Little Turtle Elementary School

Q: Is Little Turtle Elementary School a good school?

Little Turtle Elementary School ranks 544 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Little Turtle Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Columbia City, Indiana, serving 604 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Whitley County Con Schools district, which is ranked 168 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Little Turtle Elementary School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.4%) compared to the state average and nearby schools like Deer Ridge Elementary and Covington Elementary, its academic performance is generally lower than the state and district averages. In 2023-2024, only 34.97% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the district average of 37.31% and the state average of 38.6% for 3rd grade. Similarly, in Math, 44.44% of students were proficient or better, compared to the district average of 38.15%. Additionally, the school has seen a steady increase in chronic absenteeism, from 6.2% in 2020-2021 to 9.8% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average.

When compared to other nearby schools in the same district, such as Northern Heights Elementary and Coesse School, Little Turtle Elementary School generally performs worse on standardized tests and has a higher chronic absenteeism rate. The school's performance, as measured by its statewide ranking and SchoolDigger rating, has also declined over the years, dropping from a 4-star rating in 2014-2015 to a 2-star rating in recent years. Addressing these challenges and improving student outcomes should be a priority for the school and the Whitley County Con Schools district.

Detail:

Public K-5

1710 S State Rd 9
Columbia City, IN 46725

(260) 244-3343

District: Whitley County Con Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,789

Students who attend Little Turtle Elementary School usually attend:

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

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 597

Racial breakdown:

White:

91.0%

Two or more races:

5.0%

Hispanic:

2.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.4%

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Compare Little Turtle Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Little Turtle Elementary School ranks worse than 53.9% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 2^nd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the Whitley County Con Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.28. (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 Little Turtle Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Whitley County Con Schools District. Racial makeup is: White (91%), two or more races (5%), Hispanic (2.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Little Turtle Elementary School is 15.2. 2 elementary schools in the Whitley County Con Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Little Turtle Elementary School employs 39.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Little Turtle Elementary School is $7,789. 2 elementary schools in the Whitley County Con Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Little Turtle 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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Rank History for Little Turtle Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2007	62.50	387^th	985	60.7%
2008	56.10	501^st	996	49.7%
2009	58.92	471^st	1003	53.0%
2010	57.69	507^th	1009	49.8%
2011	66.99	345^th	1025	66.3%
2012	62.21	415^th	1015	59.1%
2013	63.89	416^th	1035	59.8%
2014	66.06	377^th	1036	63.6%
2015	70.04	290^th	1040	72.1%
2016	62.89	423^rd	1046	59.6%
2017	62.72	420^th	1033	59.3%
2018	53.00	551^st	1027	46.3%
2019	49.32	575^th	1031	44.2%
2021	47.57	575^th	1016	43.4%
2022	46.89	580^th	1020	43.1%
2023	48.97	548^th	1016	46.1%
2024	48.28	544^th	1010	46.1%

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 Little Turtle Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	453	0	1	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	462
2006	447	0	1	8	4	n/a	n/a	0	460
2007	425	1	1	6	3	n/a	n/a	19	455
2008	449	1	1	4	3	n/a	n/a	19	477
2009	453	2	1	5	4	n/a	n/a	20	485
2010	468	3	2	6	3	n/a	n/a	20	502
2011	436	3	0	18	4	0	13	0	474
2012	456	8	2	20	4	0	20	0	510
2013	473	5	2	14	6	0	13	0	513
2014	478	6	2	18	5	0	15	0	524
2015	488	7	2	20	4	1	18	0	540
2016	484	5	4	11	5	1	24	0	534
2017	479	6	4	17	5	0	21	0	532
2018	498	6	4	17	2	0	15	0	542
2019	509	6	4	23	2	0	14	0	558
2020	524	7	4	24	2	0	17	0	578
2021	499	3	4	22	2	0	13	0	543
2022	545	3	4	28	1	0	20	0	601
2023	546	3	6	22	1	0	26	0	604
2024	543	4	4	15	1	0	30	0	597

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 Little Turtle Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	462	27.0	17.1	24.5
2006	460	26.2	17.6	23.5
2007	455	n/a	n/a	27.3
2008	477	26.9	17.7	30.8
2009	485	28.8	16.8	30.3
2010	502	28.4	17.6	35.7
2011	474	28.8	16.4	36.1
2012	510	29.5	17.2	38.8
2013	513	33.0	15.5	39.2
2014	524	31.0	16.9	37.8
2015	540	29.0	18.6	39.8
2016	534	30.0	17.8	35.2
2017	532	31.0	17.1	33.1
2018	542	33.5	16.1	33.6
2019	558	31.0	18.0	34.2
2020	578	33.0	17.4	33.6
2021	543	36.0	15.0	30.2
2022	601	35.0	17.1	27.8
2023	604	35.0	17.2	38.6
2024	597	39.1	15.2	37.4

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 Little Turtle Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	462	27.0	17.1	24.5
2006	460	26.2	17.6	23.5
2007	455	n/a	n/a	27.3
2008	477	26.9	17.7	30.8
2009	485	28.8	16.8	30.3
2010	502	28.4	17.6	35.7
2011	474	28.8	16.4	36.1
2012	510	29.5	17.2	38.8
2013	513	33.0	15.5	39.2
2014	524	31.0	16.9	37.8
2015	540	29.0	18.6	39.8
2016	534	30.0	17.8	35.2
2017	532	31.0	17.1	33.1
2018	542	33.5	16.1	33.6
2019	558	31.0	18.0	34.2
2020	578	33.0	17.4	33.6
2021	543	36.0	15.0	30.2
2022	601	35.0	17.1	27.8
2023	604	35.0	17.2	38.6
2024	597	39.1	15.2	37.4

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 Little Turtle Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$456 (5.9%)	$7,327 (94.1%)	$7,783
2020	$402 (4.8%)	$7,969 (95.2%)	$8,370
2021	$617 (7.4%)	$7,767 (92.6%)	$8,384
2022	$799 (10.3%)	$6,990 (89.7%)	$7,789

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Little Turtle 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 575^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 548^th of 1016 Elementary schools	1.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Little Turtle Elementary School)	52.3	38.2	14.1%
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 (Little Turtle Elementary School)	59.1	52.7	6.4%
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 (Little Turtle Elementary School)	39.1	38	1.1%
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 (Little Turtle Elementary School)	57.5	31	26.5%
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 (Little Turtle Elementary School)	50.6	41	9.6%
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 (Little Turtle Elementary School)	33.3	34.8	1.5%
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 (Little Turtle Elementary School)	40.6	39.1	1.5%
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 (Little Turtle Elementary School)	41.7	32.6	9.1%
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	558	604	8.2%
African American	6	3	50%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	4	6	50%
Hispanic	23	22	4.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	509	546	7.3%
Two or More Races	14	26	85.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.2%	38.6%	4.3%

Schools Near Little Turtle 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Aboite Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5004 Homestead Rd	Fort Wayne	46814	Allen County	MSD Southwest Allen County Schls	No	No	No	No	(260) 431-2101	475	35	13.5	20.6%	353 (74.3%)	25 (5.3%)	34 (7.2%)	31 (6.5%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.3%)	95.1	26^th of 1010 public elementary schools	97.4%		95.2	25^th of 1016 public elementary schools	97.5%	1	76.3	75.3	75.3		75.7	82.8	67.9	70.1		74.1	67.5	$9,573	$448	$9,125

Frequently Asked Questions about Little Turtle Elementary School

How many students attend Little Turtle Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 597 students attended Little Turtle Elementary School.

What district is Little Turtle Elementary School in?

Whitley County Con Schools

What schools do graduates of Little Turtle Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Little Turtle Elementary School usually go on to attend:

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

Is Little Turtle Elementary School a good school?

Little Turtle Elementary School ranks 544^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Little Turtle Elementary School?

Students at Little Turtle Elementary School are 91% White, 5% Two or more races, 3% Hispanic.

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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.