Forest Dale Elementary School

Q: Is Forest Dale Elementary School a good school?

Forest Dale Elementary School ranks 103 rd of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Forest Dale Elementary School is a public elementary school in Carmel, Indiana, serving 652 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Carmel Clay Schools district, which is ranked 7th out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Forest Dale Elementary consistently ranks among the top 15% of Indiana elementary schools, with ILEARN test scores that are generally higher than the state and district averages, particularly in math. The school also has notably higher 5th-grade social studies proficiency rates compared to the state and district. However, Forest Dale has a more diverse student population and higher rates of chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch eligibility than some of the other top-performing Clay Center Elementary and Cherry Tree Elementary schools in Carmel.

The higher chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch rates at Forest Dale may be indicative of socioeconomic challenges faced by some of the school's families, which could be impacting academic performance. While Forest Dale is a high-performing school, there is still room for improvement, particularly in closing the achievement gaps between the school and the top-performing Carmel schools. Analyzing the practices and support services at these top-performing schools could provide insights for Forest Dale to replicate their success and better serve the needs of all its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

10721 Lakeshore Dr W
Carmel, IN 46033

(317) 844-4948

District: Carmel Clay Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,275

Students who attend Forest Dale Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Carmel Middle School
High:	Carmel High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.3

Number of students: 652

Racial breakdown:

White:

74.2%

Hispanic:

9.5%

Asian:

6.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 22.5%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Forest Dale Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Forest Dale Elementary School ranks better than 89.8% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 9^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 87.23. (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 (74.2%), Hispanic (9.5%), Asian (6.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 22.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Carmel Clay Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Forest Dale Elementary School is 15.3, which is the 4^th best among 11 elementary schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Forest Dale Elementary School employs 42.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Forest Dale Elementary School is $11,275, which is the 3^rd highest among 11 elementary schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Forest Dale Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

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 Forest Dale Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	90.42	39^th	959	95.9%
2006	89.28	47^th	961	95.1%
2007	88.15	46^th	985	95.3%
2008	88.81	49^th	996	95.1%
2009	90.19	35^th	1003	96.5%
2010	83.14	96^th	1009	90.5%
2011	77.56	173^rd	1025	83.1%
2012	82.09	110^th	1015	89.2%
2013	81.82	104^th	1035	90.0%
2014	80.93	123^rd	1036	88.1%
2015	76.01	201^st	1040	80.7%
2016	85.00	89^th	1046	91.5%
2017	89.31	51^st	1033	95.1%
2018	89.21	62^nd	1027	94.0%
2019	89.16	73^rd	1031	92.9%
2021	83.44	143^rd	1016	85.9%
2022	88.62	85^th	1020	91.7%
2023	84.61	133^rd	1016	86.9%
2024	87.23	103^rd	1010	89.8%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Forest Dale Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	583	3	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	595
1989	571	7	7	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	592
1990	469	3	15	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	493
1991	493	4	12	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	511
1992	501	5	13	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	520
1993	506	7	21	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	535
1994	495	4	16	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	517
1995	0	6	17	0	0	n/a	n/a	525	548
1996	0	6	17	0	0	n/a	n/a	525	548
1997	521	5	18	0	0	n/a	n/a	8	552
1998	532	5	34	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	573
1999	507	4	29	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	544
2000	478	2	24	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	507
2001	523	3	39	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	570
2002	511	10	34	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	567
2003	511	10	34	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	567
2004	622	18	42	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	696
2005	674	24	46	25	1	n/a	n/a	0	770
2006	672	24	38	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	750
2007	587	29	33	16	0	n/a	n/a	33	698
2008	560	35	42	17	0	n/a	n/a	23	677
2009	569	25	61	23	0	n/a	n/a	32	710
2010	561	21	68	21	0	n/a	n/a	38	709
2011	496	28	50	26	0	5	47	0	652
2012	579	27	39	22	0	2	57	0	726
2013	524	32	33	22	2	1	60	0	674
2014	551	23	37	19	1	2	66	0	699
2015	522	25	38	20	0	0	58	0	663
2016	505	23	43	14	0	0	54	0	639
2017	464	28	42	17	0	0	53	0	604
2018	501	28	51	27	2	0	54	0	663
2019	510	23	50	21	0	0	53	0	657
2020	520	21	60	44	0	1	43	0	689
2021	477	22	54	43	0	2	43	0	641
2022	499	20	34	57	0	1	33	0	644
2023	484	35	42	62	0	1	28	0	652

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 Forest Dale Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	595	30.7	19.3	0
1989	592	29.7	19.9	0.5
1990	493	26.2	18.8	1
1991	511	26.1	19.5	0.8
1992	520	25.5	20.3	1.3
1993	535	20.0	26.8	1.1
1994	517	26.0	19.9	0.8
1995	548	26.5	20.7	17.4
1996	548	26.5	20.7	17.4
1997	552	28.0	19.7	1.3
1998	573	31.0	18.5	2.1
1999	544	32.0	17.0	3.5
2000	507	31.5	16.1	2.2
2001	570	30.5	18.7	4.6
2002	567	30.2	18.8	7.4
2003	567	30.2	18.8	7.4
2004	696	31.7	22.0	8.9
2005	770	39.3	19.6	11.9
2006	750	37.7	19.9	10.1
2007	698	n/a	n/a	10.5
2008	677	35.0	19.3	15.3
2009	710	33.0	21.5	17.3
2010	709	29.5	24.0	19.5
2011	652	37.0	17.5	21.9
2012	726	35.5	20.4	22.2
2013	674	36.0	18.7	25.2
2014	699	36.0	19.4	25.2
2015	663	32.0	20.7	24.1
2016	639	30.0	21.3	19.6
2017	604	31.0	19.4	16.9
2018	663	32.5	20.4	20.7
2019	657	32.0	20.5	18.1
2020	689	31.0	22.2	21
2021	641	32.0	20.0	21.8
2022	644	n/a	n/a	17.1
2023	652	42.5	15.3	22.5

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 Forest Dale Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	595	30.7	19.3	0
1989	592	29.7	19.9	0.5
1990	493	26.2	18.8	1
1991	511	26.1	19.5	0.8
1992	520	25.5	20.3	1.3
1993	535	20.0	26.8	1.1
1994	517	26.0	19.9	0.8
1995	548	26.5	20.7	17.4
1996	548	26.5	20.7	17.4
1997	552	28.0	19.7	1.3
1998	573	31.0	18.5	2.1
1999	544	32.0	17.0	3.5
2000	507	31.5	16.1	2.2
2001	570	30.5	18.7	4.6
2002	567	30.2	18.8	7.4
2003	567	30.2	18.8	7.4
2004	696	31.7	22.0	8.9
2005	770	39.3	19.6	11.9
2006	750	37.7	19.9	10.1
2007	698	n/a	n/a	10.5
2008	677	35.0	19.3	15.3
2009	710	33.0	21.5	17.3
2010	709	29.5	24.0	19.5
2011	652	37.0	17.5	21.9
2012	726	35.5	20.4	22.2
2013	674	36.0	18.7	25.2
2014	699	36.0	19.4	25.2
2015	663	32.0	20.7	24.1
2016	639	30.0	21.3	19.6
2017	604	31.0	19.4	16.9
2018	663	32.5	20.4	20.7
2019	657	32.0	20.5	18.1
2020	689	31.0	22.2	21
2021	641	32.0	20.0	21.8
2022	644	n/a	n/a	17.1
2023	652	42.5	15.3	22.5

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 Forest Dale Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$374 (4.1%)	$8,799 (95.9%)	$9,173
2020	$334 (3.4%)	$9,367 (96.5%)	$9,702
2021	$278 (2.6%)	$10,440 (97.4%)	$10,718
2022	$474 (4.2%)	$10,801 (95.8%)	$11,274

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Forest Dale 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 73^rd of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 133^rd of 1016 Elementary schools	6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Forest Dale Elementary School)	67.3	47.6	19.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Carmel Clay Schools)	70.2	65.7	4.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Forest Dale Elementary School)	64.4	66	1.6%
3rd Grade Math (Carmel Clay Schools)	81.4	80.8	0.6%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Dale Elementary School)	64.8	66	1.2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Carmel Clay Schools)	69	66.5	2.5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Forest Dale Elementary School)	79.2	71.3	7.9%
4th Grade Math (Carmel Clay Schools)	80.9	76.2	4.7%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Forest Dale Elementary School)	65.1	66	0.9%
4th Grade Science (Carmel Clay Schools)	70.8	63.9	6.9%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Forest Dale Elementary School)	79.7	58.4	21.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Carmel Clay Schools)	77.7	69.8	7.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Forest Dale Elementary School)	80.5	52.2	28.3%
5th Grade Math (Carmel Clay Schools)	82.1	74.6	7.5%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Forest Dale Elementary School)	79.7	58.4	21.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Carmel Clay Schools)	80.3	73.2	7.1%
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	657	652	0.8%
African American	23	35	52.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	50	42	16%
Hispanic	21	62	195.2%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	510	484	5.1%
Two or More Races	53	28	47.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	18.1%	22.5%	4.4%

Schools Near Forest Dale 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 All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th 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
Forest Dale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10721 Lakeshore Dr W	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-4948	652	43	15.3	22.5%	484 (74.2%)	35 (5.4%)	62 (9.5%)	42 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (4.3%)	87.2	103^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	89.8%		84.6	133^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	86.9%	30	55.3	59.2	63.5	59.3	66.0	64.1	63.5	64.6	67.7	$11,275	$474	$10,801
Woodbrook Elementary School	Public	K-5	4311 E 116th St	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 846-4225	595	40	14.9	13.3%	450 (75.6%)	39 (6.6%)	23 (3.9%)	45 (7.6%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	33 (5.5%)	85.6	117^th of 1010 public elementary schools	88.4%		88.2	82^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	91.9%	35	54.6	68.1	52.8	58.1	72.2	77.7	49.5	65.8	57.0	$11,534	$493	$11,040
Mohawk Trails Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4242 E 126th St	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-1158	585	40	14.8	16.4%	466 (79.7%)	19 (3.2%)	54 (9.2%)	28 (4.8%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	15 (2.6%)	87.8	102^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	89.9%		86.6	103^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	89.9%	1	54.6	67.4	76.6	66.6	56.6	64.3	65.8	62.3	69.4	$10,396	$559	$9,837
Nora Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 E 91st St	Indianapolis	46240	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-5436	507	34	14.9	72.2%	110 (21.7%)	176 (34.7%)	165 (32.5%)	19 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	34 (6.7%)	37.6	653^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	35.3%		29.1	738^th of 1016 public elementary schools	27.4%	85	31.4	20.0	33.3	27.8	46.5	30.5	28.7	34.4	43.7	$13,461	$2,176	$11,286
Carmel Elementary School	Public	K-5	101 S Richland Ave	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-0168	624	42	14.7	22.1%	463 (74.2%)	31 (5.0%)	34 (5.4%)	54 (8.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (6.6%)	84	139^th of 1010 public elementary schools	86.2%		87.2	95^th of 1016 public elementary schools	90.6%	44	46.6	65.6	49.0	54.1	69.8	73.8	60.0	68.3	54.0	$11,145	$734	$10,411
Clearwater Elementary School	Public	K-5	3575 E 79th Street	Indianapolis	46240	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 259-5465	685	41	16.9	48.3%	331 (48.3%)	198 (28.9%)	85 (12.4%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (9.5%)	81.2	173^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	82.9%		76.6	210^th of 1016 public elementary schools	79.3%	37	56.2	57.4	59.0	57.5	57.9	54.8	60.7	57.8	56.4	$11,564	$1,405	$10,160
Allisonville Elementary School	Public	K-5	4900 E 79th St	Indianapolis	46250	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 845-9441	643	40	16.0	40.3%	328 (51.0%)	203 (31.6%)	71 (11.0%)	8 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	31 (4.8%)	66.9	330^th of 1010 public elementary schools	67.3%		67.1	338^th of 1016 public elementary schools	66.7%	8	47.7	47.5	42.7	46.1	59.6	54.2	44.7	53.0	40.8	$12,642	$1,624	$11,018
Clay Center Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12025 Clay Center Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-6450	690	45	15.4	15.4%	502 (72.8%)	21 (3.0%)	36 (5.2%)	88 (12.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (6.1%)	95.1	27^th of 1010 public elementary schools	97.3%		95	27^th of 1016 public elementary schools	97.3%		63.7	69.2	72.0	68.1	78.2	76.9	76.6	77.3	72.0	$11,366	$290	$11,075
Cherry Tree Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	13989 Hazel Dell Parkway	Carmel	46033	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 846-3086	697	44	15.7	12.3%	588 (84.4%)	9 (1.3%)	43 (6.2%)	29 (4.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	25 (3.6%)	94	40^th of 1010 public elementary schools	96.0%		93.9	38^th of 1016 public elementary schools	96.3%	2	68.0	63.4	64.1	65.2	86.4	72.4	68.4	75.9	72.7	$10,390	$220	$10,170
Spring Mill Elementary School	Public	K-5	8250 Springmill Rd	Indianapolis	46260	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 259-5462	507	35	14.6	71.0%	82 (16.2%)	277 (54.6%)	109 (21.5%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.3%)	46.6	562^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	44.4%		29.4	734^th of 1016 public elementary schools	27.8%	172	48.8	30.7	39.7	40.5	58.8	33.9	24.1	39.4	25.6	$13,148	$1,841	$11,307

Frequently Asked Questions about Forest Dale Elementary School

Is Forest Dale Elementary School a good school?

Forest Dale Elementary School ranks 103^rd of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Forest Dale Elementary School in?

Carmel Clay Schools

How many students attend Forest Dale Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 652 students attended Forest Dale Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Forest Dale Elementary School?

Students at Forest Dale Elementary School are 74% White, 10% Hispanic, 6% Asian, 5% African American, 4% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Forest Dale Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Forest Dale Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Carmel Middle School
High : Carmel 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.