Decatur Central High School

Summary:

Decatur Central High School is a public high school in Indianapolis, Indiana, serving 2,039 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the MSD Decatur Township district, which is ranked 280 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Decatur Central High School faces several challenges, including a diverse student population with significant racial disparities in academic performance. The school consistently ranks in the bottom third of Indiana high schools, with only 33.91% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT/Evidence-based Reading and Writing, and just 7.94% proficient or better in SAT/Mathematics. Additionally, the school struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 44.3% to 53.1% over the past three years. Despite increased spending per student, from $9,034 in 2018-2019 to $9,954 in 2021-2022, the school's academic outcomes have not improved.

Comparing Decatur Central High School to nearby high-performing schools, such as Avon High School and Plainfield High School, which are in higher-performing districts, highlights the potential for improvement. Additionally, the nearby Achieve Virtual Education Academy has a higher statewide ranking and better test scores than Decatur Central High School, despite serving a similar demographic of students. These comparisons suggest that the district and school leadership need to implement targeted interventions and strategies to address the underlying factors contributing to Decatur Central High School's struggles.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 5251 Kentucky Ave
       Indianapolis, IN  46221


(317) 856-5288

District: MSD Decatur Township

SchoolDigger Rank:
343rd of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,954 Help


Feeder schools for Decatur Central High School:

Elementary:    Blue Academy
    Gold Academy
    Lynwood Elementary
    Stephen Decatur Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Decatur Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.3 Help
Number of students:  2,039

Racial breakdown:

White:
53.3%
African American:
24.0%
Hispanic:
15.3%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  67.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Decatur Central High School ranks worse than 79.6% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 20.74. (See more...)
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The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Decatur Central High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.
Help
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
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Compare Details Student population at Decatur Central High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (53.3%), African American (24%), Hispanic (15.3%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 67.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Decatur Central High School is 16.3. (See more...)
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Compare Decatur Central High School employs 125 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Decatur Central High School is $9,954.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Decatur Central High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Decatur Central High School 343rd of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See Decatur Central High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


MSD Decatur Township:

SchoolDigger ranks MSD Decatur Township 279th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Decatur Central High School

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Rank History for all students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 24.87 305th 349 12.6%
2006 39.44 267th 349 23.5%
2007 30.77 299th 354 15.5%
2008 29.04 310th 360 13.9%
2009 35.03 291st 364 20.1%
2010 30.87 259th 362 28.5%
2011 28.87 284th 364 22.0%
2012 30.60 281st 373 24.7%
2013 22.79 294th 353 16.7%
2014 28.87 287th 379 24.3%
2015 35.20 288th 400 28.0%
2016 33.21 298th 394 24.4%
2017 27.16 299th 380 21.3%
2018 37.47 270th 385 29.9%
2019 27.06 308th 389 20.8%
2021 26.94 300th 388 22.7%
2022 26.82 311th 409 24.0%
2023 15.63 348th 398 12.6%
2024 20.74 343rd 431 20.4%
See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 34.53 55th 94 41.5%
2023 16.74 93rd 104 10.6%
2024 19.24 85th 102 16.7%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 28.43 58th 74 21.6%
2024 51.02 32nd 94 66.0%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 21.07 258th 285 9.5%
2024 40.13 157th 289 45.7%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 18.16 329th 379 13.2%
2024 26.14 295th 377 21.8%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 14.44 345th 388 11.1%
2024 18.65 325th 392 17.1%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 15.46 343rd 383 10.4%
2024 17.89 329th 392 16.1%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 53.09 48th 125 61.6%
2023 30.36 82nd 125 34.4%
2024 35.29 77th 132 41.7%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 38.52 92nd 164 43.9%
2023 19.71 143rd 166 13.9%
2024 30.64 132nd 184 28.3%
See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Decatur Central High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 22.24 316th 378 16.4%
2023 14.54 346th 375 7.7%
2024 17.88 327th 381 14.2%
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.

Decatur Central High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 




Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Decatur Central High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 1288 166 4 10 2 n/a n/a 0 1470
1989 1225 157 5 5 1 n/a n/a 0 1393
1990 1184 151 3 5 1 n/a n/a 0 1344
1991 1219 177 1 5 1 n/a n/a 0 1403
1992 1259 182 1 3 1 n/a n/a 0 1446
1993 1250 163 4 4 1 n/a n/a 0 1422
1994 1200 154 7 6 0 n/a n/a 0 1367
1995 1254 144 8 9 0 n/a n/a 4 1419
1996 1254 144 8 9 0 n/a n/a 4 1419
1997 1291 136 7 11 1 n/a n/a 0 1446
1998 1321 149 4 11 2 n/a n/a 0 1487
1999 1284 155 3 16 1 n/a n/a 0 1459
2000 1295 152 3 20 1 n/a n/a 0 1471
2001 1250 136 3 17 1 n/a n/a 0 1407
2002 1288 115 7 21 1 n/a n/a 0 1432
2003 1288 115 7 21 1 n/a n/a 0 1432
2004 1334 117 3 32 0 n/a n/a 0 1486
2005 1367 140 7 46 1 n/a n/a 0 1561
2006 1373 150 10 55 1 n/a n/a 0 1589
2007 1354 162 9 59 1 n/a n/a 31 1616
2008 1362 167 9 68 1 n/a n/a 25 1632
2009 1441 199 9 68 1 n/a n/a 41 1759
2010 1460 184 6 82 1 n/a n/a 48 1781
2011 1467 182 5 99 2 0 39 0 1794
2012 1454 193 7 107 2 0 49 0 1812
2013 1453 205 5 122 3 0 51 0 1839
2014 1380 207 9 135 3 0 49 0 1783
2015 1283 182 13 140 4 2 66 0 1690
2016 1252 188 11 183 4 2 68 0 1708
2017 1276 202 13 194 4 1 77 0 1767
2018 1293 246 17 233 6 1 84 0 1880
2019 1225 274 17 249 6 2 72 0 1845
2020 1160 283 20 265 4 0 93 0 1825
2021 1082 334 14 292 3 0 93 0 1818
2022 1166 401 8 314 0 2 120 0 2011
2023 1087 489 12 312 0 2 137 0 2039

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 Decatur Central High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1470 77.8 18.8 10.3
1989 1393 78.8 17.6 9.3
1990 1344 75.0 17.9 12
1991 1403 72.9 19.2 14.9
1992 1446 79.7 18.1 15.8
1993 1422 81.0 17.6 20.2
1994 1367 81.0 16.9 21.8
1995 1419 80.7 17.6 19.4
1996 1419 80.7 17.6 19.4
1997 1446 80.7 17.9 17.7
1998 1487 81.7 18.2 23.3
1999 1459 83.0 17.6 27.2
2000 1471 84.5 17.4 27.6
2001 1407 87.0 16.2 31.1
2002 1432 84.0 17.0 29.5
2003 1432 84.0 17.0 29.5
2004 1486 80.9 18.4 30.8
2005 1561 82.5 18.9 33.4
2006 1589 84.0 18.9 30.1
2007 1616 n/a n/a 43.8
2008 1632 89.0 18.3 42.4
2009 1759 89.6 19.6 48
2010 1781 91.1 19.5 48.2
2011 1794 84.8 21.1 52.8
2012 1812 91.0 19.9 53
2013 1839 93.1 19.7 58.5
2014 1783 89.0 20.0 59.8
2015 1690 87.0 19.4 58.9
2016 1708 90.0 18.9 60.4
2017 1767 91.0 19.4 60.9
2018 1880 96.1 19.5 58.4
2019 1845 95.5 19.3 62.4
2020 1825 98.0 18.6 61.8
2021 1818 100.8 18.0 52.9
2022 2011 122.3 16.4 55.3
2023 2039 125.0 16.3 67.7

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 Decatur Central High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1470 77.8 18.8 10.3
1989 1393 78.8 17.6 9.3
1990 1344 75.0 17.9 12
1991 1403 72.9 19.2 14.9
1992 1446 79.7 18.1 15.8
1993 1422 81.0 17.6 20.2
1994 1367 81.0 16.9 21.8
1995 1419 80.7 17.6 19.4
1996 1419 80.7 17.6 19.4
1997 1446 80.7 17.9 17.7
1998 1487 81.7 18.2 23.3
1999 1459 83.0 17.6 27.2
2000 1471 84.5 17.4 27.6
2001 1407 87.0 16.2 31.1
2002 1432 84.0 17.0 29.5
2003 1432 84.0 17.0 29.5
2004 1486 80.9 18.4 30.8
2005 1561 82.5 18.9 33.4
2006 1589 84.0 18.9 30.1
2007 1616 n/a n/a 43.8
2008 1632 89.0 18.3 42.4
2009 1759 89.6 19.6 48
2010 1781 91.1 19.5 48.2
2011 1794 84.8 21.1 52.8
2012 1812 91.0 19.9 53
2013 1839 93.1 19.7 58.5
2014 1783 89.0 20.0 59.8
2015 1690 87.0 19.4 58.9
2016 1708 90.0 18.9 60.4
2017 1767 91.0 19.4 60.9
2018 1880 96.1 19.5 58.4
2019 1845 95.5 19.3 62.4
2020 1825 98.0 18.6 61.8
2021 1818 100.8 18.0 52.9
2022 2011 122.3 16.4 55.3
2023 2039 125.0 16.3 67.7

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 Decatur Central High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $535 (5.9%) $8,499 (94.1%) $9,034
2020 $668 (6.9%) $8,952 (93.1%) $9,620
2021 $820 (8.4%) $8,955 (91.6%) $9,775
2022 $1,053 (10.6%) $8,902 (89.4%) $9,954

Data source: Indiana Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Decatur Central 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 308th of 389 High schoolsRanks 348th of 398 High schools
 8.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Decatur Central High School)25.67.4
 18.2%
   End of Course Biology (MSD Decatur Township)23.110.5
 12.6%
   End of Course Biology (Indiana)38.629
 9.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students18452039
 10.5%
African American274489
 78.5%
American Indian60
 100%
Asian1712
 29.4%
Hispanic249312
 25.3%
Pacific Islander22
White12251087
 11.3%
Two or More Races72137
 90.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients62.4%67.7%
 5.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Decatur Central High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,039 students attended Decatur Central High School.

Decatur Central High School ranks in the bottom 20.4% of Indiana high schools.

Decatur Central High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Blue Academy
Elementary : Gold Academy
Elementary : Lynwood Elementary
Elementary : Stephen Decatur Elementary School
Elementary : Valley Mills Elementary School
Elementary : West Newton Elementary School
Middle : Decatur Middle School

Students at Decatur Central High School are 53% White, 24% African American, 15% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races.


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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.





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