Clay Middle School

Summary:

Clay Middle School is a high-performing public middle school serving grades 6-8 in Carmel, Indiana, with a total enrollment of 1,423 students. The school is part of the Carmel Clay Schools district, which is ranked 7th out of 381 districts in the state and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Clay Middle School consistently ranks among the top middle schools in Indiana, with a statewide ranking between 7th and 16th over the past several years. The school's key strengths include a significantly higher percentage of white students (74.14%) compared to nearby schools, consistently strong performance on ILEARN English Language Arts and Math assessments, and a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate ranging from 7.9% to 10.8% over the past three years. Additionally, the school has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (14.34%) compared to many surrounding schools, indicating a higher socioeconomic status of the student population.

While Clay Middle School is a high-performing school, it faces competition from other top-ranked middle schools in the region, such as Creekside Middle School, which has been ranked 1st or 2nd in the state over the past three years and has higher test scores, a lower chronic absenteeism rate, and a more diverse student population. Additionally, nearby districts like Noblesville Schools and Hamilton Southeastern Schools also have highly-ranked middle schools that demonstrate strong academic performance.

Detail:

Public 6-8

5150 E 126th St
Carmel, IN 46033

(317) 844-7251

District: Carmel Clay Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
7^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,219

Students who attend Clay Middle School usually attend:

High:

Carmel High School

Feeder schools for Clay Middle School:

Elementary:	Cherry Tree Elementary School
	Mohawk Trails Elementary School
	Prairie Trace Elementary School
	Woodbrook Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.2

Number of students: 1,395

Racial breakdown:

White:

73.4%

Asian:

9.5%

Hispanic:

8.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 13.3%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Clay Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Clay Middle School ranks better than 98.6% of middle schools in Indiana. It also ranks 2^nd among 3 ranked middle schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.54. (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 Clay Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Carmel Clay Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (73.4%), Asian (9.5%), Hispanic (8.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 13.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Clay Middle School is 17.2. 1 middle schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Clay Middle School employs 80.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Clay Middle School is $10,219. 1 middle schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Clay Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Clay Middle School 7^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Clay Middle School in the ranking list.)

Carmel Clay Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Carmel Clay Schools 6^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Clay Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	93.78	2^nd	222	99.1%
2005	94.00	5^th	370	98.6%
2006	95.11	2^nd	375	99.5%
2007	94.69	3^rd	382	99.2%
2008	95.40	3^rd	392	99.2%
2009	96.37	1^st	423	99.8%
2010	93.62	5^th	428	98.8%
2011	92.46	6^th	451	98.7%
2012	91.35	9^th	447	98.0%
2013	90.85	8^th	444	98.2%
2014	89.07	10^th	470	97.9%
2015	95.39	7^th	485	98.6%
2016	91.88	11^th	494	97.8%
2017	93.54	13^th	472	97.2%
2018	94.13	9^th	473	98.1%
2019	96.03	8^th	470	98.3%
2021	96.32	10^th	483	97.9%
2022	96.28	11^th	490	97.8%
2023	94.36	16^th	489	96.7%
2024	96.54	7^th	485	98.6%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Clay Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1108	1	9	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	1128
1989	1167	1	21	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	1205
1990	1193	6	20	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1222
1991	1190	4	26	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	1236
1992	1262	7	37	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	1315
1993	1265	10	40	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	1325
1994	1347	9	46	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	1412
1995	1102	8	33	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	1152
1996	1102	8	33	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	1152
1997	1108	10	41	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	1167
1998	1133	10	43	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	1196
1999	1140	12	47	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	1209
2000	1160	11	57	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	1245
2001	1222	17	82	12	2	n/a	n/a	0	1335
2002	1408	20	113	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1554
2003	1408	20	113	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1554
2004	1440	28	94	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	1577
2005	951	27	88	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	1088
2006	985	32	89	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	1120
2007	967	33	107	15	1	n/a	n/a	32	1155
2008	982	35	110	14	1	n/a	n/a	40	1182
2009	953	38	122	17	1	n/a	n/a	41	1172
2010	973	25	127	20	1	n/a	n/a	43	1189
2011	986	31	124	26	1	5	58	0	1231
2012	946	41	133	32	2	5	57	0	1216
2013	929	33	142	35	1	5	55	0	1200
2014	933	33	145	35	2	5	56	0	1209
2015	947	36	143	28	1	4	74	0	1233
2016	1002	42	138	30	1	5	88	0	1306
2017	1072	44	149	30	0	6	89	0	1390
2018	1011	38	162	40	1	8	76	0	1336
2019	1045	32	160	46	0	8	81	0	1372
2020	1002	25	157	43	0	5	80	0	1312
2021	1003	32	153	52	0	1	73	0	1314
2022	1063	52	155	92	0	2	50	0	1414
2023	1055	54	158	100	1	1	54	0	1423
2024	1024	57	132	122	2	1	57	0	1395

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 Clay Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1128	69.2	16.3	0.1
1989	1205	70.2	17.1	0.2
1990	1222	69.7	17.5	0.6
1991	1236	71.7	17.2	0.4
1992	1315	70.5	18.6	0.3
1993	1325	56.5	23.5	0.3
1994	1412	72.2	19.6	0.4
1995	1152	62.9	18.3	0.3
1996	1152	62.9	18.3	0.3
1997	1167	67.5	17.3	0.4
1998	1196	68.6	17.4	0.5
1999	1209	70.1	17.2	0.5
2000	1245	74.2	16.8	0.4
2001	1335	76.9	17.4	0.6
2002	1554	82.8	18.8	1
2003	1554	82.8	18.8	1
2004	1577	83.0	19.0	1.3
2005	1088	58.5	18.6	4.6
2006	1120	65.0	17.2	4.8
2007	1155	n/a	n/a	4.2
2008	1182	67.0	17.6	4.5
2009	1172	70.2	16.7	5.3
2010	1189	60.5	19.6	7.8
2011	1231	67.6	18.2	9.3
2012	1216	65.1	18.6	10.6
2013	1200	68.2	17.5	10.3
2014	1209	66.2	18.2	9.8
2015	1233	62.0	19.8	10.3
2016	1306	67.0	19.4	9.4
2017	1390	69.9	19.8	9.3
2018	1336	70.5	18.9	10.3
2019	1372	73.2	18.7	10.8
2020	1312	71.6	18.3	10.6
2021	1314	75.1	17.4	11
2022	1414	81.4	17.3	10.7
2023	1423	79.5	17.8	14.3
2024	1395	80.8	17.2	13.3

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 Clay Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1128	69.2	16.3	0.1
1989	1205	70.2	17.1	0.2
1990	1222	69.7	17.5	0.6
1991	1236	71.7	17.2	0.4
1992	1315	70.5	18.6	0.3
1993	1325	56.5	23.5	0.3
1994	1412	72.2	19.6	0.4
1995	1152	62.9	18.3	0.3
1996	1152	62.9	18.3	0.3
1997	1167	67.5	17.3	0.4
1998	1196	68.6	17.4	0.5
1999	1209	70.1	17.2	0.5
2000	1245	74.2	16.8	0.4
2001	1335	76.9	17.4	0.6
2002	1554	82.8	18.8	1
2003	1554	82.8	18.8	1
2004	1577	83.0	19.0	1.3
2005	1088	58.5	18.6	4.6
2006	1120	65.0	17.2	4.8
2007	1155	n/a	n/a	4.2
2008	1182	67.0	17.6	4.5
2009	1172	70.2	16.7	5.3
2010	1189	60.5	19.6	7.8
2011	1231	67.6	18.2	9.3
2012	1216	65.1	18.6	10.6
2013	1200	68.2	17.5	10.3
2014	1209	66.2	18.2	9.8
2015	1233	62.0	19.8	10.3
2016	1306	67.0	19.4	9.4
2017	1390	69.9	19.8	9.3
2018	1336	70.5	18.9	10.3
2019	1372	73.2	18.7	10.8
2020	1312	71.6	18.3	10.6
2021	1314	75.1	17.4	11
2022	1414	81.4	17.3	10.7
2023	1423	79.5	17.8	14.3
2024	1395	80.8	17.2	13.3

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 Clay Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$151 (1.7%)	$8,762 (98.3%)	$8,912
2020	$276 (2.8%)	$9,567 (97.2%)	$9,844
2021	$347 (3.4%)	$9,879 (96.6%)	$10,226
2022	$286 (2.8%)	$9,932 (97.2%)	$10,219

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Clay 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 8^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 16^th of 489 Middle schools	1.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Middle School)	77.7	62.3	15.4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Carmel Clay Schools)	78.4	69.5	8.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Clay Middle School)	72.9	60.6	12.3%
6th Grade Math (Carmel Clay Schools)	77.4	67.3	10.1%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Clay Middle School)	81.7	62.3	19.4%
6th Grade Science (Carmel Clay Schools)	83.4	71.1	12.4%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Middle School)	75.2	62.4	12.8%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Carmel Clay Schools)	79.1	69	10.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Clay Middle School)	67.1	61.7	5.4%
7th Grade Math (Carmel Clay Schools)	70.1	63.6	6.5%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Clay Middle School)	78.9	66	12.9%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Carmel Clay Schools)	79.8	71.5	8.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Clay Middle School)	64.2	54.4	9.8%
8th Grade Math (Carmel Clay Schools)	67.2	60.9	6.3%
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	1372	1423	3.7%
African American	32	54	68.8%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	160	158	1.3%
Hispanic	46	100	117.4%
Pacific Islander	8	1	87.5%
White	1045	1055	1%
Two or More Races	81	54	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	10.8%	14.3%	3.5%

Schools Near Clay 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
Clay Middle School	Public	6-8	5150 E 126th St	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-7251	1,395	81	17.2	13.3%	1,024 (73.4%)	57 (4.1%)	122 (8.7%)	132 (9.5%)	2 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	57 (4.1%)	96.5	7^th of 485 public middle schools	98.6%		94.4	16^th of 489 public middle schools	96.7%	9		64.7	64.6	70.0	66.3		67.7	64.3	65.3	65.7			$10,219	$286	$9,932
Riverside Intermediate School	Public	5-6	11014 Eller Rd	Fishers	46038	Hamilton County	Hamilton Southeastern Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 594-4320	865	49	17.6	25.8%	556 (64.3%)	69 (8.0%)	103 (11.9%)	78 (9.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	58 (6.7%)								(n/a)	58.7	66.4			62.5	60.6	71.6			66.0	59.2		$9,351	$297	$9,053
Riverside Junior High	Public	7-8	10910 Eller Rd	Fishers	46038	Hamilton County	Hamilton Southeastern Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 915-4280	844	56	15.1	22.9%	570 (67.5%)	73 (8.6%)	81 (9.6%)	58 (6.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	60 (7.1%)	92.3	31^st of 485 public middle schools	93.6%		90.6	36^th of 489 public middle schools	92.6%	5			55.4	63.5	59.2			60.7	52.3	56.7			$10,168	$259	$9,909
Carmel Middle School	Public	6-8	300 S Guilford Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 846-7331	1,070	74	14.3	17.5%	753 (70.4%)	50 (4.7%)	76 (7.1%)	120 (11.2%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (6.4%)	92.8	29^th of 485 public middle schools	94.0%		93.6	20^th of 489 public middle schools	95.9%	9		61.0	69.2	67.5	65.8		53.1	60.1	50.8	54.4			$12,610	$134	$12,476
Fishers Junior High School	Public	7-8	13257 Cumberland Rd	Fishers	46038	Hamilton County	Hamilton Southeastern Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 594-4150	822	54	15.1	27.1%	516 (62.8%)	94 (11.4%)	83 (10.1%)	73 (8.9%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	51 (6.2%)	89.6	41^st of 485 public middle schools	91.5%		89.3	42^nd of 489 public middle schools	91.4%	1			50.4	58.0	54.0			56.2	61.9	58.9			$10,106	$269	$9,837
Northview Middle School	Public	6-8	8401 Westfield Blvd	Indianapolis	46240	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 259-5421	828	62	13.3	62.7%	191 (23.1%)	362 (43.7%)	191 (23.1%)	31 (3.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	52 (6.3%)	48.4	249^th of 485 public middle schools	48.7%		33.8	331^st of 489 public middle schools	32.3%	82		35.2	34.3	35.5	35.1		33.6	30.2	24.5	29.6		84.9	$13,709	$1,395	$12,314
Westfield Intermediate School	Public	5-6	326 W Main St	Westfield	46074	Hamilton County	Westfield-Washington Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 867-6500	1,463	86	17.0	22.1%	1,097 (75.0%)	72 (4.9%)	154 (10.5%)	59 (4.0%)	4 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	76 (5.2%)								(n/a)	53.2	59.7			56.6	59.1	61.3			60.2	63.5		$9,890	$176	$9,714
Westfield Middle School	Public	7-8	345 W Hoover St	Westfield	46074	Hamilton County	Westfield-Washington Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 867-6600	1,464	94	15.5	20.2%	1,077 (73.6%)	86 (5.9%)	153 (10.5%)	58 (4.0%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	86 (5.9%)	94.8	14^th of 485 public middle schools	97.1%		94.7	12^th of 489 public middle schools	97.5%	2			60.4	61.9	61.2			62.1	62.4	62.2			$10,699	$370	$10,329
Sand Creek Intermediate School	Public	5-6	11550 E 131st St	Fishers	46038	Hamilton County	Hamilton Southeastern Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 915-4230	815	44	18.3	28.2%	484 (59.4%)	96 (11.8%)	103 (12.6%)	61 (7.5%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.4%)	66 (8.1%)								(n/a)	55.1	59.2			57.0	62.1	49.5			56.2	52.5		$10,114	$279	$9,835
Noblesville East Middle School	Public	6-8	1625 Field Dr	Noblesville	46060	Hamilton County	Noblesville Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 773-0782	1,070	83	12.8	37.4%	775 (72.4%)	76 (7.1%)	130 (12.1%)	51 (4.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (3.4%)	81.4	72^nd of 485 public middle schools	85.2%		85.9	55^th of 489 public middle schools	88.8%	17		57.9	60.2	51.6	56.4		36.2	47.6	45.3	43.0			$11,422	$293	$11,129

Frequently Asked Questions about Clay Middle School

Is Clay Middle School a good school?

Yes! Clay Middle School is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 7^th of 485 Indiana middle schools.

How many students attend Clay Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,395 students attended Clay Middle School.

What district is Clay Middle School in?

Carmel Clay Schools

What high school do graduates of Clay Middle School attend?

Students who attend Clay Middle School usually go on to attend Carmel High School

What is the racial makeup of Clay Middle School?

Students at Clay Middle School are 73% White, 9% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 4% African American, 4% Two or more races.

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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.