Van Buren Elementary School

Q: Is Van Buren Elementary School a good school?

Van Buren Elementary School ranks 223 rd of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Van Buren Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Brazil, Indiana, serving 246 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Clay Community Schools district, which is ranked 70 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Van Buren Elementary School stands out for its strong performance on ILEARN tests, particularly in math, where 60% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in 2023-2024, outpacing the district (51.21%) and state (52.4%) averages. The school also excelled in 5th-grade social studies. However, Van Buren has a higher chronic absenteeism rate (14.0% in 2022-2023) compared to the state average and nearby schools like Staunton Elementary and East Side Elementary, which are higher-performing. Additionally, the school serves a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students, with 65.45% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023.

While Van Buren Elementary School has shown strengths in certain academic areas, its statewide ranking and SchoolDigger star rating have declined in recent years, from a high of 131 out of 1,033 Indiana elementary schools and a 4-star rating in 2016-2017 to a ranking of 223 out of 1,010 and a 4-star rating in 2023-2024. By addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism and leveraging the practices of higher-performing nearby schools, Van Buren can work to improve its overall performance and provide a high-quality education for all its students.

Detail:

Public K-5

2075 E Cr 1200 N
Brazil, IN 47834

(812) 448-1362

District: Clay Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
223^rd of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,202

Students who attend Van Buren Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	North Clay Middle School
High:	Clay City Junior-Senior High School
	Northview High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 246

Racial breakdown:

White:

94.7%

Hispanic:

2.8%

Two or more races:

1.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 65.4%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Van Buren Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Van Buren Elementary School ranks better than 77.9% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 4^th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Clay Community Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 76.01. (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 (94.7%), Hispanic (2.8%), two or more races (1.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 65.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Van Buren Elementary School is 13.6, which is the 2^nd best among 7 elementary schools in the Clay Community Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Van Buren Elementary School employs 17.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Van Buren Elementary School is $11,202, which is the 3^rd highest among 7 elementary schools in the Clay Community Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Van Buren Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Clay Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Clay Community Schools 79^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Van Buren Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	37.69	691^st	959	27.9%
2006	36.32	701^st	961	27.1%
2007	41.61	680^th	985	31.0%
2008	34.33	768^th	996	22.9%
2009	59.15	466^th	1003	53.5%
2010	49.09	612^th	1009	39.3%
2011	64.05	404^th	1025	60.6%
2012	66.82	341^st	1015	66.4%
2013	63.33	424^th	1035	59.0%
2014	70.01	306^th	1036	70.5%
2015	62.15	423^rd	1040	59.3%
2016	71.52	277^th	1046	73.5%
2017	82.64	131^st	1033	87.3%
2018	75.05	229^th	1027	77.7%
2019	69.14	311^th	1031	69.8%
2021	54.74	482^nd	1016	52.6%
2022	57.33	456^th	1020	55.3%
2023	71.71	281^st	1016	72.3%
2024	76.01	223^rd	1010	77.9%

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 Van Buren Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	337	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	338
1989	329	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	329
1990	336	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	336
1991	339	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	339
1992	347	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	348
1993	355	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	355
1994	332	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	332
1995	313	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	313
1996	313	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	313
1997	327	4	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	333
1998	332	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	332
1999	272	1	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	275
2000	272	1	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	276
2001	254	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	254
2002	236	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	239
2003	236	3	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	239
2004	230	0	0	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	232
2005	212	0	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	216
2006	222	0	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	223
2007	226	0	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	1	230
2008	232	1	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	2	238
2009	221	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	2	226
2010	230	1	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	2	237
2011	229	0	1	4	1	0	4	0	239
2012	219	0	1	3	0	0	3	0	226
2013	239	2	1	3	0	0	4	0	249
2014	238	0	1	3	1	0	6	0	249
2015	245	0	1	1	0	0	4	0	251
2016	235	1	0	3	0	1	5	0	245
2017	230	1	0	2	0	0	11	0	244
2018	243	0	0	3	0	0	7	0	253
2019	242	1	0	6	1	0	9	0	259
2020	253	1	0	4	1	0	7	0	266
2021	211	1	0	1	1	0	8	0	222
2022	221	0	0	4	0	1	6	0	232
2023	233	0	0	7	0	2	4	0	246

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 Van Buren Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	338	17.8	18.9	16.9
1989	329	17.8	18.4	4.9
1990	336	18.1	18.5	11.6
1991	339	18.3	18.5	18
1992	348	15.6	22.3	17.8
1993	355	15.5	22.9	16.3
1994	332	15.7	21.1	43.1
1995	313	15.7	19.9	17.9
1996	313	15.7	19.9	17.9
1997	333	15.1	22.1	19.3
1998	332	15.3	21.7	18.7
1999	275	13.4	20.5	35.6
2000	276	14.4	19.2	31.5
2001	254	13.9	18.3	21.3
2002	239	14.2	16.8	35.1
2003	239	14.2	16.8	35.1
2004	232	13.8	16.8	39.7
2005	216	12.9	16.7	39.8
2006	223	12.9	17.3	43.5
2007	230	n/a	n/a	45.9
2008	238	14.4	16.5	55.5
2009	226	14.7	15.4	58.9
2010	237	14.3	16.4	58.7
2011	239	12.9	18.3	59.8
2012	226	15.7	14.3	62.8
2013	249	16.7	14.9	65.5
2014	249	15.7	15.8	64.7
2015	251	17.0	14.7	64.9
2016	245	18.0	13.6	65.7
2017	244	16.7	14.6	61.1
2018	253	17.2	14.6	60.5
2019	259	18.7	13.8	61.8
2020	266	19.7	13.5	64.3
2021	222	18.8	11.7	69.4
2022	232	18.9	12.2	60.3
2023	246	17.9	13.6	65.4

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 Van Buren Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	338	17.8	18.9	16.9
1989	329	17.8	18.4	4.9
1990	336	18.1	18.5	11.6
1991	339	18.3	18.5	18
1992	348	15.6	22.3	17.8
1993	355	15.5	22.9	16.3
1994	332	15.7	21.1	43.1
1995	313	15.7	19.9	17.9
1996	313	15.7	19.9	17.9
1997	333	15.1	22.1	19.3
1998	332	15.3	21.7	18.7
1999	275	13.4	20.5	35.6
2000	276	14.4	19.2	31.5
2001	254	13.9	18.3	21.3
2002	239	14.2	16.8	35.1
2003	239	14.2	16.8	35.1
2004	232	13.8	16.8	39.7
2005	216	12.9	16.7	39.8
2006	223	12.9	17.3	43.5
2007	230	n/a	n/a	45.9
2008	238	14.4	16.5	55.5
2009	226	14.7	15.4	58.9
2010	237	14.3	16.4	58.7
2011	239	12.9	18.3	59.8
2012	226	15.7	14.3	62.8
2013	249	16.7	14.9	65.5
2014	249	15.7	15.8	64.7
2015	251	17.0	14.7	64.9
2016	245	18.0	13.6	65.7
2017	244	16.7	14.6	61.1
2018	253	17.2	14.6	60.5
2019	259	18.7	13.8	61.8
2020	266	19.7	13.5	64.3
2021	222	18.8	11.7	69.4
2022	232	18.9	12.2	60.3
2023	246	17.9	13.6	65.4

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 Van Buren Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$499 (6.2%)	$7,602 (93.8%)	$8,101
2020	$666 (8.2%)	$7,497 (91.9%)	$8,162
2021	$1,218 (11.8%)	$9,070 (88.2%)	$10,288
2022	$1,669 (14.9%)	$9,533 (85.1%)	$11,202

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Van Buren 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 311^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 281^st of 1016 Elementary schools	2.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Van Buren Elementary School)	64.3	37.5	26.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Clay Community Schools)	49.3	49.3	0%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Van Buren Elementary School)	69.8	66.7	3.1%
3rd Grade Math (Clay Community Schools)	71.1	66.6	4.5%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Van Buren Elementary School)	42.5	41.7	0.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Community Schools)	48	51.6	3.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Van Buren Elementary School)	57.5	55.6	1.9%
4th Grade Math (Clay Community Schools)	67.5	65.9	1.7%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Van Buren Elementary School)	47.5	47.2	0.3%
4th Grade Science (Clay Community Schools)	52.3	50.5	1.8%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Van Buren Elementary School)	62.2	40.9	21.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Community Schools)	53.7	51.6	2.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Van Buren Elementary School)	51.4	68.2	16.8%
5th Grade Math (Clay Community Schools)	57.7	60.5	2.8%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Van Buren Elementary School)	62.2	59.1	3.1%
5th Grade Social Studies (Clay Community Schools)	59.1	54.6	4.5%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	259	246	5%
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	6	7	16.7%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	242	233	3.7%
Two or More Races	9	4	55.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.8%	65.4%	3.7%

Schools Near Van Buren 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
Van Buren Elementary School	Public	K-5	2075 E Cr 1200 N	Brazil	47834	Clay County	Clay Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 448-1362	246	18	13.6	65.4%	233 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	4 (1.6%)	76	223^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	77.9%		71.7	281^st of 1016 public elementary schools	72.3%	58	55.3	34.0	58.3		47.9	68.4	57.5	54.3		60.0	71.4	$11,202	$1,669	$9,533
East Side Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	936 E National	Brazil	47834	Clay County	Clay Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 448-8755	207	14	14.6	74.4%	196 (94.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.9%)	84.1	137^th of 1010 public elementary schools	86.4%		74.7	233^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	77.1%	96	53.1	54.2	68.8		59.1	75.0	54.2	68.8		67.1	46.9	$11,519	$1,979	$9,540
Meridian Street Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	410 N Meridian	Brazil	47834	Clay County	Clay Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 448-8560	289	16	18.5	64.4%	275 (95.2%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	75.4	232^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	77.0%		73.4	257^th of 1016 public elementary schools	74.7%	25	44.2	48.8	58.3		50.0	53.5	63.4	61.1		59.2	50.0	$9,637	$1,699	$7,938
Forest Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	800 S Alabama St	Brazil	47834	Clay County	Clay Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(812) 443-7621	250	24	10.4	74.4%	229 (91.6%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.2%)	2 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.4%)	25.3	767^th of 1010 public elementary schools	24.1%		31.5	713^th of 1016 public elementary schools	29.8%	54	21.9	15.6	26.5		21.4	40.6	34.4	26.5		33.7	20.6	$11,302	$2,080	$9,222
Jackson Township Elementary School	Public	K-5	1860 E Cr 600 N	Brazil	47834	Clay County	Clay Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(812) 986-2177	253	16	16.2	43.1%	234 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	14 (5.5%)	75.4	233^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	76.9%		84.2	139^th of 1016 public elementary schools	86.3%	94	29.6	54.9	55.8		47.1	61.4	70.6	58.1		63.8	48.8	$9,389	$681	$8,708
Staunton Elementary School	Public	K-5	6990 N Cr 425 W	Brazil	47834	Clay County	Clay Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(812) 448-8270	366	17	20.9	48.4%	337 (92.1%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.3%)	91.3	61^st of 1010 public elementary schools	94.0%		90.2	67^th of 1016 public elementary schools	93.4%	6	57.4	58.3	83.6		66.9	61.1	78.3	86.9		76.0	75.4	$7,924	$880	$7,044
Rosedale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	613 E Central	Rosedale	47874	Parke County	Southwest Parke Com School Corp	No	No	No	No	(765) 548-2454	312	22	13.9	53.2%	300 (96.2%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.2%)	63.7	370^th of 1010 public elementary schools	63.4%		62.7	382^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	62.4%	12	59.6	25.6	31.0	46.3	41.4	72.3	69.2	45.2	41.5	57.4	28.6	$9,910	$1,599	$8,311
Martha J Ridpath Elementary School	Public	K-2	711 South Central Ave	Greencastle	46135	Putnam County	Greencastle Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 653-3315	199	16	12.4	70.4%	189 (95.0%)	4 (2.0%)	2 (1.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (1.0%)								(n/a)												$9,620	$1,267	$8,353
Tzouanakis Intermediate School	Public	3-5	500 Linwood Dr	Greencastle	46135	Putnam County	Greencastle Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(765) 653-4700	403	27	14.9	53.8%	366 (90.8%)	7 (1.7%)	17 (4.2%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	45.9	573^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	43.3%		54.3	488^th of 1016 public elementary schools	52.0%	85	26.6	33.6	30.3		30.0	48.3	41.4	41.8		44.0	44.6	$9,128	$750	$8,377
Deer Meadow Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1000 Deer Meadow Ln	Greencastle	46135	Putnam County	Greencastle Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 653-3518	315	23	14.0	56.5%	300 (95.2%)	3 (1.0%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.6%)								(n/a)												$9,422	$1,659	$7,763

Frequently Asked Questions about Van Buren Elementary School

Is Van Buren Elementary School a good school?

Van Buren Elementary School ranks 223^rd of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Van Buren Elementary School in?

Clay Community Schools

What is the racial makeup of Van Buren Elementary School?

Students at Van Buren Elementary School are 95% White, 3% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Van Buren Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 246 students attended Van Buren Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Van Buren Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Van Buren Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : North Clay Middle School
High : Clay City Junior-Senior High School
High : Northview High 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.