institute of Arts & Technical ranks in the bottom 7.2% of Indiana elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Higher Institute of Arts & Technical?

Students at Higher Institute of Arts & Technical are 86% African American, 5% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 4% White.

What district is Higher Institute of Arts & Technical in?

Higher Institute of Arts & Technical

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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.