Chesterton Middle School

Summary:

Chesterton Middle School is a public middle school serving 884 students in grades 7-8 in Chesterton, Indiana, which is part of the highly-ranked Duneland School Corporation. This school consistently performs at the top of Indiana middle schools, with strong academic outcomes, low chronic absenteeism, and a student population that is predominantly White with a growing Hispanic enrollment.

Chesterton Middle School is a standout performer, with 65.79% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 63.64% in Math on the latest ILEARN assessments, outpacing the Duneland School Corporation averages. The school ranks 6th out of 485 Indiana middle schools and earns a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger, placing it in the top 10-15% statewide. While Chesterton Middle School has seen a slight increase in chronic absenteeism, its 19.8% rate in 2022-2023 is still lower than the state average and nearby schools like Hobart Middle School and Barker Middle School, which serve more diverse and economically disadvantaged student populations.

Chesterton Middle School's strong performance is a key driver of the Duneland School Corporation's high ranking, and the school outperforms many nearby middle schools on academic measures. With a relatively low 30.09% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, Chesterton Middle School appears to serve a more affluent community, though its racial demographics are shifting with a slight decrease in White students and increase in Hispanic students over recent years. The school's increased per-student spending, from $9,043 in 2018-2019 to $10,646 in 2021-2022, may contribute to its academic success.

Detail:

Public 7-8

651 W Morgan Ave
Chesterton, IN 46304

(219) 983-3776

District: Duneland School Corporation

SchoolDigger Rank:
6^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,646

Students who attend Chesterton Middle School usually attend:

High:

Chesterton Senior High School

Feeder schools for Chesterton Middle School:

Elementary:	Bailly Elementary School
	Brummitt Elementary School
	Jackson Elementary School
	Liberty Elementary School
	More...
	Newton Yost Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.2

Number of students: 870

Racial breakdown:

White:

75.6%

Hispanic:

16.0%

Two or more races:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 29.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Chesterton Middle School ranks better than 98.8% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 96.64. (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 Chesterton Middle School has the largest middle school student body size in the Duneland School Corporation District. Racial makeup is: White (75.6%), Hispanic (16%), two or more races (4.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 29.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Chesterton Middle School is 15.2, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Duneland School Corporation District! (See more...)

Compare Chesterton Middle School employs 57.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Chesterton Middle School is $10,646, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Duneland School Corporation District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Chesterton Middle School 6^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Chesterton Middle School in the ranking list.)

Duneland School Corporation:

SchoolDigger ranks Duneland School Corporation 44^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Chesterton Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	66.69	111^th	370	70.0%
2006	84.47	23^rd	375	93.9%
2007	80.12	46^th	382	88.0%
2008	75.97	70^th	392	82.1%
2009	78.63	67^th	423	84.2%
2010	76.56	79^th	428	81.5%
2011	78.60	61^st	451	86.5%
2012	62.88	173^rd	447	61.3%
2013	66.80	145^th	444	67.3%
2014	75.87	83^rd	470	82.3%
2015	84.02	49^th	485	89.9%
2016	77.41	83^rd	494	83.2%
2017	82.15	59^th	472	87.5%
2018	73.63	109^th	473	77.0%
2019	66.00	150^th	470	68.1%
2021	85.62	55^th	483	88.6%
2022	89.75	37^th	490	92.4%
2023	94.23	18^th	489	96.3%
2024	96.64	6^th	485	98.8%

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 student
Tuesday, July 2, 2019

This school is the worst they don’t know what they are doing hate this school do not go Close Quote

Enrollment information for Chesterton Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2002	848	7	12	24	3	n/a	n/a	0	894
2003	848	7	12	24	3	n/a	n/a	0	894
2004	866	4	12	30	3	n/a	n/a	0	915
2005	859	5	14	30	3	n/a	n/a	0	911
2006	864	3	11	37	3	n/a	n/a	0	918
2007	810	6	8	34	3	n/a	n/a	23	884
2008	806	16	11	34	1	n/a	n/a	20	888
2009	861	13	12	29	0	n/a	n/a	25	940
2010	861	12	12	46	1	n/a	n/a	22	954
2011	832	16	12	74	2	0	11	0	947
2012	839	16	18	65	2	0	37	0	977
2013	828	17	20	67	0	0	50	0	982
2014	863	17	22	77	0	0	37	0	1016
2015	846	17	16	77	2	0	32	0	990
2016	831	21	8	99	2	0	24	0	985
2017	818	18	9	102	4	0	33	0	984
2018	793	23	13	121	3	1	32	0	986
2019	764	19	16	146	3	1	31	0	980
2020	766	27	13	139	4	0	30	0	979
2021	739	28	6	124	1	1	33	0	932
2022	719	19	8	125	0	2	35	0	908
2023	669	22	10	147	1	2	33	0	884
2024	658	19	11	139	0	1	42	0	870

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 Chesterton Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	894	40.8	21.9	14.2
2003	894	40.8	21.9	14.2
2004	915	41.0	22.3	19.3
2005	911	41.3	22.1	21.4
2006	918	41.0	22.4	19.2
2007	884	n/a	n/a	18.4
2008	888	41.9	21.2	19
2009	940	42.2	22.3	17.5
2010	954	48.0	19.8	19.7
2011	947	34.9	27.1	26.4
2012	977	50.0	19.5	28.4
2013	982	44.0	22.3	26.8
2014	1016	46.0	22.0	24.7
2015	990	48.0	20.6	25.9
2016	985	47.0	20.9	26.8
2017	984	52.4	18.7	26.8
2018	986	55.8	17.6	29.6
2019	980	51.5	19.0	29.2
2020	979	51.0	19.1	26.6
2021	932	51.3	18.1	26
2022	908	61.1	14.8	25.1
2023	884	50.9	17.3	30.1
2024	870	57.1	15.2	29.1

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 Chesterton Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2002	894	40.8	21.9	14.2
2003	894	40.8	21.9	14.2
2004	915	41.0	22.3	19.3
2005	911	41.3	22.1	21.4
2006	918	41.0	22.4	19.2
2007	884	n/a	n/a	18.4
2008	888	41.9	21.2	19
2009	940	42.2	22.3	17.5
2010	954	48.0	19.8	19.7
2011	947	34.9	27.1	26.4
2012	977	50.0	19.5	28.4
2013	982	44.0	22.3	26.8
2014	1016	46.0	22.0	24.7
2015	990	48.0	20.6	25.9
2016	985	47.0	20.9	26.8
2017	984	52.4	18.7	26.8
2018	986	55.8	17.6	29.6
2019	980	51.5	19.0	29.2
2020	979	51.0	19.1	26.6
2021	932	51.3	18.1	26
2022	908	61.1	14.8	25.1
2023	884	50.9	17.3	30.1
2024	870	57.1	15.2	29.1

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 Chesterton Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$17 (0.2%)	$9,025 (99.8%)	$9,043
2020	$29 (0.3%)	$9,094 (99.7%)	$9,122
2021	$30 (0.3%)	$9,904 (99.7%)	$9,934
2022	$163 (1.5%)	$10,483 (98.5%)	$10,646

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Chesterton 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 150^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 18^th of 489 Middle schools	28.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Chesterton Middle School)	50.3	59.5	9.2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Duneland School Corporation)	50.3	58.6	8.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Chesterton Middle School)	52.7	61.1	8.3%
7th Grade Math (Duneland School Corporation)	52.7	60.1	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Chesterton Middle School)	49.1	65.6	16.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Duneland School Corporation)	49.1	64.3	15.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Chesterton Middle School)	43.8	52.5	8.7%
8th Grade Math (Duneland School Corporation)	43.8	51.2	7.4%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%
End of Course Biology (Chesterton Middle School)	92.9	72.3	20.6%
End of Course Biology (Duneland School Corporation)	49.2	36.8	12.4%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	980	884	9.8%
African American	19	22	15.8%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	16	10	37.5%
Hispanic	146	147	0.7%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	764	669	12.4%
Two or More Races	31	33	6.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	29.2%	30.1%	0.9%

Schools Near Chesterton 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 Social Studies (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 5th Grade	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 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Chesterton Middle School	Public	7-8	651 W Morgan Ave	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3776	870	57	15.2	29.1%	658 (75.6%)	19 (2.2%)	139 (16.0%)	11 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (4.8%)	96.6	6^th of 485 public middle schools	98.8%		94.2	18^th of 489 public middle schools	96.3%	12			66.2	65.4	65.8			65.7	61.6	63.6		94.0	$10,646	$163	$10,483
Westchester Intermediate School	Public	5-6	1050 S 5th St	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 983-3710	485	31	15.5	33.8%	362 (74.6%)	22 (4.5%)	67 (13.8%)	8 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (4.9%)								(n/a)	59.7	70.2			65.1	61.8	72.6			67.4	54.0		$11,920	$514	$11,406
Liberty Intermediate School	Public	5-6	50 W 900 N	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3690	354	23	15.2	24.6%	264 (74.6%)	6 (1.7%)	70 (19.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.1%)								(n/a)	68.0	60.7			64.4	71.3	61.9			66.7	69.1		$12,071	$531	$11,540
Willowcreek Middle School	Public	6-8	5962 Central Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8090	931	61	15.1		485 (52.1%)	147 (15.8%)	250 (26.9%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (4.6%)	41.6	290^th of 485 public middle schools	40.2%		42.8	271^st of 489 public middle schools	44.6%	19		27.1	31.3	37.5	32.1		25.8	25.9	25.9	25.9		74.4	$10,764	$898	$9,866
William Fegely Middle School	Public	6-8	5384 Stone Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8150	613	43	14.1		276 (45.0%)	125 (20.4%)	179 (29.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.9%)	36.8	317^th of 485 public middle schools	34.6%		38.9	304^th of 489 public middle schools	37.8%	13		32.0	29.5	30.3	30.6		15.2	27.9	24.1	22.2		62.5	$11,068	$915	$10,153
Thomas Jefferson Middle School	Public	6-8	1600 Roosevelt Rd	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3140	641	50	12.9	39.6%	464 (72.4%)	43 (6.7%)	84 (13.1%)	10 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.2%)	77.8	91^st of 485 public middle schools	81.2%		86.8	52^nd of 489 public middle schools	89.4%	39		41.8	58.3	46.5	48.8		45.9	47.3	44.3	45.8		94.0	$10,582	$153	$10,428
Benjamin Franklin Middle School	Public	6-8	605 Campbell	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3020	806	57	14.1	22.3%	629 (78.0%)	19 (2.4%)	105 (13.0%)	18 (2.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (4.2%)	92.9	28^th of 485 public middle schools	94.2%		94.2	17^th of 489 public middle schools	96.5%	11		66.7	60.5	63.1	63.3		63.0	55.1	48.7	55.5		98.5	$9,715	$282	$9,433
Gary Middle School	Public	6-8	301 Parke St	Gary	46403	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 321-8547	324	16	20.9	75.0%	5 (1.5%)	296 (91.4%)	20 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	7.3	470^th of 485 public middle schools	3.1%		5.6	480^th of 489 public middle schools	1.8%	10		12.6	10.9	14.0	12.5		2.5	0.0	0.0	1.0			$18,213	$5,210	$13,003
Barker Middle School	Public	7-8	319 E Barker Rd	Michigan City	46360	LaPorte County	Michigan City Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 873-2057	378	32	11.8	65.9%	148 (39.2%)	129 (34.1%)	54 (14.3%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	43 (11.4%)	35.2	322^nd of 485 public middle schools	33.6%		24.4	369^th of 489 public middle schools	24.5%	47			36.9	28.6	32.7			26.2	8.6	17.2			$14,189	$1,627	$12,562
Union Township Middle School	Public	6-8	599 W 300 N	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Union Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 759-2562	313	23	13.9	26.5%	252 (80.5%)	10 (3.2%)	45 (14.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	94.7	19^th of 485 public middle schools	96.1%		86.2	54^th of 489 public middle schools	89.0%	35		64.6	72.6	73.3	70.0		51.8	62.8	61.0	58.3			$10,046	$235	$9,811

Frequently Asked Questions about Chesterton Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Chesterton Middle School?

Students at Chesterton Middle School are 76% White, 16% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% Asian.

Is Chesterton Middle School a good school?

Yes! Chesterton Middle School is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 6^th of 485 Indiana middle schools.

How many students attend Chesterton Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 870 students attended Chesterton Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Chesterton Middle School attend?

Students who attend Chesterton Middle School usually go on to attend Chesterton Senior High School

What district is Chesterton Middle School in?

Duneland School Corporation

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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.