West Newton Elementary School

Q: Is West Newton Elementary School a good school?

West Newton Elementary School ranks 736 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

West Newton Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades K-6 in the MSD Decatur Township school district, with a student population of 597. The school has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Indiana elementary schools over the past decade, receiving 1-2 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger.

West Newton Elementary faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates (13.2% compared to the district average of 8.4%), consistently low academic performance (only 24.93% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the district average of 23.51% and the state average of 38.6-41.8%), and a high percentage of students (67%) qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. When compared to other schools in the district, West Newton Elementary underperforms, with a lower English Language Arts proficiency rate than the top-performing Blue Academy at 29.85%. The school has also seen a notable shift in its racial demographics, with the percentage of White students decreasing from 58.69% to 45.23% over the past few years.

Despite increased spending per student, from $8,736 in 2018-2019 to $10,453 in 2021-2022, the school's academic outcomes have not improved. Addressing the root causes of these issues, such as attendance, resource allocation, and targeted interventions, will be crucial for improving student outcomes at West Newton Elementary.

Detail:

Public K-6

7529 Mooresville Rd
West Newton, IN 46183

(317) 856-5237

District: MSD Decatur Township

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,453

Students who attend West Newton Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Decatur Middle School
High:	Decatur Central High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.3

Number of students: 597

Racial breakdown:

White:

45.2%

African American:

33.0%

Hispanic:

14.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 67%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare West Newton Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details West Newton Elementary School ranks worse than 72.9% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked elementary schools in the MSD Decatur Township School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 29.25. (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 West Newton Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (45.2%), African American (33%), Hispanic (14.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 67% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the MSD Decatur Township School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Newton Elementary School is 16.3. 3 elementary schools in the MSD Decatur Township School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare West Newton Elementary School employs 36.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Newton Elementary School is $10,453, which is the 2^nd highest among 6 elementary schools in the MSD Decatur Township School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

West Newton Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

MSD Decatur Township:

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

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Rank History for West Newton Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	51.86	524^th	959	45.4%
2006	38.35	681^st	961	29.1%
2007	50.54	577^th	985	41.4%
2008	65.26	341^st	996	65.8%
2009	59.28	462^nd	1003	53.9%
2010	50.71	590^th	1009	41.5%
2011	44.73	696^th	1025	32.1%
2012	38.52	739^th	1015	27.2%
2013	52.47	593^rd	1035	42.7%
2014	46.09	682^nd	1036	34.2%
2015	42.95	683^rd	1040	34.3%
2016	45.22	684^th	1046	34.6%
2017	34.91	756^th	1033	26.8%
2018	38.10	721^st	1027	29.8%
2019	32.31	753^rd	1031	27.0%
2021	37.14	683^rd	1016	32.8%
2022	38.79	664^th	1020	34.9%
2023	37.21	665^th	1016	34.5%
2024	29.25	736^th	1010	27.1%

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 West Newton Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	577	99	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	677
1989	558	94	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	652
1990	559	91	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	651
1991	477	94	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	573
1992	368	76	0	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	449
1993	355	82	0	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	440
1994	373	85	1	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	465
1995	343	68	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	4	420
1996	343	68	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	4	420
1997	370	71	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	445
1998	394	85	3	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	484
1999	358	57	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	421
2000	370	66	4	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	444
2001	409	90	4	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	506
2002	445	75	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	528
2003	445	75	1	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	528
2004	488	64	0	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	564
2005	544	76	0	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	631
2006	521	61	3	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	604
2007	466	52	2	22	2	n/a	n/a	20	564
2008	542	43	1	27	3	n/a	n/a	22	638
2009	484	49	1	35	4	n/a	n/a	34	607
2010	515	56	2	40	1	n/a	n/a	34	648
2011	489	37	6	65	2	0	17	0	616
2012	439	40	5	63	3	0	23	0	573
2013	440	31	7	49	1	0	28	0	556
2014	424	51	7	49	0	0	28	0	559
2015	440	48	9	55	0	0	34	0	586
2016	439	68	9	72	2	0	38	0	628
2017	438	84	7	75	3	0	33	0	640
2018	443	83	8	81	3	0	40	0	658
2019	401	89	8	82	4	0	32	0	616
2020	376	95	5	66	4	0	31	0	577
2021	341	135	5	61	3	1	35	0	581
2022	291	168	5	67	1	0	43	0	575
2023	270	197	4	87	1	0	38	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 West Newton Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	677	32.5	20.8	15.1
1989	652	33.0	19.7	16.9
1990	651	33.0	19.7	14.7
1991	573	30.0	19.1	17.6
1992	449	22.0	20.4	19.4
1993	440	36.5	12.1	23.4
1994	465	20.0	23.3	24.7
1995	420	20.5	20.5	20.9
1996	420	20.5	20.5	20.9
1997	445	20.5	21.7	23.3
1998	484	22.5	21.5	28.1
1999	421	22.0	19.1	28
2000	444	25.0	17.8	28.4
2001	506	27.0	18.7	28.7
2002	528	30.0	17.6	33.3
2003	528	30.0	17.6	33.3
2004	564	31.0	18.2	29.8
2005	631	33.0	19.1	30.7
2006	604	30.5	19.8	38.6
2007	564	n/a	n/a	44.9
2008	638	32.0	19.9	47.2
2009	607	30.0	20.2	51
2010	648	30.5	21.2	52.1
2011	616	28.7	21.3	62.5
2012	573	29.0	19.7	58.8
2013	556	27.0	20.5	60.3
2014	559	28.0	19.9	60.5
2015	586	30.0	19.5	60.9
2016	628	30.0	20.9	62.7
2017	640	32.0	20.0	64.2
2018	658	32.0	20.5	66.6
2019	616	34.0	18.1	60.9
2020	577	33.0	17.4	59.3
2021	581	34.0	17.0	51.3
2022	575	35.9	16.0	52
2023	597	36.5	16.3	67

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 West Newton Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	677	32.5	20.8	15.1
1989	652	33.0	19.7	16.9
1990	651	33.0	19.7	14.7
1991	573	30.0	19.1	17.6
1992	449	22.0	20.4	19.4
1993	440	36.5	12.1	23.4
1994	465	20.0	23.3	24.7
1995	420	20.5	20.5	20.9
1996	420	20.5	20.5	20.9
1997	445	20.5	21.7	23.3
1998	484	22.5	21.5	28.1
1999	421	22.0	19.1	28
2000	444	25.0	17.8	28.4
2001	506	27.0	18.7	28.7
2002	528	30.0	17.6	33.3
2003	528	30.0	17.6	33.3
2004	564	31.0	18.2	29.8
2005	631	33.0	19.1	30.7
2006	604	30.5	19.8	38.6
2007	564	n/a	n/a	44.9
2008	638	32.0	19.9	47.2
2009	607	30.0	20.2	51
2010	648	30.5	21.2	52.1
2011	616	28.7	21.3	62.5
2012	573	29.0	19.7	58.8
2013	556	27.0	20.5	60.3
2014	559	28.0	19.9	60.5
2015	586	30.0	19.5	60.9
2016	628	30.0	20.9	62.7
2017	640	32.0	20.0	64.2
2018	658	32.0	20.5	66.6
2019	616	34.0	18.1	60.9
2020	577	33.0	17.4	59.3
2021	581	34.0	17.0	51.3
2022	575	35.9	16.0	52
2023	597	36.5	16.3	67

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 West Newton Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$672 (7.7%)	$8,064 (92.3%)	$8,736
2020	$1,026 (10.6%)	$8,629 (89.4%)	$9,655
2021	$1,169 (12.0%)	$8,556 (88.0%)	$9,725
2022	$1,432 (13.7%)	$9,020 (86.3%)	$10,452

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Newton 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 753^rd of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 665^th of 1016 Elementary schools	7.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (West Newton Elementary School)	36.1	30.4	5.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (MSD Decatur Township)	30	19.7	10.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (West Newton Elementary School)	55.7	37	18.7%
3rd Grade Math (MSD Decatur Township)	41.4	29.7	11.7%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (West Newton Elementary School)	35.2	31.5	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (MSD Decatur Township)	33.2	22.4	10.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (West Newton Elementary School)	39.8	39.3	0.5%
4th Grade Math (MSD Decatur Township)	43.2	30	13.2%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (West Newton Elementary School)	36.4	24.7	11.7%
4th Grade Science (MSD Decatur Township)	32.4	14.4	18.1%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (West Newton Elementary School)	33	25.8	7.2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (MSD Decatur Township)	27.4	23.5	3.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (West Newton Elementary School)	37.1	26.9	10.2%
5th Grade Math (MSD Decatur Township)	29.7	19.7	10%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (West Newton Elementary School)	25.8	28	2.2%
5th Grade Social Studies (MSD Decatur Township)	21.2	20.9	0.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (West Newton Elementary School)	35.6	37.5	1.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (MSD Decatur Township)	31	32.2	1.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (West Newton Elementary School)	37.5	32.7	4.8%
6th Grade Math (MSD Decatur Township)	31	25.7	5.4%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (West Newton Elementary School)	35.6	27.9	7.7%
6th Grade Science (MSD Decatur Township)	27.6	19.9	7.7%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	616	597	3.1%
African American	89	197	121.3%
American Indian	4	1	75%
Asian	8	4	50%
Hispanic	82	87	6.1%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	401	270	32.7%
Two or More Races	32	38	18.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	60.9%	67%	6.1%

Schools Near West Newton 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
West Newton Elementary School	Public	K-6	7529 Mooresville Rd	West Newton	46183	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 856-5237	597	37	16.3	67.0%	270 (45.2%)	197 (33.0%)	87 (14.6%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.4%)	29.3	736^th of 1010 public elementary schools	27.1%		37.2	665^th of 1016 public elementary schools	34.5%	71	25.7	22.2	23.6	28.0	24.9	27.1	24.4	34.8	24.0	27.5	33.7	$10,453	$1,432	$9,020
Decatur High Ability Academy	Public	3-6	5106 South High School Road	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(317) 856-5265	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	99.3	1^st of 1010 public elementary schools	99.9%					(n/a)	68.0	91.3	91.7	80.0	82.4	100.0	95.7	95.8	100.0	98.0	100.0
Valley Mills Elementary School	Public	K-6	5101 S High School Rd	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 856-6363	654	40	16.4	79.5%	354 (54.1%)	166 (25.4%)	72 (11.0%)	8 (1.2%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	50 (7.6%)	18.8	828^th of 1010 public elementary schools	18.0%		22.2	802^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	21.1%	26	11.7	13.6	19.3	32.1	19.4	22.1	8.6	9.6	36.9	19.4	10.8	$9,247	$1,516	$7,731
Blue Academy	Public	K-6	5650 Mann Rd	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 856-4100	686	42	16.3	71.3%	321 (46.8%)	239 (34.8%)	79 (11.5%)	6 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (5.7%)	32	708^th of 1010 public elementary schools	29.9%		30.9	724^th of 1016 public elementary schools	28.7%	16	28.7	28.7	21.7	39.0	29.9	41.6	28.7	25.3	25.3	30.4	21.7	$9,922	$1,648	$8,275
Gold Academy	Public	K-6	5650 Mann Rd	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 856-0400	591	40	14.8	74.8%	317 (53.6%)	144 (24.4%)	70 (11.8%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (9.0%)	18.9	826^th of 1010 public elementary schools	18.2%		21.7	804^th of 1016 public elementary schools	20.9%	22	20.0	21.1	11.6	19.7	18.3	40.0	34.2	13.0	18.4	26.9	7.3	$10,158	$1,368	$8,790
North Madison Elementary School	Public	K-6	7456 E Hadley Rd	Camby	46113	Morgan County	Mooresville Con School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 831-9214	632	35	17.9	46.4%	526 (83.2%)	44 (7.0%)	31 (4.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (4.4%)	67.5	321^st of 1010 public elementary schools	68.2%		55.7	475^th of 1016 public elementary schools	53.2%	154	35.1	43.3	37.2	54.8	42.6	62.1	59.8	50.0	55.9	57.0	36.2	$9,221	$1,002	$8,219
Rosa Parks Kindergarten	Public	K-1	7525 Wellingshire Blvd.	Indianapolis	46217	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(317) 789-3771	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Rosa Parks Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7525 Wellingshire Blvd	Indianapolis	46217	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 789-2900	670	47	14.1	57.9%	282 (42.1%)	37 (5.5%)	49 (7.3%)	256 (38.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (6.9%)	67.4	322^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	68.1%		74.1	245^th of 1016 public elementary schools	75.9%	77	42.3	49.0	49.3		47.0	50.4	47.7	57.6		51.9	44.4	$10,741	$1,151	$9,590
Glenns Valley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8239 Morgantown Rd	Indianapolis	46217	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 789-2800	726	43	16.7	70.2%	259 (35.7%)	118 (16.3%)	83 (11.4%)	209 (28.8%)	2 (0.3%)	3 (0.4%)	52 (7.2%)	69.1	306^th of 1010 public elementary schools	69.7%		44.3	593^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	41.6%	287	37.1	48.6	51.5		45.7	61.9	53.3	60.2		58.5	37.9	$9,838	$1,249	$8,589
Lynwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-6	4640 Santa Fe Dr	Indianapolis	46241	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 243-7559	634	40	15.7	79.2%	291 (45.9%)	171 (27.0%)	107 (16.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (9.8%)	10.3	929^th of 1010 public elementary schools	8.0%		13.5	880^th of 1016 public elementary schools	13.4%	49	11.1	9.5	13.8	14.7	12.3	14.3	17.5	20.7	11.8	15.9	8.6	$9,661	$1,259	$8,402

Frequently Asked Questions about West Newton Elementary School

Is West Newton Elementary School a good school?

West Newton Elementary School ranks 736^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of West Newton Elementary School?

Students at West Newton Elementary School are 45% White, 33% African American, 15% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

What district is West Newton Elementary School in?

MSD Decatur Township

How many students attend West Newton Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 597 students attended West Newton Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of West Newton Elementary School attend?

Students who attend West Newton Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Decatur Middle School
High : Decatur Central High School

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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.