James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

Summary:

James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is a public charter middle school serving 284 students in grades 7-8 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school has a predominantly African American (68%) and Hispanic (27%) student population and has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing middle schools in the state.

The school faces significant challenges, including very high chronic absenteeism rates (reaching 64.6% in 2021-2022), extremely low academic performance (only 10.11% of students were proficient in English Language Arts and 10.57% in Math in 2023-2024), and a high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch (76.37% to 84.53% over the past 3 years). Despite relatively high spending per student (ranging from $11,590 to $19,622 over the past 4 years), the school's academic outcomes are poor compared to nearby middle schools, such as Raymond Park Intermediate & Middle (19.96% proficiency in ELA), Merle Sidener Gifted Academy (72.14% proficiency in ELA), and Fall Creek Valley Middle School (38.62% proficiency in ELA).

The school's high percentage of African American and Hispanic students, coupled with its poor academic performance and high chronic absenteeism, suggest the need for a comprehensive review of educational strategies, resource allocation, and support systems to address the root causes of the school's underperformance. This may include the implementation of culturally responsive teaching practices and targeted interventions to improve student engagement and academic achievement, as the school aims to better serve the needs of its diverse student population within the Indianapolis Public Schools district and the broader MSD Warren Township community.

Detail:

Public, Charter 7-8

4352 Mitthoeffer Road
Indianapolis, IN 46235

(317) 552-1600

District: James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

SchoolDigger Rank:
430^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $19,622

Student/teacher ratio: 16.7

Number of students: 284

Racial breakdown:

African American:

68.0%

Hispanic:

26.8%

White:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 76.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School ranks worse than 88.7% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.89. (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 (68%), Hispanic (26.8%), White (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 76.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is 16.7. (See more...)

Compare James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School employs 17 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is $19,622.

Schooldigger Rankings:

James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School 430^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School in the ranking list.)

James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School 341^st of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2019	7.97	440^th	470	6.4%
2021	7.50	454^th	483	6.0%
2022	9.61	450^th	490	8.2%
2023	9.49	452^nd	489	7.6%
2024	11.89	430^th	485	11.3%

See the entire list of Indiana Middle 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 James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2018	5	90	18	0	6	119
2019	9	204	45	0	3	261
2020	20	342	91	0	16	469
2021	12	208	46	0	12	278
2022	5	174	53	1	4	237
2023	7	193	76	3	5	284

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 James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	119	13.0	9.1	93.3
2019	261	30.1	8.6	78.9
2020	469	38.9	12.0	76.5
2021	278	20.0	13.9	84.5
2022	237	16.0	14.8	76.4
2023	284	17.0	16.7	76.4

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 James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2018	119	13.0	9.1	93.3
2019	261	30.1	8.6	78.9
2020	469	38.9	12.0	76.5
2021	278	20.0	13.9	84.5
2022	237	16.0	14.8	76.4
2023	284	17.0	16.7	76.4

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 James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,097 (8.1%)	$12,438 (91.9%)	$13,535
2020	$1,779 (15.3%)	$9,811 (84.7%)	$11,590
2021	$3,965 (28.6%)	$9,908 (71.4%)	$13,873
2022	$5,219 (26.6%)	$14,403 (73.4%)	$19,622

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle 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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 440^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 452^nd of 489 Middle schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	29	11.5	17.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	29	11.5	17.6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	11.8	9.9	1.9%
7th Grade Math (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	11.8	9.9	1.9%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	23.9	16.1	7.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	23.9	16.1	7.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	3.4	0.7	2.7%
8th Grade Math (James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School)	3.4	0.7	2.7%
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	261	284	8.8%
African American	204	193	5.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	45	76	68.9%
Pacific Islander	0	3
White	9	7	22.2%
Two or More Races	3	5	66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	78.9%	76.4%	2.5%

Schools Near James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle 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)	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 (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 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
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School	Public, Charter	7-8	4352 Mitthoeffer Road	Indianapolis	46235	Marion County	James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 552-1600	284	17	16.7	76.4%	7 (2.5%)	193 (68.0%)	76 (26.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	5 (1.8%)	11.9	430^th of 485 public middle schools	11.3%		9.5	452^nd of 489 public middle schools	7.6%	22			11.8	8.8	10.1			15.3	6.8	10.6			$19,622	$5,219	$14,403
Circle City Preparatory Middle School	Public, Charter	6-7	4002 N. Franklin Rd.	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	Circle City Prep Charter School	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(317) 643-4209	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Fall Creek Valley Middle School	Public	7-8	9701 E 63rd St	Indianapolis	46236	Marion County	MSD Lawrence Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 964-6600	1,351	65	20.8	67.9%	257 (19.0%)	577 (42.7%)	409 (30.3%)	9 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	98 (7.3%)	37.5	315^th of 485 public middle schools	35.1%		30.5	342^nd of 489 public middle schools	30.1%	27			36.1	38.0	37.0			18.1	12.3	15.2		73.2	$9,124	$761	$8,363
Stonybrook Intermediate & Middle	Public	5-8	11300 Stonybrook Dr	Indianapolis	46229	Marion County	MSD Warren Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 532-8800	1,126	80	14.1	78.1%	80 (7.1%)	712 (63.2%)	245 (21.8%)	4 (0.4%)	4 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	81 (7.2%)	12	428^th of 485 public middle schools	11.8%		9.4	453^rd of 489 public middle schools	7.4%	25	14.8	13.6	17.3	22.6	17.2	11.0	8.3	3.8	3.7	6.5	9.8		$11,183	$1,377	$9,807
Belzer Middle School	Public	7-8	7555 E 56th St	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	MSD Lawrence Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 964-6200	1,183	62	18.9	80.7%	142 (12.0%)	623 (52.7%)	345 (29.2%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (5.7%)	14.7	413^th of 485 public middle schools	14.8%		13.2	428^th of 489 public middle schools	12.5%	15			17.7	19.5	18.7			10.1	8.2	9.1		83.0	$10,349	$809	$9,540
Irvington Community Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	6040 E. Pleasant Run Parkway	Indianapolis	46219	Marion County	Irvington Community School	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(317) 357-1170	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	33.7	328^th of 485 public middle schools	32.4%					(n/a)		22.7	38.4	36.6	32.9		15.2	13.7	19.7	16.2
Eastwood Middle School	Public	6-8	4401 E 62nd St	Indianapolis	46220	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 259-5401	782	63	12.3	51.9%	298 (38.1%)	318 (40.7%)	111 (14.2%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (6.0%)	50.3	240^th of 485 public middle schools	50.5%		50.2	241^st of 489 public middle schools	50.7%	1		37.4	39.4	39.1	38.6		32.5	28.9	21.0	27.4		80.0	$11,998	$1,238	$10,760
Creston Intermediate & Middle School	Public	5-8	10925 E Prospect St	Indianapolis	46239	Marion County	MSD Warren Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 532-6800	1,125	76	14.8	75.2%	128 (11.4%)	706 (62.8%)	188 (16.7%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	98 (8.7%)	12.5	427^th of 485 public middle schools	12.0%		15.5	415^th of 489 public middle schools	15.1%	12	15.7	13.6	19.9	14.9	16.0	9.2	9.9	8.6	6.7	8.6	6.9		$11,368	$1,439	$9,929
Avondale Meadows Middle School	Public, Charter	5-8	3980 Meadows Dr	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Avondale Meadows Middle School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 550-3363	192	14	13.7	88.5%	4 (2.1%)	179 (93.2%)	2 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.1%)	18.1	396^th of 485 public middle schools	18.4%		21.5	382^nd of 489 public middle schools	21.9%	14	5.9	15.6	15.4	41.3	19.1	9.8	6.7	3.9	4.3	6.2	9.8		$11,225	$3,627	$7,599
Raymond Park Intermediate & Middle	Public	5-8	8575 E Raymond St	Indianapolis	46239	Marion County	MSD Warren Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 532-8900	1,016	77	13.1	71.9%	249 (24.5%)	443 (43.6%)	232 (22.8%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	85 (8.4%)	16	410^th of 485 public middle schools	15.5%		18.9	399^th of 489 public middle schools	18.4%	11	22.8	17.0	18.5	21.7	20.0	21.3	16.7	10.4	6.1	13.6	12.6		$11,991	$1,500	$10,492

Frequently Asked Questions about James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

What is the racial makeup of James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?

Students at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School are 68% African American, 27% Hispanic, 2% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Pacific Islander.

How many students attend James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 284 students attended James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School.

What district is James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School in?

James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School

Is James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School a good school?

James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School ranks in the bottom 11.3% of Indiana middle schools.

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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.