Is W D Richards Elementary School a good school?

W D Richards Elementary School ranks 561 st of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend W D Richards Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 608 students attended W D Richards Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of W D Richards Elementary School?

Students at W D Richards Elementary School are 63% White, 22% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of W D Richards Elementary School attend?

Students who attend W D Richards Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Northside Middle School High : Columbus East High School

W D Richards Elementary School

Summary:

W D Richards Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-6 in Columbus, Indiana, with a student population of 584. The school is part of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation district, which is ranked 160 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While W D Richards Elementary has a diverse student population, with significant Hispanic and Asian populations, it faces some challenges compared to other schools in the district. The school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 4.4% in 2020-2021 to 13.7% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district average of 9.4%. Additionally, W D Richards Elementary generally performs below the district and state averages in both English Language Arts and Math proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's ELA proficiency rate for all grades was 36.12%, compared to 40.21% for the district and 38.6% for the state, and its Math proficiency rate was 39.7%, compared to 40.45% for the district and 52.4% for the state.

Interestingly, when compared to other nearby schools in the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corporation district, such as Southside Elementary and CSA Lincoln Campus, W D Richards Elementary generally underperforms, with significantly higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism rates at those schools. Additionally, W D Richards Elementary has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 40.92% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district average of 19.67% for Southside Elementary.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-6

3311 Fairlawn Dr
Columbus, IN 47203

(812) 376-4311

District: Bartholomew Con School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
561^st of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,932

Students who attend W D Richards Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Northside Middle School
High:	Columbus East High School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.1

Number of students: 608

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.3%

Hispanic:

22.2%

Two or more races:

6.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.9%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare W D Richards Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details W D Richards Elementary School ranks worse than 55.5% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 5^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Bartholomew Con School Corp District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.65. (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: White (63.3%), Hispanic (22.2%), two or more races (6.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at W D Richards Elementary School is 20.1. 10 elementary schools in the Bartholomew Con School Corp District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare W D Richards Elementary School employs 30.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at W D Richards Elementary School is $9,932. 9 elementary schools in the Bartholomew Con School Corp District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

W D Richards Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Bartholomew Con School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks Bartholomew Con School Corp 161^st of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for W D Richards Elementary School?

(Ranking FAQ)

Rank History for W D Richards Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	49.02	202^nd	326	38.0%
2005	67.36	294^th	959	69.3%
2006	57.63	444^th	961	53.8%
2007	50.90	574^th	985	41.7%
2008	55.37	518^th	996	48.0%
2009	55.92	517^th	1003	48.5%
2010	53.30	564^th	1009	44.1%
2011	64.37	397^th	1025	61.3%
2012	69.73	289^th	1015	71.5%
2013	65.86	382^nd	1035	63.1%
2014	64.63	408^th	1036	60.6%
2015	61.95	427^th	1040	58.9%
2016	65.99	378^th	1046	63.9%
2017	58.46	482^nd	1033	53.3%
2018	62.57	420^th	1027	59.1%
2019	59.97	428^th	1031	58.5%
2021	61.19	395^th	1016	61.1%
2022	59.07	431^st	1020	57.7%
2023	61.84	393^rd	1016	61.3%
2024	46.65	561^st	1010	44.5%

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

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for W D Richards Elementary School.

If you have first-hand knowledge about W D Richards Elementary School, submit a rating!

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for W D Richards Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	431	18	8	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	460
1989	422	18	11	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
1990	409	21	10	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	443
1991	384	25	20	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	429
1992	414	21	20	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	459
1993	363	18	17	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	402
1994	326	15	21	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	363
1995	369	13	23	4	0	n/a	n/a	5	414
1996	369	13	23	4	0	n/a	n/a	5	414
1997	428	15	21	1	0	n/a	n/a	7	472
1998	493	20	25	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	539
1999	526	16	20	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	565
2000	508	14	19	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	549
2001	506	13	26	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	555
2002	544	14	26	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	602
2003	544	14	26	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	602
2004	577	12	23	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	632
2005	557	15	22	28	0	n/a	n/a	0	622
2006	551	8	21	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	604
2007	543	10	14	24	0	n/a	n/a	27	618
2008	511	9	14	32	2	n/a	n/a	27	595
2009	460	7	12	43	1	n/a	n/a	32	555
2010	495	11	18	38	2	n/a	n/a	40	604
2011	451	15	19	43	2	0	31	0	561
2012	482	12	16	39	4	0	28	0	581
2013	452	7	19	53	5	1	31	0	568
2014	452	7	13	69	4	1	25	0	571
2015	438	6	11	89	5	1	21	0	571
2016	427	12	13	119	3	2	21	0	597
2017	431	9	12	113	3	2	20	0	590
2018	413	11	13	119	5	2	20	0	583
2019	389	13	22	109	2	2	29	0	566
2020	378	13	25	109	0	1	29	0	555
2021	364	11	32	119	0	0	28	0	554
2022	352	11	36	117	0	0	28	0	544
2023	384	18	31	120	0	0	31	0	584
2024	385	20	29	135	0	0	39	0	608

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 W D Richards Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	460	22.3	20.6	5.9
1989	451	21.5	20.9	7.1
1990	443	22.5	19.6	8.1
1991	429	23.7	18.1	9.1
1992	459	21.0	21.8	9.2
1993	402	20.1	20.0	7.2
1994	363	19.0	19.1	6.1
1995	414	22.2	18.6	6.1
1996	414	22.2	18.6	6.1
1997	472	22.0	21.5	6.9
1998	539	19.2	28.1	6.3
1999	565	23.2	24.4	10.6
2000	549	25.4	21.6	16
2001	555	28.9	19.2	15.1
2002	602	28.8	20.9	18.1
2003	602	28.8	20.9	18.1
2004	632	29.1	21.7	23.9
2005	622	29.8	20.9	22.7
2006	604	27.8	21.7	22.8
2007	618	n/a	n/a	28.6
2008	595	26.1	22.8	29.8
2009	555	23.0	24.1	34.4
2010	604	26.1	23.0	44
2011	561	27.0	20.7	38.3
2012	581	26.0	22.3	39.4
2013	568	27.0	21.0	40.8
2014	571	27.0	21.1	41.7
2015	571	27.0	21.1	44.1
2016	597	29.0	20.5	44.2
2017	590	30.0	19.6	44.1
2018	583	26.9	21.6	46.7
2019	566	27.4	20.6	42.9
2020	555	27.2	20.3	43.1
2021	554	26.5	20.9	40.1
2022	544	30.0	18.1	34.6
2023	584	31.5	18.5	40.9
2024	608	30.1	20.1	46.9

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 W D Richards Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	460	22.3	20.6	5.9
1989	451	21.5	20.9	7.1
1990	443	22.5	19.6	8.1
1991	429	23.7	18.1	9.1
1992	459	21.0	21.8	9.2
1993	402	20.1	20.0	7.2
1994	363	19.0	19.1	6.1
1995	414	22.2	18.6	6.1
1996	414	22.2	18.6	6.1
1997	472	22.0	21.5	6.9
1998	539	19.2	28.1	6.3
1999	565	23.2	24.4	10.6
2000	549	25.4	21.6	16
2001	555	28.9	19.2	15.1
2002	602	28.8	20.9	18.1
2003	602	28.8	20.9	18.1
2004	632	29.1	21.7	23.9
2005	622	29.8	20.9	22.7
2006	604	27.8	21.7	22.8
2007	618	n/a	n/a	28.6
2008	595	26.1	22.8	29.8
2009	555	23.0	24.1	34.4
2010	604	26.1	23.0	44
2011	561	27.0	20.7	38.3
2012	581	26.0	22.3	39.4
2013	568	27.0	21.0	40.8
2014	571	27.0	21.1	41.7
2015	571	27.0	21.1	44.1
2016	597	29.0	20.5	44.2
2017	590	30.0	19.6	44.1
2018	583	26.9	21.6	46.7
2019	566	27.4	20.6	42.9
2020	555	27.2	20.3	43.1
2021	554	26.5	20.9	40.1
2022	544	30.0	18.1	34.6
2023	584	31.5	18.5	40.9
2024	608	30.1	20.1	46.9

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 W D Richards Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$211 (2.5%)	$8,270 (97.5%)	$8,481
2020	$401 (4.8%)	$8,036 (95.2%)	$8,438
2021	$510 (5.8%)	$8,357 (94.2%)	$8,867
2022	$844 (8.5%)	$9,088 (91.5%)	$9,932

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on W D Richards 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.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 428^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 393^rd of 1016 Elementary schools	2.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (W D Richards Elementary School)	35.2	30.7	4.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	47	39.5	7.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (W D Richards Elementary School)	39.4	53.3	13.9%
3rd Grade Math (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	53.4	49.5	3.9%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (W D Richards Elementary School)	60.5	46.9	13.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	50.8	39	11.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (W D Richards Elementary School)	50	53.1	3.1%
4th Grade Math (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	53.6	44	9.6%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (W D Richards Elementary School)	53.5	35.8	17.7%
4th Grade Science (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	47.3	33.8	13.5%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (W D Richards Elementary School)	52.2	41	11.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	53	41.8	11.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (W D Richards Elementary School)	49.3	46.2	3.1%
5th Grade Math (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	50.2	44	6.2%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (W D Richards Elementary School)	37.7	29.5	8.2%
5th Grade Social Studies (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	44.8	38.5	6.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (W D Richards Elementary School)	58.6	49.4	9.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	54.3	43.3	11%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (W D Richards Elementary School)	57.5	49.4	8.1%
6th Grade Math (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	56.4	41.5	14.9%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (W D Richards Elementary School)	59.8	45.7	14.1%
6th Grade Science (Bartholomew Con School Corp)	48.1	35.5	12.6%
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	566	584	3.2%
African American	13	18	38.5%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	22	31	40.9%
Hispanic	109	120	10.1%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	389	384	1.3%
Two or More Races	29	31	6.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	42.9%	40.9%	2%

Schools Near W D Richards 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 All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th 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
W D Richards Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3311 Fairlawn Dr	Columbus	47203	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4311	608	30	20.1	46.9%	385 (63.3%)	20 (3.3%)	135 (22.2%)	29 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (6.4%)	46.7	561^st of 1010 public elementary schools	44.5%		61.8	393^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	61.3%	168	29.4	36.3	41.2	37.7	36.1	45.9	41.3	43.5	28.2	39.7	28.2	$9,932	$844	$9,088
L F Smith Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	4505 Waycross Dr	Columbus	47203	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 376-4317	431	29	15.1	62.4%	334 (77.5%)	12 (2.8%)	53 (12.3%)	4 (0.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (6.0%)	41.3	614^th of 1010 public elementary schools	39.2%		43.9	598^th of 1016 public elementary schools	41.1%	16	23.0	49.2	36.7	27.1	33.7	31.2	54.1	31.7	22.9	34.5	31.7	$11,362	$1,695	$9,667
Clifty Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	4625 E 50 N	Columbus	47203	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 376-4342	679	44	15.3	72.5%	335 (49.3%)	30 (4.4%)	268 (39.5%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.4%)	25.9	762^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	24.6%		29.8	730^th of 1016 public elementary schools	28.1%	32	18.2	30.9	25.9	22.7	24.6	26.1	26.6	38.3	27.3	29.5	14.8	$10,630	$1,306	$9,324
Parkside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1400 Parkside Dr	Columbus	47203	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4314	724	44	16.3	46.5%	422 (58.3%)	15 (2.1%)	171 (23.6%)	73 (10.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (5.8%)	70.6	289^th of 1010 public elementary schools	71.4%		66.6	343^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	66.2%	54	44.9	48.6	47.8	51.4	48.3	59.6	50.5	41.8	50.5	50.1	46.3	$10,359	$1,046	$9,313
Lillian Schmitt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	2675 California	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 376-4307	689	39	17.8	72.0%	443 (64.3%)	33 (4.8%)	133 (19.3%)	6 (0.9%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (10.2%)	37.1	659^th of 1010 public elementary schools	34.8%		37.3	661^st of 1016 public elementary schools	34.9%	2	31.8	38.5	29.8	31.3	32.5	43.9	46.8	29.8	19.2	34.5	19.4	$10,309	$1,523	$8,786
Richard L Johnson Early Educ Center	Public	PK	1209 S Sycamore St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4569	83	8	11.0	60.2%	51 (61.4%)	6 (7.2%)	16 (19.3%)	2 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (9.6%)								(n/a)												$15,570	$4,371	$11,198
CSA Fodrea Campus	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	2775 Illinois St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	Yes	No	No	(812) 376-4321	351	19	18.8	47.0%	183 (52.1%)	4 (1.1%)	46 (13.1%)	85 (24.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (9.1%)	38	651^st of 1010 public elementary schools	35.5%		31	721^st of 1016 public elementary schools	29.0%	70	31.0	35.6	23.9	42.1	32.8	47.6	26.7	34.8	29.0	34.5	22.2	$10,186	$834	$9,352
CSA Lincoln Campus	Public	K-6	750 5th St	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4447	366	18	20.7	26.2%	288 (78.7%)	3 (0.8%)	33 (9.0%)	28 (7.7%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	12 (3.3%)	95	28^th of 1010 public elementary schools	97.2%		90.8	63^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	93.8%	35	64.2	70.6	84.3	84.9	76.0	88.7	84.3	74.5	86.8	83.7	47.1	$9,727	$541	$9,186
Southside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1320 W 200 S	Columbus	47201	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(812) 376-4423	893	48	18.6	19.4%	435 (48.7%)	26 (2.9%)	103 (11.5%)	293 (32.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (3.8%)	85.6	116^th of 1010 public elementary schools	88.5%		87.1	97^th of 1016 public elementary schools	90.5%	19	49.0	60.3	59.3	60.3	57.0	66.7	67.2	61.9	58.0	63.6	53.4	$10,192	$863	$9,328
Taylorsville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	9711 Walnut St	Taylorsville	47280	Bartholomew County	Bartholomew Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 526-5448	587	34	17.2	77.3%	331 (56.4%)	7 (1.2%)	223 (38.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.4%)	35	677^th of 1010 public elementary schools	33.0%		28.7	741^st of 1016 public elementary schools	27.1%	64	34.2	25.0	34.2	33.3	31.3	51.3	28.4	23.7	26.4	32.0	22.4	$11,504	$1,673	$9,830

W D Richards Elementary School

Bartholomew Con School Corp:

What do you think?

Rank History for W D Richards Elementary School

Enrollment information for W D Richards Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at W D Richards Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio W D Richards Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for W D Richards Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on W D Richards Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near W D Richards Elementary School