Clay Center Elementary School

Summary:

Clay Center Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Carmel, Indiana, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 690. The school is part of the highly-ranked Carmel Clay Schools district and has consistently maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, ranking 27th out of over 1,000 Indiana elementary schools in the 2023-2024 school year.

Clay Center Elementary stands out for its consistently high academic performance, with students outperforming their peers at the district and state levels in ILEARN test scores. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, 68.06% of all students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 69.63% for the Carmel Clay Schools district and 38.6% for the state of Indiana. The school also has a relatively diverse student body, with significant percentages of Asian (12.75%) and students of two or more races (6.09%), which is higher than the nearby Carmel Elementary and Forest Dale Elementary schools. Additionally, Clay Center Elementary has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (7.7%) and a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (15.36%) compared to the nearby schools in the Carmel Clay district.

Overall, Clay Center Elementary School stands out as a high-performing, diverse, and equitable elementary school within the Carmel Clay district. The school's consistently strong academic results, low chronic absenteeism, and socioeconomic diversity make it an exemplary educational institution in the region, providing a quality learning experience for its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

12025 Clay Center Rd
Carmel, IN 46032

(317) 733-6450

District: Carmel Clay Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
27^th of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,366

Students who attend Clay Center Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Creekside Middle School
High:	Carmel High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 690

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.8%

Asian:

12.8%

Two or more races:

6.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 15.4%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Clay Center Elementary School ranks better than 97.3% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 5^th among 11 ranked elementary schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 95.08. (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 (72.8%), Asian (12.8%), two or more races (6.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 15.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Clay Center Elementary School is 15.4, which is the 5^th best among 11 elementary schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Clay Center Elementary School employs 44.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Clay Center Elementary School is $11,366, which is the 2^nd highest among 11 elementary schools in the Carmel Clay Schools District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Clay Center 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 Clay Center Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	93.06	43^rd	1020	95.8%
2023	95.03	27^th	1016	97.3%
2024	95.08	27^th	1010	97.3%

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 Clay Center Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2022	407	21	81	45	1	0	46	0	601
2023	502	21	88	36	1	0	42	0	690

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 Center Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	601	40.1	14.9	7
2023	690	44.6	15.4	15.4

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 Clay Center Elementary School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2022	601	40.1	14.9	7
2023	690	44.6	15.4	15.4

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 Clay Center Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2022	$290 (2.6%)	$11,075 (97.4%)	$11,366

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Schools Near Clay Center 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
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
Smoky Row Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 W 136th St	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 571-4084	675	42	16.0	7.1%	474 (70.2%)	31 (4.6%)	22 (3.3%)	118 (17.5%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	26 (3.9%)	96.1	16^th of 1010 public elementary schools	98.4%		96.1	20^th of 1016 public elementary schools	98.0%	4	58.8	83.3	69.0	71.8	81.4	84.1	76.0	80.9	77.0	$10,275	$247	$10,028
Towne Meadow Elementary School	Public	K-5	10850 Towne Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-2645	586	35	16.6	9.7%	377 (64.3%)	25 (4.3%)	26 (4.4%)	122 (20.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (5.8%)	94.5	34^th of 1010 public elementary schools	96.6%		96.3	17^th of 1016 public elementary schools	98.3%	17	74.4	61.8	72.7	69.2	80.2	71.6	76.1	75.7	75.0	$10,676	$385	$10,291
West Clay Elementary School	Public	K-5	3495 W 126 St	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-6500	599	38	15.9	4.2%	328 (54.8%)	21 (3.5%)	11 (1.8%)	209 (34.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.7%)	98.3	4^th of 1010 public elementary schools	99.6%		98	4^th of 1016 public elementary schools	99.6%		80.0	74.3	82.4	79.0	90.5	82.3	83.2	85.1	80.8	$9,903	$216	$9,687
College Wood Elementary School	Public	K-5	12415 Shelborne Rd	Carmel	46032	Hamilton County	Carmel Clay Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 733-6430	644	36	17.8	4.8%	364 (56.5%)	22 (3.4%)	15 (2.3%)	222 (34.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.3%)	98.2	5^th of 1010 public elementary schools	99.5%		98	3^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	99.7%	2	80.3	77.6	77.5	78.5	85.5	87.9	79.8	84.3	77.5	$10,252	$397	$9,856
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
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
College Park Elementary School	Public	K-5	2811 Barnard Street	Indianapolis	46268	Marion County	MSD Pike Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 347-7400	435	29	14.9	74.9%	16 (3.7%)	252 (57.9%)	134 (30.8%)	10 (2.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (5.1%)	15.4	865^th of 1010 public elementary schools	14.4%		13.8	875^th of 1016 public elementary schools	13.9%	10	29.6	18.4	11.1	20.5	34.6	14.5	3.2	18.6	7.9	$11,281	$1,498	$9,783
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
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 Clay Center Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Clay Center Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Clay Center Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Creekside Middle School
High : Carmel High School

Is Clay Center Elementary School a good school?

Yes! Clay Center Elementary School is one of the best elementary schools in the state. It ranks 27^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools.

What district is Clay Center Elementary School in?

Carmel Clay Schools

How many students attend Clay Center Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 690 students attended Clay Center Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Clay Center Elementary School?

Students at Clay Center Elementary School are 73% White, 13% Asian, 6% Two or more races, 5% Hispanic, 3% African American.

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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.