Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

Summary:

Circle City Preparatory Elementary School is a public charter school in Indianapolis, IN serving 321 students in grades K-6. The school has a predominantly African American student population (85.98%) and a very high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch (91.73% to 95.02%).

Circle City Preparatory Elementary School has consistently been ranked in the bottom 20% of Indiana elementary schools over the past 4 years, receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's academic performance, as measured by ILEARN test scores, is significantly below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 19.08% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 38.6-41.8%. In math, the school's proficiency rate was 23.53%, compared to 38.1-52.4% statewide. Additionally, Circle City Preparatory Elementary School has struggled with extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 33.7% to 57.9% over the past 3 years, which is much higher than the state average and nearby schools.

When comparing Circle City Preparatory Elementary School to nearby schools, it is clear that the charter school is underperforming academically compared to both traditional public schools and other charter schools in the area. For example, The Nature School of Central Indiana, a nearby charter school, outperformed Circle City Preparatory Elementary School in both English Language Arts and Math proficiency rates. Despite the higher per-student spending at Circle City Preparatory Elementary School compared to nearby traditional public schools, the school's academic outcomes remain significantly below state averages, suggesting that simply increasing funding may not be enough to improve student achievement without addressing other underlying issues, such as chronic absenteeism and instructional quality.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-6

4002 N Franklin Road
Indianapolis, IN 46226

(317) 721-8515

District: Circle City Prep Charter School

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,553

Student/teacher ratio: 32.1

Number of students: 321

Racial breakdown:

African American:

86.0%

Hispanic:

7.5%

Two or more races:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 95%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Circle City Preparatory Elementary School ranks worse than 81.2% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.57. (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%), Hispanic (7.5%), two or more races (3.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 95% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

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Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Circle City Preparatory Elementary School is $13,553.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Circle City Preparatory Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Circle City Prep Charter School:

SchoolDigger ranks Circle City Prep Charter School 312^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2021	19.28	818^th	1016	19.5%
2022	22.48	801^st	1020	21.5%
2023	30.40	727^th	1016	28.4%
2024	19.57	820^th	1010	18.8%

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 Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2018	3	72	2	0	6	83
2019	3	115	8	0	3	129
2020	10	143	13	0	6	172
2021	10	187	19	0	9	225
2022	5	223	28	0	10	266
2023	8	276	24	1	12	321

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 Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	83	4.0	20.7	65.1
2019	129	5.0	25.8	91.5
2020	172	17.0	10.1	98.8
2021	225	7.0	32.1	92.4
2022	266	n/a	n/a	91.7
2023	321	n/a	n/a	95

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 Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	83	4.0	20.7	65.1
2019	129	5.0	25.8	91.5
2020	172	17.0	10.1	98.8
2021	225	7.0	32.1	92.4
2022	266	n/a	n/a	91.7
2023	321	n/a	n/a	95

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 Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,879 (22.4%)	$6,527 (77.6%)	$8,406
2020	$1,769 (18.1%)	$7,980 (81.9%)	$9,749
2021	$2,629 (24.7%)	$8,028 (75.3%)	$10,657
2022	$4,594 (33.9%)	$8,959 (66.1%)	$13,553

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Circle City Preparatory Elementary 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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	129	321	148.8%
African American	115	276	140%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	8	24	200%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	3	8	166.7%
Two or More Races	3	12	300%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	91.5%	95%	3.5%

Schools Near Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

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
Circle City Preparatory Elementary School	Public, Charter	K-6	4002 N Franklin Road	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	Circle City Prep Charter School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 721-8515	321			95.0%	8 (2.5%)	276 (86.0%)	24 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	12 (3.7%)	19.6	820^th of 1010 public elementary schools	18.8%		30.4	727^th of 1016 public elementary schools	28.4%	93	9.1	31.0	7.9	29.2	24.0		19.1	20.5	36.6	16.2	29.2	12.5		23.5	10.8	$13,553	$4,594	$8,959
Charles Warren Fairbanks School 105	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	8620 Montery Rd	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(317) 226-4105	313	21	14.9	77.6%	7 (2.2%)	130 (41.5%)	166 (53.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.2%)	4.7	1001^st of 1010 public elementary schools	0.9%		4.6	1006^th of 1016 public elementary schools	1.0%	5	4.6	0.0	0.0	8.7			3.6	13.6	7.5	0.0	8.7			8.1	0.0	$16,706	$2,432	$14,274
Tindley Summit Academy	Public, Charter	K-6	3698 Dubarry Rd	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	Tindley Summit Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 545-1745	226	15	15.0	89.8%	4 (1.8%)	187 (82.7%)	24 (10.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (4.4%)	11.1	917^th of 1010 public elementary schools	9.2%		7.3	967^th of 1016 public elementary schools	4.8%	50	19.4	21.4	8.3	21.1			17.8	22.2	7.4	0.0	15.8			12.3	0.0	$11,769	$4,049	$7,721
PLA at George H Fisher School 93	Public, Charter	K-6	7151 E 35th St	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	PLA at George H Fisher School 93	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4293	369	26	14.1	70.5%	5 (1.4%)	258 (69.9%)	83 (22.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	20 (5.4%)	22.3	788^th of 1010 public elementary schools	22.0%		17.6	842^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	17.1%	54	9.6	23.3	17.2	18.2			17.4	34.6	45.0	31.0	18.5			31.9	8.6	$16,917	$4,533	$12,384
PLA@Promise Prep	Public, Charter	K-3	4430 N Post Rd	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	Promise Prep	Yes	No	No	No	(317) 998-4643	69	8	8.6	58.0%	0 (0.0%)	24 (34.8%)	44 (63.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.4%)	5.3	993^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	1.7%					(n/a)	5.9	9.1					7.1	17.7	9.1					14.3		$25,109	$12,207	$12,902
Phalen at Francis Scott Key 103	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	3920 Baker Dr	Indianapolis	46236	Marion County	Phalen Leadership Academy at Francis Scott Key School 103	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4103	538	35	15.3	72.9%	8 (1.5%)	327 (60.8%)	189 (35.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.6%)	7.7	955^th of 1010 public elementary schools	5.4%		8.4	938^th of 1016 public elementary schools	7.7%	17	8.9	7.3	4.1	12.6			8.4	25.3	13.5	8.2	10.3			14.3	5.5	$14,244	$3,683	$10,561
Phalen Leadership Academy - IN Inc	Public, Charter	K-8	3920 Baker Drive	Indianapolis	46235	Marion County	Phalen Leadership Academy - IN Inc	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 333-6980	239	16	14.9	77.8%	0 (0.0%)	211 (88.3%)	14 (5.9%)	1 (0.4%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.6%)	11.7	913^th of 1010 public elementary schools	9.6%		8	951^st of 1016 public elementary schools	6.4%	38	13.8	26.9	22.2	17.7	25.0	42.9	23.4	10.3	11.5	5.6	11.8	0.0	0.0	7.0	5.6	$13,216	$3,504	$9,711
Harrison Hill Elementary School	Public	1-6	7510 E 53rd St	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	MSD Lawrence Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 964-4300	723	40	18.3	87.1%	60 (8.3%)	313 (43.3%)	299 (41.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (6.9%)	9.3	941^st of 1010 public elementary schools	6.8%		9.5	922^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	9.3%	19	9.0	10.8	12.9	12.2			11.2	21.8	15.0	15.5	7.1			14.5	12.1	$10,756	$1,949	$8,807
Brook Park Elementary School	Public	1-6	5259 N David St	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	MSD Lawrence Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 964-4100	617	35	17.6	89.5%	32 (5.2%)	418 (67.7%)	121 (19.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (7.1%)	6.4	980^th of 1010 public elementary schools	3.0%		5	997^th of 1016 public elementary schools	1.9%	17	5.1	5.4	12.1	8.1			7.5	11.1	4.3	13.3	9.1			9.4	7.2	$11,186	$2,514	$8,672
The Nature School of Central Indiana	Public, Charter	K-8	6102 Boy Scout Rd	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	The Nature School of Central Indiana	Yes	No	No	No	(317) 721-7282	142	7	20.2	7.0%	115 (81.0%)	2 (1.4%)	6 (4.2%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (12.0%)	24.3	775^th of 1010 public elementary schools	23.3%		33.1	696^th of 1016 public elementary schools	31.5%	79	26.7	19.1	33.3	33.3	35.7	25.0	28.3	26.7	19.1	26.7	6.7	7.1	25.0	18.5	26.7	$7,415	$959	$6,456

Frequently Asked Questions about Circle City Preparatory Elementary School

What district is Circle City Preparatory Elementary School in?

Circle City Prep Charter School

Is Circle City Preparatory Elementary School a good school?

Circle City Preparatory Elementary School ranks in the bottom 18.8% of Indiana elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Circle City Preparatory Elementary School?

Students at Circle City Preparatory Elementary School are 86% African American, 7% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% White.

How many students attend Circle City Preparatory Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 321 students attended Circle City Preparatory Elementary School.

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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.