Mary Raber Elementary School

Q: Is Mary Raber Elementary School a good school?

Mary Raber Elementary School ranks 737 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Mary Raber Elementary School is a public elementary school in Columbia City, Indiana, serving 251 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Whitley County Con Schools district, which is ranked 168 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating.

While Mary Raber has a significantly higher percentage of white students (87.25%) compared to surrounding schools, its academic performance, as measured by ILEARN test scores, is consistently lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2023-2024, only 25.25% of 3rd-grade students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 37.31% for the district and 38.6% for the state. The school also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate (11.9%) and a significantly higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (51%) than its peers.

When compared to nearby schools like Northern Heights Elementary and Coesse School, as well as other schools in the region such as Deer Ridge Elementary, Arcola School, and Covington Elementary, Mary Raber consistently underperforms academically. The higher rates of chronic absenteeism and free/reduced lunch at Mary Raber may be contributing factors to the school's lower performance, and the school's higher spending per student could indicate a need for more targeted interventions or resources to address the unique challenges faced by the student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

700 E Jackson St
Columbia City, IN 46725

(260) 244-5857

District: Whitley County Con Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,563

Students who attend Mary Raber Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Indian Springs Middle School
High:	Columbia City High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 290

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.7%

Hispanic:

4.8%

Two or more races:

3.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 47.9%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Mary Raber Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mary Raber Elementary School ranks worse than 73% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks last among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Whitley County Con Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.22. (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 Mary Raber Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Whitley County Con Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (89.7%), Hispanic (4.8%), two or more races (3.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 47.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mary Raber Elementary School is 15.1, which is the 2^nd best among 4 elementary schools in the Whitley County Con Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Mary Raber Elementary School employs 19.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mary Raber Elementary School is $9,563, which is the highest among 4 elementary schools in the Whitley County Con Schools District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Mary Raber Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Whitley County Con Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Whitley County Con Schools 170^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Mary Raber Elementary School?

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Rank History for Mary Raber Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	51.72	526^th	959	45.2%
2006	47.61	591^st	961	38.5%
2007	45.73	633^rd	985	35.7%
2008	47.99	622^nd	996	37.6%
2009	34.43	753^rd	1003	24.9%
2010	37.38	738^th	1009	26.9%
2011	53.02	583^rd	1025	43.1%
2012	60.95	438^th	1015	56.8%
2013	63.52	420^th	1035	59.4%
2014	61.60	453^rd	1036	56.3%
2015	55.92	505^th	1040	51.4%
2016	44.92	686^th	1046	34.4%
2017	31.06	793^rd	1033	23.2%
2018	29.79	792^nd	1027	22.9%
2019	29.33	783^rd	1031	24.1%
2021	35.12	707^th	1016	30.4%
2022	38.73	666^th	1020	34.7%
2023	30.93	723^rd	1016	28.8%
2024	29.22	737^th	1010	27.0%

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 Mary Raber Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	296	1	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	298
1989	324	0	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	326
1990	306	0	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	310
1991	306	1	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	310
1992	336	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	337
1993	340	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	341
1994	353	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	355
1995	474	2	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	480
1996	474	2	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	480
1997	503	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	505
1998	454	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	455
1999	443	1	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	447
2000	423	4	1	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	433
2001	405	4	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	412
2002	420	0	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	423
2003	420	0	0	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	423
2004	450	0	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	452
2005	317	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	317
2006	297	2	0	2	2	n/a	n/a	0	303
2007	366	3	1	9	6	n/a	n/a	16	401
2008	296	1	0	9	5	n/a	n/a	8	319
2009	380	0	0	11	2	n/a	n/a	6	399
2010	382	1	2	12	3	n/a	n/a	9	409
2011	379	1	2	10	4	1	4	0	401
2012	358	1	2	10	2	1	6	0	380
2013	357	1	1	17	0	0	11	0	387
2014	365	2	3	26	0	0	13	0	409
2015	340	1	3	22	0	0	12	0	378
2016	342	1	0	21	0	0	6	0	370
2017	317	1	1	24	1	0	5	0	349
2018	319	1	0	18	1	1	15	0	355
2019	302	0	0	20	3	0	11	0	336
2020	292	0	2	20	2	0	8	0	324
2021	249	2	1	12	2	0	10	0	276
2022	239	1	1	14	2	0	10	0	267
2023	219	1	2	17	2	0	10	0	251
2024	260	1	3	14	1	1	10	0	290

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 Mary Raber Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	298	17.3	17.2	9.4
1989	326	17.8	18.3	8.6
1990	310	19.3	16.0	10
1991	310	18.2	17.0	11.6
1992	337	20.1	16.7	22
1993	341	18.7	18.2	16.4
1994	355	18.0	19.7	17.2
1995	480	27.4	17.5	13.3
1996	480	27.4	17.5	13.3
1997	505	29.4	17.2	9.9
1998	455	26.1	17.4	7
1999	447	25.3	17.7	18.6
2000	433	25.6	16.9	17.6
2001	412	25.8	16.0	17
2002	423	25.0	16.9	21.7
2003	423	25.0	16.9	21.7
2004	452	26.4	17.1	29.9
2005	317	20.5	15.5	37.2
2006	303	19.0	15.9	36.6
2007	401	n/a	n/a	28.8
2008	319	20.7	15.4	38.9
2009	399	20.6	19.4	34.9
2010	409	19.6	20.7	37.5
2011	401	19.9	20.1	48.9
2012	380	20.5	18.5	44.2
2013	387	22.0	17.5	37
2014	409	20.0	20.4	39.4
2015	378	18.0	21.0	41.5
2016	370	20.0	18.5	39.2
2017	349	21.2	16.3	40.1
2018	355	23.0	15.4	47.9
2019	336	20.0	16.8	47.9
2020	324	21.4	15.1	48.5
2021	276	25.0	11.0	45.3
2022	267	15.5	17.2	49.1
2023	251	15.5	16.1	51
2024	290	19.1	15.1	47.9

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 Mary Raber Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	298	17.3	17.2	9.4
1989	326	17.8	18.3	8.6
1990	310	19.3	16.0	10
1991	310	18.2	17.0	11.6
1992	337	20.1	16.7	22
1993	341	18.7	18.2	16.4
1994	355	18.0	19.7	17.2
1995	480	27.4	17.5	13.3
1996	480	27.4	17.5	13.3
1997	505	29.4	17.2	9.9
1998	455	26.1	17.4	7
1999	447	25.3	17.7	18.6
2000	433	25.6	16.9	17.6
2001	412	25.8	16.0	17
2002	423	25.0	16.9	21.7
2003	423	25.0	16.9	21.7
2004	452	26.4	17.1	29.9
2005	317	20.5	15.5	37.2
2006	303	19.0	15.9	36.6
2007	401	n/a	n/a	28.8
2008	319	20.7	15.4	38.9
2009	399	20.6	19.4	34.9
2010	409	19.6	20.7	37.5
2011	401	19.9	20.1	48.9
2012	380	20.5	18.5	44.2
2013	387	22.0	17.5	37
2014	409	20.0	20.4	39.4
2015	378	18.0	21.0	41.5
2016	370	20.0	18.5	39.2
2017	349	21.2	16.3	40.1
2018	355	23.0	15.4	47.9
2019	336	20.0	16.8	47.9
2020	324	21.4	15.1	48.5
2021	276	25.0	11.0	45.3
2022	267	15.5	17.2	49.1
2023	251	15.5	16.1	51
2024	290	19.1	15.1	47.9

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 Mary Raber Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$618 (8.1%)	$7,034 (91.9%)	$7,652
2020	$622 (7.5%)	$7,668 (92.5%)	$8,290
2021	$915 (9.7%)	$8,518 (90.3%)	$9,433
2022	$1,198 (12.5%)	$8,365 (87.5%)	$9,563

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mary Raber 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 783^rd of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 723^rd of 1016 Elementary schools	4.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mary Raber Elementary School)	44.4	3.3	41.1%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Whitley County Con Schools)	50.6	39	11.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Mary Raber Elementary School)	35.6	16.7	18.9%
3rd Grade Math (Whitley County Con Schools)	55	54	1%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mary Raber Elementary School)	39.4	26.3	13.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Whitley County Con Schools)	44.5	35.2	9.3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Mary Raber Elementary School)	33.3	39.5	6.2%
4th Grade Math (Whitley County Con Schools)	56.3	39.6	16.7%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Mary Raber Elementary School)	39.4	39.5	0.1%
4th Grade Science (Whitley County Con Schools)	53.6	44.8	8.8%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mary Raber Elementary School)	37.5	30.4	7.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Whitley County Con Schools)	42.4	36.6	5.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Mary Raber Elementary School)	18.8	30.4	11.6%
5th Grade Math (Whitley County Con Schools)	42.8	42.2	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Mary Raber Elementary School)	31.3	26.1	5.2%
5th Grade Social Studies (Whitley County Con Schools)	47.1	33.6	13.5%
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	336	251	25.3%
African American	0	1
American Indian	3	2	33.3%
Asian	0	2
Hispanic	20	17	15%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	302	219	27.5%
Two or More Races	11	10	9.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	47.9%	51%	3.1%

Schools Near Mary Raber 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
Mary Raber Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	700 E Jackson St	Columbia City	46725	Whitley County	Whitley County Con Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 244-5857	290	19	15.1	47.9%	260 (89.7%)	1 (0.3%)	14 (4.8%)	3 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (3.4%)	29.2	737^th of 1010 public elementary schools	27.0%		30.9	723^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	28.8%	14	13.8	21.9	36.8		25.3	41.4	25.0	34.2		33.3	21.1	$9,563	$1,198	$8,365
Little Turtle Elementary School	Public	K-5	1710 S State Rd 9	Columbia City	46725	Whitley County	Whitley County Con Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 244-3343	597	39	15.2	37.4%	543 (91.0%)	4 (0.7%)	15 (2.5%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.0%)	48.3	544^th of 1010 public elementary schools	46.1%		49	548^th of 1016 public elementary schools	46.1%	4	31.3	38.2	35.1		35.0	45.5	49.1	38.1		44.4	35.1	$7,789	$799	$6,990
Coesse School	Public	K-5	2250 S 500 E	Columbia City	46725	Whitley County	Whitley County Con Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 244-3351	301	23	12.9	50.5%	277 (92.0%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (5.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.3%)	47.9	549^th of 1010 public elementary schools	45.6%		45.5	584^th of 1016 public elementary schools	42.5%	35	48.8	38.8	27.9		38.4	68.3	46.9	18.6		44.4	23.3	$9,407	$385	$9,022
Northern Heights Elementary School	Public	K-5	5209 N Sr 109	Columbia City	46725	Whitley County	Whitley County Con Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 691-2371	519	33	15.6	31.0%	474 (91.3%)	6 (1.2%)	17 (3.3%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.7%)	74.9	237^th of 1010 public elementary schools	76.5%		69.7	308^th of 1016 public elementary schools	69.7%	71	50.6	46.3	50.6		49.1	68.7	54.3	51.7		57.9	49.4	$7,661	$552	$7,109
Churubusco Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3 Eagle Dr	Churubusco	46723	Whitley County	Smith-Green Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 693-2188	490	28	17.5	36.3%	451 (92.0%)	1 (0.2%)	21 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.1%)	61.8	391^st of 1010 public elementary schools	61.3%		56.8	465^th of 1016 public elementary schools	54.2%	74	44.3	30.3	44.3		39.5	70.5	39.3	43.0		51.2	55.7	$9,004	$282	$8,722
South Whitley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	406 W Wayne St	South Whitley	46787	Whitley County	Whitko Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 723-6342	295	19	15.2	51.5%	277 (93.9%)	2 (0.7%)	9 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.0%)	52.7	499^th of 1010 public elementary schools	50.6%		71.9	277^th of 1016 public elementary schools	72.7%	222	34.0	33.3	41.0	37.0	36.2	53.2	38.1	46.2	30.4	42.0	48.7	$10,789	$1,365	$9,424
Arcola School	Public	K-5	11006 Arcola Rd	Arcola	46818	Allen County	Northwest Allen County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 625-3161	230	17	13.4	35.7%	195 (84.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (6.1%)	3 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (7.8%)	82.1	160^th of 1010 public elementary schools	84.2%		84.5	134^th of 1016 public elementary schools	86.8%	26	50.0	51.5	57.5		52.9	63.0	60.6	57.5		60.5	77.5	$12,178	$1,031	$11,146
Covington Elementary School	Public	K-5	2430 W Hamilton Rd - South	Fort Wayne	46814	Allen County	MSD Southwest Allen County Schls	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 431-0501	777	56	13.8	30.9%	484 (62.3%)	123 (15.8%)	58 (7.5%)	32 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (10.3%)	61.4	395^th of 1010 public elementary schools	60.9%		59.9	419^th of 1016 public elementary schools	58.8%	24	37.8	46.3	43.8		42.8	51.2	49.3	46.7		49.0	41.6	$8,580	$432	$8,147
Pierceton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	434 S First St	Pierceton	46562	Kosciusko County	Whitko Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 594-2210	354	26	13.7	59.9%	325 (91.8%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.5%)	20	814^th of 1010 public elementary schools	19.4%		28.9	739^th of 1016 public elementary schools	27.3%	75	24.0	21.7	10.2	20.5	19.1	42.0	19.6	10.2	18.2	22.8	24.5	$10,194	$1,665	$8,530
Deer Ridge Elementary	Public	K-5	1515 Scott Rd	Fort Wayne	46814	Allen County	MSD Southwest Allen County Schls	No	No	No	No	(260) 431-0701	450	30	15.2	16.2%	348 (77.3%)	20 (4.4%)	33 (7.3%)	23 (5.1%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.9%)	87.8	99^th of 1010 public elementary schools	90.2%		82.5	155^th of 1016 public elementary schools	84.7%	56	61.3	60.3	64.6		62.2	69.3	64.4	54.9		62.6	65.9	$9,501	$340	$9,161

Frequently Asked Questions about Mary Raber Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Mary Raber Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Mary Raber Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Indian Springs Middle School
High : Columbia City High School

How many students attend Mary Raber Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 290 students attended Mary Raber Elementary School.

Is Mary Raber Elementary School a good school?

Mary Raber Elementary School ranks 737^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Mary Raber Elementary School?

Students at Mary Raber Elementary School are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Mary Raber Elementary School in?

Whitley County Con Schools

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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.