South Dearborn High School

Q: Is South Dearborn High School a good school?

South Dearborn High School ranks 206 th of 431 Indiana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

South Dearborn High School is a public high school in Aurora, Indiana, serving 672 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Sunman-Dearborn Community School Corporation, which is ranked 159 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While South Dearborn High School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (93.75%) compared to surrounding schools, its performance lags behind its peers. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated, ranging from 73.0% to 97.1%, lower than the 93.9% to 96.3% range of nearby high schools like East Central High School. Additionally, South Dearborn has experienced a sharp increase in chronic absenteeism, from 17.1% to 40.0%, higher than the 7.4% to 31.9% range of surrounding schools. The school's test scores, particularly in mathematics, are also significantly lower than state and regional averages, with only 15.69% of students proficient or better on the SAT Mathematics exam, compared to the 31.14% state average.

South Dearborn High School's performance has declined over the years, from a ranking of 244 out of 379 Indiana high schools in 2013-2014 to 199 out of 431 in 2023-2024. This suggests the school is struggling to keep up with its peers. The high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (44.49%) may be a contributing factor, as well as the significant increase in chronic absenteeism. Targeted interventions and support may be necessary to improve student outcomes and close the achievement gap at South Dearborn High School.

Detail:

Public 9-12

5770 Highlander Dr
Aurora, IN 47001

(812) 926-3772

District: South Dearborn Community School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
206^th of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,880

Feeder schools for South Dearborn High School:

Elementary:	Aurora Elementary School
	Dillsboro Elementary School
	Manchester Elementary School
Middle:	South Dearborn Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

Number of students: 645

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.8%

Two or more races:

2.6%

Hispanic:

1.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.8%

See top rated Indiana high schools

Compare South Dearborn High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Dearborn High School ranks better than 52.2% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.94. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South Dearborn High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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: White (93.8%), two or more races (2.6%), Hispanic (1.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Dearborn High School is 14.4. (See more...)

Compare South Dearborn High School employs 44.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Dearborn High School is $11,880.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

South Dearborn High School:

SchoolDigger ranks South Dearborn High School 206^th of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See South Dearborn High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

White students:

South Dearborn Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks South Dearborn Community School Corp 157^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for South Dearborn High School?

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Rank History for South Dearborn High School

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Rank History for all students at South Dearborn High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	46.13	227^th	349	35.0%
2006	47.29	229^th	349	34.4%
2007	47.43	230^th	354	35.0%
2008	49.95	225^th	360	37.5%
2009	62.79	153^rd	364	58.0%
2010	26.08	284^th	362	21.5%
2011	57.89	114^th	364	68.7%
2012	46.28	182^nd	373	51.2%
2013	51.74	126^th	353	64.3%
2014	35.65	244^th	379	35.6%
2015	35.35	287^th	400	28.3%
2016	21.29	337^th	394	14.5%
2017	26.75	303^rd	380	20.3%
2018	35.50	276^th	385	28.3%
2019	34.14	272^nd	389	30.1%
2021	23.45	310^th	388	20.1%
2022	38.76	267^th	409	34.7%
2023	24.93	313^th	398	21.4%
2024	48.94	206^th	431	52.2%

See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at South Dearborn High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	20.26	262^nd	285	8.1%
2024	47.68	127^th	289	56.1%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Dearborn High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.11	312^th	379	17.7%
2024	50.48	166^th	377	56.0%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at South Dearborn High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	23.36	313^th	388	19.3%
2024	46.90	196^th	392	50.0%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at South Dearborn High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	24.59	304^th	383	20.6%
2024	46.26	200^th	392	49.0%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at South Dearborn High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	29.65	285^th	378	24.6%
2023	15.92	343^rd	375	8.5%
2024	39.49	224^th	381	41.2%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for White Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for South Dearborn High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	936	2	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	943
1989	869	2	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	879
1990	834	2	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	841
1991	880	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	882
1992	894	0	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	898
1993	958	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	959
1994	981	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	982
1995	1006	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	1010
1996	1006	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	1	1010
1997	989	0	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	2	996
1998	1014	0	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1017
1999	1008	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1009
2000	1019	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1020
2001	991	0	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	993
2002	978	0	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	983
2003	978	0	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	983
2004	966	0	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	971
2005	1022	0	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	1028
2006	971	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	972
2007	975	1	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	4	984
2008	971	2	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	3	979
2009	963	2	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	4	973
2010	886	1	3	0	1	n/a	n/a	10	901
2011	886	0	3	3	2	0	12	0	906
2012	845	0	3	7	1	0	12	0	868
2013	878	0	3	6	1	0	16	0	904
2014	902	0	4	11	2	0	10	0	929
2015	880	0	4	9	3	0	12	0	908
2016	888	0	3	11	3	0	13	0	918
2017	847	0	3	14	3	0	17	0	884
2018	800	0	3	15	2	0	16	0	836
2019	798	2	1	14	2	0	17	0	834
2020	731	1	1	10	3	0	14	0	760
2021	692	1	4	12	2	0	12	0	723
2022	651	4	3	15	1	1	14	0	689
2023	630	7	4	11	1	1	18	0	672
2024	605	7	4	10	1	1	17	0	645

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 South Dearborn High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	943	46.9	20.1	12.5
1989	879	46.4	18.9	9.1
1990	841	48.2	17.4	10.2
1991	882	47.8	18.4	10.9
1992	898	47.2	19.0	11.4
1993	959	47.1	20.4	12.2
1994	982	46.8	21.0	13
1995	1010	48.8	20.7	13.3
1996	1010	48.8	20.7	13.3
1997	996	48.8	20.4	13.4
1998	1017	50.9	20.0	13.7
1999	1009	50.6	19.9	12.9
2000	1020	50.8	20.1	13.3
2001	993	52.5	18.9	13.5
2002	983	52.5	18.7	13.9
2003	983	52.5	18.7	13.9
2004	971	49.5	19.6	14.2
2005	1028	51.8	19.8	13
2006	972	51.2	19.0	14.6
2007	984	n/a	n/a	17
2008	979	49.8	19.7	19.1
2009	973	50.0	19.5	20.7
2010	901	45.3	19.8	25.4
2011	906	48.5	18.6	27.3
2012	868	50.0	17.3	33.3
2013	904	50.0	18.0	38.9
2014	929	49.0	18.9	39.1
2015	908	48.0	18.9	41.4
2016	918	48.0	19.1	38.5
2017	884	48.5	18.2	40
2018	836	51.6	16.1	40.3
2019	834	53.3	15.6	42.9
2020	760	48.5	15.6	38.8
2021	723	44.7	16.1	36.5
2022	689	41.0	16.8	33.8
2023	672	41.5	16.1	44.5
2024	645	44.5	14.4	37.8

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 South Dearborn High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	943	46.9	20.1	12.5
1989	879	46.4	18.9	9.1
1990	841	48.2	17.4	10.2
1991	882	47.8	18.4	10.9
1992	898	47.2	19.0	11.4
1993	959	47.1	20.4	12.2
1994	982	46.8	21.0	13
1995	1010	48.8	20.7	13.3
1996	1010	48.8	20.7	13.3
1997	996	48.8	20.4	13.4
1998	1017	50.9	20.0	13.7
1999	1009	50.6	19.9	12.9
2000	1020	50.8	20.1	13.3
2001	993	52.5	18.9	13.5
2002	983	52.5	18.7	13.9
2003	983	52.5	18.7	13.9
2004	971	49.5	19.6	14.2
2005	1028	51.8	19.8	13
2006	972	51.2	19.0	14.6
2007	984	n/a	n/a	17
2008	979	49.8	19.7	19.1
2009	973	50.0	19.5	20.7
2010	901	45.3	19.8	25.4
2011	906	48.5	18.6	27.3
2012	868	50.0	17.3	33.3
2013	904	50.0	18.0	38.9
2014	929	49.0	18.9	39.1
2015	908	48.0	18.9	41.4
2016	918	48.0	19.1	38.5
2017	884	48.5	18.2	40
2018	836	51.6	16.1	40.3
2019	834	53.3	15.6	42.9
2020	760	48.5	15.6	38.8
2021	723	44.7	16.1	36.5
2022	689	41.0	16.8	33.8
2023	672	41.5	16.1	44.5
2024	645	44.5	14.4	37.8

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 South Dearborn High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$36 (0.4%)	$9,239 (99.6%)	$9,275
2020	$132 (1.3%)	$9,890 (98.7%)	$10,022
2021	$624 (5.9%)	$9,982 (94.1%)	$10,606
2022	$1,000 (8.4%)	$10,880 (91.6%)	$11,880

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Dearborn High 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 272^nd of 389 High schools	Ranks 313^th of 398 High schools	8.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (South Dearborn High School)	3.9	5.9	2%
End of Course Biology (South Dearborn Community School Corp)	29.3	22.7	6.6%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	834	672	19.4%
African American	2	7	250%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	1	4	300%
Hispanic	14	11	21.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	798	630	21.1%
Two or More Races	17	18	5.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42.9%	44.5%	1.6%

Schools Near South Dearborn High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (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	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Dearborn High School	Public	9-12	5770 Highlander Dr	Aurora	47001	Dearborn County	South Dearborn Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 926-3772	645	45	14.4	37.8%	605 (93.8%)	7 (1.1%)	10 (1.6%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (2.6%)	48.9	206^th of 431 public high schools	52.2%		24.9	313^th of 398 public high schools	21.4%	107	55.3	13.7	37.3	$11,880	$1,000	$10,880
Lawrenceburg High School	Public	9-12	100 Tiger Blvd	Lawrenceburg	47025	Dearborn County	Lawrenceburg Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 537-7219	728	40	18.2	38.2%	626 (86.0%)	14 (1.9%)	20 (2.7%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (8.2%)	53.2	173^rd of 431 public high schools	59.9%		48.5	185^th of 398 public high schools	53.5%	12	53.4	19.0	38.3	$11,400	$927	$10,473
Rising Sun High School	Public	9-12	120 S Henrietta St	Rising Sun	47040	Ohio County	Rising Sun-Ohio County Com	No	No	No	No	(812) 438-2652	233	19	12.3	39.9%	228 (97.9%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	47.1	220^th of 431 public high schools	49.0%		46.4	200^th of 398 public high schools	49.7%	20	50.9	13.2	41.9	$14,428	$1,105	$13,323
Milan High School	Public	9-12	609 N Warpath Dr	Milan	47031	Ripley County	Milan Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(812) 654-3096	316	25	12.4	47.8%	301 (95.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	52.7	181^st of 431 public high schools	58.0%		36.3	265^th of 398 public high schools	33.4%	84	46.9	19.8	46.8	$12,351	$839	$11,511
East Central High School	Public	9-12	1 Trojan Pl - Suite A	Saint Leon	47012	Franklin County	Sunman-Dearborn Com School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 576-4811	1,246	68	18.2	19.3%	1,179 (94.6%)	5 (0.4%)	25 (2.0%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (2.6%)	75.6	59^th of 431 public high schools	86.3%		76	53^rd of 398 public high schools	86.7%	6	60.3	35.5	51.5	$10,653	$765	$9,887
South Ripley High School	Public	9-12	1589 S Benham Rd	Versailles	47042	Ripley County	South Ripley Com School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 689-5303	345	25	13.8	54.2%	326 (94.5%)	1 (0.3%)	8 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.0%)	37	276^th of 431 public high schools	36.0%		31.8	285^th of 398 public high schools	28.4%	9	42.7	11.2	37.7	$12,512	$1,004	$11,509
Southeastern Career Center	Public	6-12	901 West US 50	Versailles	47042	Ripley County	Southeastern Career Center	No	No	No	No	(812) 689-5253	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

South Dearborn High School

South Dearborn High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

South Dearborn Community School Corp:

What do you think?

Rank History for South Dearborn High School

Rank History for all students at South Dearborn High School

Rank History for Special Education students at South Dearborn High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at South Dearborn High School

Rank History for Female students at South Dearborn High School

Rank History for Male students at South Dearborn High School

Rank History for White students at South Dearborn High School

Enrollment information for South Dearborn High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at South Dearborn High School

Student/Teacher Ratio South Dearborn High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for South Dearborn High School

Impact of COVID-19 on South Dearborn High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near South Dearborn High School

South Dearborn High School

Lawrenceburg High School

Rising Sun High School

Milan High School

East Central High School

South Ripley High School

Southeastern Career Center

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