Decatur Middle School

Summary:

Decatur Middle School is a public middle school in Indianapolis, Indiana, serving 1,060 students in grades 7-8. 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 Middle School's academic performance, as measured by ILEARN test scores, is significantly below the state averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 21.97% of all students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state averages of 41.8% for 7th grade and 42.6% for 8th grade. In Math, the proficiency rate was even lower at 12.35%, compared to the state averages of 33.9% for 7th grade and 31.4% for 8th grade. The school has also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching 36.1% in the 2021-2022 school year, much higher than the state average. Additionally, 75.19% of Decatur Middle School's students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in the 2022-2023 school year, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Plainfield Community Middle School, Decatur Middle School's academic performance is significantly lower. For example, Plainfield Community Middle School had 61.3% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 59.6% in Math for the 2023-2024 school year, far exceeding Decatur Middle School's performance. Decatur Middle School's chronic absenteeism rates are also much higher than nearby schools, indicating a significant challenge in student engagement and attendance.

Detail:

Public 7-8

5108 S High School Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46221

(317) 856-5274

District: MSD Decatur Township

SchoolDigger Rank:
389^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,643

Students who attend Decatur Middle School usually attend:

High:

Decatur Central High School

Feeder schools for Decatur Middle School:

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

Student/teacher ratio: 14.9

Number of students: 985

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.4%

African American:

27.9%

Hispanic:

16.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.3%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Decatur Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Decatur Middle School ranks worse than 80.2% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.63. (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 Student population at Decatur Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (47.4%), African American (27.9%), Hispanic (16.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 81.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Decatur Middle School is 14.9. (See more...)

Compare Decatur Middle School employs 66 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Decatur Middle School is $9,643.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Decatur Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Decatur Middle School 389^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Decatur Middle School in the ranking list.)

MSD Decatur Township:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Decatur Middle School.

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Rank History for Decatur Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	31.01	177^th	222	20.3%
2005	36.85	290^th	370	21.6%
2006	29.21	319^th	375	14.9%
2007	32.35	320^th	382	16.2%
2008	37.88	298^th	392	24.0%
2009	29.32	344^th	423	18.7%
2010	33.85	338^th	428	21.0%
2011	33.99	361^st	451	20.0%
2012	28.79	375^th	447	16.1%
2013	39.80	319^th	444	28.2%
2014	35.10	362^nd	470	23.0%
2015	45.67	306^th	485	36.9%
2016	42.82	330^th	494	33.2%
2017	26.72	380^th	472	19.5%
2018	21.77	393^rd	473	16.9%
2019	10.12	430^th	470	8.5%
2021	19.80	383^rd	483	20.7%
2022	26.20	365^th	490	25.5%
2023	24.28	370^th	489	24.3%
2024	19.63	389^th	485	19.8%

See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Saturday, August 6, 2011

I am a parent of two Decatur students. My children both attended Valley Mills Elementary (which I was pleased with for the most part); however, this review is for the Middle School. First, What's the point in having an intercom/automatic door lock/security system if you are going to allow every Tom, Dick & Harry to enter? Second, inappropriate comments have been made on occasion by a teacher towards young females which speaks volumes towards the maturity level of the teachers here as well as the screening by administration. Thirdly, there is a general "uncaring" attitude amongst teachers and this stems from the TOP. Fourth, this school for whatever reason does EVERYTHING different than other schools as far as standard operating procedures go. They have a ridiculous rule or procedure for every aspect of your child's education. Lastly, the office staff at this school is unbelivably unprofessional and rude. 4 years of my life I have to deal with this incompetent school and I am counting the days until my children reach the high school level. I couldn't resist the opportunity to vent about this sorry excuse for a school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Decatur Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	655	125	5	10	2	n/a	n/a	0	797
1989	711	117	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	828
1990	706	110	1	2	1	n/a	n/a	0	820
1991	712	111	3	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	828
1992	1043	186	4	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	1241
1993	1074	189	6	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	1278
1994	1115	177	5	9	2	n/a	n/a	0	1308
1995	1059	158	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	1228
1996	1059	158	1	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	1228
1997	983	152	4	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	1151
1998	1040	144	4	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	1202
1999	1069	144	5	8	2	n/a	n/a	0	1228
2000	1151	150	4	12	4	n/a	n/a	0	1321
2001	1172	136	5	16	7	n/a	n/a	0	1336
2002	1157	150	8	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	1337
2003	1157	150	8	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	1337
2004	1198	166	7	30	2	n/a	n/a	0	1403
2005	1249	136	6	35	1	n/a	n/a	0	1427
2006	812	113	3	26	0	n/a	n/a	0	954
2007	822	96	3	34	0	n/a	n/a	20	975
2008	803	114	3	44	1	n/a	n/a	34	999
2009	740	102	2	51	2	n/a	n/a	22	919
2010	747	103	2	52	2	n/a	n/a	29	935
2011	776	101	4	67	1	0	34	0	983
2012	721	84	4	73	2	1	22	0	907
2013	697	79	7	77	2	0	41	0	903
2014	686	82	2	93	1	1	42	0	907
2015	710	87	3	100	3	0	49	0	952
2016	695	94	7	105	2	0	42	0	945
2017	674	109	8	106	1	0	35	0	933
2018	695	120	6	115	1	0	57	0	994
2019	661	159	5	139	0	0	65	0	1029
2020	661	181	6	152	0	2	71	0	1073
2021	676	195	13	148	0	2	84	0	1118
2022	632	222	8	148	3	1	78	0	1092
2023	529	279	6	168	7	1	70	0	1060
2024	467	275	4	166	6	1	66	0	985

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	797	40.5	19.6	19.4
1989	828	40.5	20.4	0
1990	820	44.5	18.4	17
1991	828	43.1	19.2	21
1992	1241	60.3	20.5	27.9
1993	1278	56.5	22.6	28
1994	1308	64.0	20.4	29.4
1995	1228	63.0	19.5	30.5
1996	1228	63.0	19.5	30.5
1997	1151	63.0	18.3	29.3
1998	1202	63.0	19.1	31.3
1999	1228	63.0	19.5	36.1
2000	1321	73.0	18.1	38.2
2001	1336	70.0	19.1	38.1
2002	1337	70.0	19.1	39
2003	1337	70.0	19.1	39
2004	1403	73.1	19.2	41.8
2005	1427	73.0	19.5	45.8
2006	954	55.5	17.2	47.5
2007	975	n/a	n/a	51.8
2008	999	57.8	17.3	52.6
2009	919	50.0	18.4	52.5
2010	935	50.4	18.5	57.3
2011	983	46.8	20.9	62
2012	907	56.5	16.0	63.6
2013	903	56.0	16.1	64.2
2014	907	50.3	18.0	63.8
2015	952	52.0	18.3	67.3
2016	945	51.0	18.5	68.4
2017	933	51.0	18.2	69.8
2018	994	53.3	18.6	68.4
2019	1029	57.0	18.0	72.7
2020	1073	52.0	20.6	72.3
2021	1118	66.7	16.7	58.8
2022	1092	63.6	17.1	59.8
2023	1060	64.0	16.5	75.2
2024	985	66.0	14.9	81.3

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	797	40.5	19.6	19.4
1989	828	40.5	20.4	0
1990	820	44.5	18.4	17
1991	828	43.1	19.2	21
1992	1241	60.3	20.5	27.9
1993	1278	56.5	22.6	28
1994	1308	64.0	20.4	29.4
1995	1228	63.0	19.5	30.5
1996	1228	63.0	19.5	30.5
1997	1151	63.0	18.3	29.3
1998	1202	63.0	19.1	31.3
1999	1228	63.0	19.5	36.1
2000	1321	73.0	18.1	38.2
2001	1336	70.0	19.1	38.1
2002	1337	70.0	19.1	39
2003	1337	70.0	19.1	39
2004	1403	73.1	19.2	41.8
2005	1427	73.0	19.5	45.8
2006	954	55.5	17.2	47.5
2007	975	n/a	n/a	51.8
2008	999	57.8	17.3	52.6
2009	919	50.0	18.4	52.5
2010	935	50.4	18.5	57.3
2011	983	46.8	20.9	62
2012	907	56.5	16.0	63.6
2013	903	56.0	16.1	64.2
2014	907	50.3	18.0	63.8
2015	952	52.0	18.3	67.3
2016	945	51.0	18.5	68.4
2017	933	51.0	18.2	69.8
2018	994	53.3	18.6	68.4
2019	1029	57.0	18.0	72.7
2020	1073	52.0	20.6	72.3
2021	1118	66.7	16.7	58.8
2022	1092	63.6	17.1	59.8
2023	1060	64.0	16.5	75.2
2024	985	66.0	14.9	81.3

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 Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$382 (4.3%)	$8,561 (95.7%)	$8,943
2020	$684 (7.6%)	$8,324 (92.4%)	$9,008
2021	$765 (8.8%)	$7,935 (91.2%)	$8,700
2022	$1,125 (11.7%)	$8,519 (88.3%)	$9,643

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Decatur Middle 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 430^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 370^th of 489 Middle schools	15.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur Middle School)	26.7	24.4	2.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (MSD Decatur Township)	26.7	24.4	2.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Decatur Middle School)	19.6	16.7	2.9%
7th Grade Math (MSD Decatur Township)	19.6	16.7	2.9%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Decatur Middle School)	23.6	26.2	2.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (MSD Decatur Township)	23.6	26.2	2.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Decatur Middle School)	10.1	14.1	4%
8th Grade Math (MSD Decatur Township)	10.1	14.1	4%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1029	1060	3%
African American	159	279	75.5%
American Indian	0	7
Asian	5	6	20%
Hispanic	139	168	20.9%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	661	529	20%
Two or More Races	65	70	7.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	72.7%	75.2%	2.5%

Schools Near Decatur Middle 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 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	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
Decatur Middle School	Public	7-8	5108 S High School Rd	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 856-5274	985	66	14.9	81.3%	467 (47.4%)	275 (27.9%)	166 (16.9%)	4 (0.4%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	66 (6.7%)	19.6	389^th of 485 public middle schools	19.8%		24.3	370^th of 489 public middle schools	24.3%	19		24.1	19.8	22.0		14.9	9.8	12.4	95.7	$9,643	$1,125	$8,519
Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center	Public	7-8	2805 S Lynhurst	Indianapolis	46241	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 988-8100	1,134	67	16.8	76.9%	299 (26.4%)	293 (25.8%)	481 (42.4%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	53 (4.7%)	19.9	386^th of 485 public middle schools	20.4%		22.2	378^th of 489 public middle schools	22.7%	8		20.7	19.2	20.0		15.3	14.1	14.7	85.9	$12,058	$1,032	$11,026
Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center	Public	7-8	7320 W 10th St	Indianapolis	46214	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 988-8800	1,176	66	17.9	67.9%	200 (17.0%)	604 (51.4%)	319 (27.1%)	4 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (3.8%)	20.8	381^st of 485 public middle schools	21.4%		20.8	385^th of 489 public middle schools	21.3%	4		19.7	27.2	23.5		9.1	14.5	11.8	67.8	$11,001	$937	$10,064
Center Grove Middle School North	Public	6-8	202 N Morgantown Rd	Greenwood	46142	Johnson County	Center Grove Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(317) 885-8800	1,069	56	19.2	33.1%	816 (76.3%)	50 (4.7%)	54 (5.1%)	91 (8.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	56 (5.2%)	89.1	43^rd of 485 public middle schools	91.1%		85.3	58^th of 489 public middle schools	88.1%	15	63.9	56.2	55.5	58.4	62.6	48.0	47.4	52.4	100.0	$9,270	$280	$8,990
Perry Meridian Middle School	Public	7-8	202 W Meridian School Rd	Indianapolis	46217	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 789-4100	1,229	76	16.2	66.0%	473 (38.5%)	125 (10.2%)	150 (12.2%)	416 (33.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (5.2%)	76.4	103^rd of 485 public middle schools	78.8%		72.8	114^th of 489 public middle schools	76.7%	11		49.3	51.4	50.3		38.2	40.2	39.2		$10,408	$1,268	$9,140
Perry Meridian 6th Grade Academy	Public	6	202 W Meridian School Rd	Indianapolis	46217	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 789-1300	659	42	15.6	68.4%	230 (34.9%)	87 (13.2%)	80 (12.1%)	228 (34.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.2%)								(n/a)	45.4			45.4	36.6			36.6		$10,235	$1,074	$9,161
Plainfield Community Middle School	Public	6-8	709 Stafford Rd	Plainfield	46168	Hendricks County	Plainfield Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(317) 838-3966	1,369	79	17.2	36.2%	1,030 (75.2%)	133 (9.7%)	101 (7.4%)	44 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (4.5%)	92.3	32^nd of 485 public middle schools	93.4%		92.8	26^th of 489 public middle schools	94.7%	6	65.7	65.9	52.3	61.3	72.5	56.9	49.2	59.6	93.5	$8,905	$219	$8,686
Speedway Junior High School	Public	7-8	5151 W 14th St	Speedway	46224	Marion County	School Town of Speedway	No	No	No	No	(317) 244-3359	286	21	13.4	48.6%	127 (44.4%)	70 (24.5%)	60 (21.0%)	12 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (5.6%)	80.8	75^th of 485 public middle schools	84.5%		82.7	66^th of 489 public middle schools	86.5%	9		51.1	50.7	50.9		48.9	39.9	44.3		$10,934	$1,133	$9,801
Paul Hadley Middle School	Public	7-8	200 W Carlisle St	Mooresville	46158	Morgan County	Mooresville Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(317) 831-9208	688	34	20.0	47.4%	618 (89.8%)	20 (2.9%)	22 (3.2%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	23 (3.3%)	61.7	176^th of 485 public middle schools	63.7%		62.1	170^th of 489 public middle schools	65.2%	6		41.0	47.5	44.1		29.4	32.2	30.7	91.7	$9,495	$988	$8,507
Southport 6th Grade Academy	Public	6	5715 S Keystone Ave	Indianapolis	46227	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 789-1400	660	43	15.2	78.6%	215 (32.6%)	104 (15.8%)	138 (20.9%)	160 (24.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (6.4%)								(n/a)	37.2			37.2	30.7			30.7		$11,030	$1,287	$9,743

Frequently Asked Questions about Decatur Middle School

Is Decatur Middle School a good school?

Decatur Middle School ranks in the bottom 19.8% of Indiana middle schools.

What high school do graduates of Decatur Middle School attend?

Students who attend Decatur Middle School usually go on to attend Decatur Central High School

What district is Decatur Middle School in?

MSD Decatur Township

How many students attend Decatur Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 985 students attended Decatur Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Decatur Middle School?

Students at Decatur Middle School are 47% White, 28% African American, 17% 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.