Is DeKalb High School a good school?

DeKalb High School ranks 81 st of 431 Indiana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend DeKalb High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,075 students attended DeKalb High School.

What is the racial makeup of DeKalb High School?

Students at DeKalb High School are 91% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools feed into DeKalb High School?

DeKalb High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Country Meadow Elementary School Elementary : James R Watson Elementary School Elementary : McKenney-Harrison Elementary School Elementary : Waterloo Elementary School Middle : DeKalb Middle School

DeKalb High School

Summary:

DeKalb High School is a public high school located in Waterloo, Indiana, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,075 students. The school is part of the DeKalb County Ctl United School District, which is ranked 146 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

DeKalb High School has consistently maintained high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 87.1% to 91.6% over the past few years, outperforming the state average. The school's students have also performed well on standardized tests, with a higher percentage of students proficient or better in SAT/Evidence-based Reading and Writing (62.2% in 2023-2024) and ISTEP+/English Language Arts (70.4% in 2020-2021) compared to the state and district averages. As a result, DeKalb High School has been ranked among the top high schools in Indiana, ranging from 68th to 144th out of over 400 schools, and has maintained a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for most years. The school has also performed well in serving special education and low socioeconomic status student subgroups, ranking in the top quartile of Indiana high schools for both categories.

However, DeKalb High School faces some challenges. The school has seen a slight decrease in the percentage of white students over the past few years, with a corresponding increase in Hispanic and multiracial students, indicating a declining racial diversity. Additionally, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 31.0% in 2022-2023 to 49.9% in 2020-2021, which may impact student achievement. While DeKalb High School outperforms many of the surrounding schools, such as Northrop High School and Prairie Heights Senior High School, it lags behind the top-performing schools in the region, such as Carroll High School and Leo Junior/Senior High School, which have significantly higher test scores and graduation rates.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3424 Cr 427
Waterloo, IN 46793

(260) 920-1012

District: DeKalb County Ctl United School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
81^st of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,501

Feeder schools for DeKalb High School:

Elementary:	Country Meadow Elementary School
	James R Watson Elementary School
	McKenney-Harrison Elementary School
	Waterloo Elementary School
Middle:	DeKalb Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.4

Number of students: 1,075

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.3%

Hispanic:

4.6%

Two or more races:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 35.5%

See top rated Indiana high schools

Compare DeKalb High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details DeKalb High School ranks better than 81.2% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.9. (See more...)

The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of DeKalb High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.

Chronic absenteeism in a high 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 (91.3%), Hispanic (4.6%), two or more races (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 35.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at DeKalb High School is 17.4. (See more...)

Compare DeKalb High School employs 61.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at DeKalb High School is $10,501.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

DeKalb High School:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb High School 81^st of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See DeKalb High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

DeKalb County Ctl United School District:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb County Ctl United School District 146^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for DeKalb High School

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Rank History for all students at DeKalb High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	59.94	157^th	349	55.0%
2006	66.23	102^nd	349	70.8%
2007	59.91	156^th	354	55.9%
2008	62.30	142^nd	360	60.6%
2009	68.40	115^th	364	68.4%
2010	49.63	138^th	362	61.9%
2011	62.07	82^nd	364	77.5%
2012	60.56	88^th	373	76.4%
2013	51.73	127^th	353	64.0%
2014	52.62	136^th	379	64.1%
2015	59.67	120^th	400	70.0%
2016	57.82	150^th	394	61.9%
2017	50.09	187^th	380	50.8%
2018	59.64	158^th	385	59.0%
2019	56.29	144^th	389	63.0%
2021	70.87	71^st	388	81.7%
2022	65.26	132^nd	409	67.7%
2023	64.97	98^th	398	75.4%
2024	69.90	81^st	431	81.2%

See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at DeKalb High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	68.11	55^th	285	80.7%
2024	65.32	71^st	289	75.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at DeKalb High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.59	75^th	379	80.2%
2024	70.14	70^th	377	81.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at DeKalb High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	59.44	132^nd	388	66.0%
2024	68.82	83^rd	392	78.8%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at DeKalb High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.62	84^th	383	78.1%
2024	67.82	88^th	392	77.6%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at DeKalb High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	84.29	27^th	164	83.5%
2024	46.80	80^th	184	56.5%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at DeKalb High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	53.54	166^th	378	56.1%
2023	55.97	121^st	375	67.7%
2024	63.85	85^th	381	77.7%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for DeKalb High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1104	0	2	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	1115
1989	1078	1	3	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	1091
1990	1121	1	7	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	1138
1991	1085	1	7	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	1103
1992	1105	3	6	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	1131
1993	1153	0	4	12	5	n/a	n/a	0	1174
1994	1204	0	5	14	8	n/a	n/a	0	1231
1995	1250	0	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	18	1279
1996	1250	0	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	18	1279
1997	1285	0	4	6	0	n/a	n/a	14	1309
1998	1239	0	6	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	1253
1999	1208	0	5	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	1221
2000	1152	6	5	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1176
2001	1144	7	7	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	1164
2002	1122	4	7	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	1141
2003	1122	4	7	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	1141
2004	1202	3	7	10	0	n/a	n/a	0	1222
2005	1251	4	7	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	1281
2006	1287	3	6	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	1315
2007	1242	1	7	22	1	n/a	n/a	12	1285
2008	1251	0	5	27	1	n/a	n/a	4	1288
2009	1233	2	6	22	2	n/a	n/a	4	1269
2010	1246	1	8	16	2	n/a	n/a	6	1279
2011	1239	0	6	20	2	0	8	0	1275
2012	1236	1	11	21	2	0	13	0	1284
2013	1116	3	10	23	1	1	17	0	1171
2014	1112	2	14	32	2	0	23	0	1185
2015	1120	3	15	33	1	0	26	0	1198
2016	1059	1	14	35	2	0	35	0	1146
2017	1091	2	11	37	1	0	32	0	1174
2018	1066	2	15	36	1	0	25	0	1145
2019	1044	7	11	41	1	0	23	0	1127
2020	1027	5	11	43	1	0	27	0	1114
2021	1008	4	11	40	1	0	21	0	1085
2022	994	4	13	52	0	1	19	0	1083
2023	981	4	13	49	0	1	27	0	1075

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 DeKalb High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1115	56.0	19.9	3.8
1989	1091	56.3	19.3	3
1990	1138	56.3	20.2	3.5
1991	1103	56.3	19.5	3.4
1992	1131	57.3	19.7	5.5
1993	1174	58.2	20.2	5.7
1994	1231	58.3	21.1	5.4
1995	1279	59.2	21.6	3.5
1996	1279	59.2	21.6	3.5
1997	1309	57.6	22.7	2.2
1998	1253	58.6	21.4	3.5
1999	1221	58.5	20.9	5.2
2000	1176	58.6	20.1	7.3
2001	1164	58.1	20.0	6.5
2002	1141	56.8	20.1	9.5
2003	1141	56.8	20.1	9.5
2004	1222	58.5	20.9	11.9
2005	1281	59.5	21.5	15.6
2006	1315	59.5	22.1	13.8
2007	1285	n/a	n/a	20.2
2008	1288	59.9	21.5	22.3
2009	1269	60.0	21.2	28.1
2010	1279	58.5	21.8	27.5
2011	1275	59.9	21.2	30.9
2012	1284	62.0	20.6	31.3
2013	1171	58.2	20.0	30.4
2014	1185	60.5	19.5	32.9
2015	1198	55.0	21.7	32.5
2016	1146	53.0	21.6	34.6
2017	1174	54.1	21.6	31.5
2018	1145	55.2	20.7	34.8
2019	1127	56.0	20.1	34.3
2020	1114	57.1	19.5	32.2
2021	1085	55.0	19.6	30.7
2022	1083	64.5	16.7	32.9
2023	1075	61.5	17.4	35.5

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 DeKalb High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1115	56.0	19.9	3.8
1989	1091	56.3	19.3	3
1990	1138	56.3	20.2	3.5
1991	1103	56.3	19.5	3.4
1992	1131	57.3	19.7	5.5
1993	1174	58.2	20.2	5.7
1994	1231	58.3	21.1	5.4
1995	1279	59.2	21.6	3.5
1996	1279	59.2	21.6	3.5
1997	1309	57.6	22.7	2.2
1998	1253	58.6	21.4	3.5
1999	1221	58.5	20.9	5.2
2000	1176	58.6	20.1	7.3
2001	1164	58.1	20.0	6.5
2002	1141	56.8	20.1	9.5
2003	1141	56.8	20.1	9.5
2004	1222	58.5	20.9	11.9
2005	1281	59.5	21.5	15.6
2006	1315	59.5	22.1	13.8
2007	1285	n/a	n/a	20.2
2008	1288	59.9	21.5	22.3
2009	1269	60.0	21.2	28.1
2010	1279	58.5	21.8	27.5
2011	1275	59.9	21.2	30.9
2012	1284	62.0	20.6	31.3
2013	1171	58.2	20.0	30.4
2014	1185	60.5	19.5	32.9
2015	1198	55.0	21.7	32.5
2016	1146	53.0	21.6	34.6
2017	1174	54.1	21.6	31.5
2018	1145	55.2	20.7	34.8
2019	1127	56.0	20.1	34.3
2020	1114	57.1	19.5	32.2
2021	1085	55.0	19.6	30.7
2022	1083	64.5	16.7	32.9
2023	1075	61.5	17.4	35.5

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 DeKalb High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$28 (0.3%)	$9,294 (99.7%)	$9,322
2020	$33 (0.3%)	$9,448 (99.7%)	$9,480
2021	$94 (0.9%)	$9,866 (99.1%)	$9,960
2022	$297 (2.8%)	$10,204 (97.2%)	$10,501

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on DeKalb High 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 144^th of 389 High schools	Ranks 98^th of 398 High schools	12.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (DeKalb High School)	39.9	26.6	13.3%
End of Course Biology (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	39.9	26.6	13.3%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1127	1075	4.6%
African American	7	4	42.9%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	11	13	18.2%
Hispanic	41	49	19.5%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	1044	981	6%
Two or More Races	23	27	17.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.3%	35.5%	1.2%

Schools Near DeKalb High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)				ILEARN Math (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	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th 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 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
DeKalb High School	Public	9-12	3424 Cr 427	Waterloo	46793	DeKalb County	DeKalb County Ctl United School District	No	No	No	No	(260) 920-1012	1,075	62	17.4	35.5%	981 (91.3%)	4 (0.4%)	49 (4.6%)	13 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (2.5%)	69.9	81^st of 431 public high schools	81.2%		65	98^th of 398 public high schools	75.4%	17	62.2	29.5									44.9	$10,501	$297	$10,204
Garrett High School	Public	9-12	801 E Houston St	Garrett	46738	DeKalb County	Garrett-Keyser-Butler Com School Corp	No	No	No	No	(260) 357-4114	572	46	12.5	42.5%	518 (90.6%)	2 (0.3%)	24 (4.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	22 (3.8%)	35	284^th of 431 public high schools	34.1%		36.7	263^rd of 398 public high schools	33.9%	21	42.6	9.5									36.7	$10,675	$318	$10,357
Eastside Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	603 E Green St	Butler	46721	DeKalb County	DeKalb County Eastern Com School District	No	No	No	No	(260) 868-2186	585	41	14.2	37.9%	546 (93.3%)	12 (2.1%)	16 (2.7%)	1 (0.2%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	46.1	226^th of 431 public high schools	47.6%		61.4	119^th of 398 public high schools	70.1%	107	46.4	20.6		36.0	34.8	35.4		38.2	21.4	29.8	35.6	$13,781	$434	$13,347
Hamilton Community High School	Public	6-12	903 S Wayne St	Hamilton	46742	Steuben County	Hamilton Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 488-2161	186	19	9.7	42.5%	171 (91.9%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.6%)	48	212^th of 431 public high schools	50.8%		49.5	178^th of 398 public high schools	55.3%	34	47.8	17.4	47.4	52.4	50.0	50.0	26.3	28.6	35.0	30.0	40.9	$14,166	$177	$13,989
Impact Institutue	Public	6-12	1607 E Dowling St	Kendallville	46755	Noble County	DeKalb County Eastern Com School District	No	No	No	No	(888) 349-0250	0	21	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
East Noble High School	Public	9-12	901 Garden St	Kendallville	46755	Noble County	East Noble School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(260) 347-2032	1,054	69	15.3	43.0%	965 (91.6%)	1 (0.1%)	61 (5.8%)	8 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (1.7%)	49	205^th of 431 public high schools	52.4%		57.2	143^rd of 398 public high schools	64.1%	62	44.4	23.7									37.4	$10,410	$540	$9,871
Leo Junior/Senior High School	Public	7-12	14600 Amstutz Rd	Leo	46765	Allen County	East Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 446-0180	1,368	71	19.1	17.6%	1,196 (87.4%)	29 (2.1%)	58 (4.2%)	14 (1.0%)	3 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	67 (4.9%)	85.3	32^nd of 431 public high schools	92.6%		81.3	37^th of 398 public high schools	90.7%	5	75.8	42.0		62.2	65.2	63.7		52.9	51.9	52.4	54.7	$9,330	$810	$8,521
Angola High School	Public	9-12	350 S John McBride Ave	Angola	46703	Steuben County	MSD Steuben County	No	No	No	No	(260) 665-2186	785	46	17.0	42.9%	643 (81.9%)	5 (0.6%)	108 (13.8%)	7 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	19 (2.4%)	52.2	186^th of 431 public high schools	56.8%		50.4	172^nd of 398 public high schools	56.8%	14	51.4	24.6									26.2	$10,173	$359	$9,813
Carroll High School	Public	9-12	3701 Carroll Rd	Fort Wayne	46818	Allen County	Northwest Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 637-3161	2,554	131	19.4	21.0%	2,076 (81.3%)	81 (3.2%)	141 (5.5%)	115 (4.5%)	1 (0.0%)	3 (0.1%)	137 (5.4%)	84.9	34^th of 431 public high schools	92.1%		92.3	12^th of 398 public high schools	97.0%	22	68.8	41.9									57.3	$8,839	$290	$8,549
Prairie Heights Senior High School	Public	9-12	0245 S 1150 E	LaGrange	46761	LaGrange County	Prairie Heights Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(260) 351-3039	416	31	13.4	40.6%	382 (91.8%)	2 (0.5%)	18 (4.3%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	49.7	201^st of 431 public high schools	53.4%		63.6	109^th of 398 public high schools	72.6%	92	42.6	17.6									51.7	$12,743	$311	$12,432

DeKalb High School

DeKalb High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

DeKalb County Ctl United School District:

What do you think?

Rank History for DeKalb High School

Rank History for all students at DeKalb High School

Rank History for Special Education students at DeKalb High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at DeKalb High School

Rank History for Female students at DeKalb High School

Rank History for Male students at DeKalb High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at DeKalb High School

Rank History for White students at DeKalb High School

Enrollment information for DeKalb High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at DeKalb High School

Student/Teacher Ratio DeKalb High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for DeKalb High School

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