Paul Harding Junior High School

Q: Is Paul Harding Junior High School a good school?

Paul Harding Junior High School ranks 360 th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Paul Harding Junior High School is a public middle school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, serving around 430 students in grades 7-8. The school is part of the Fort Wayne Community Schools district, which is ranked 165 out of 381 districts in the state.

Despite having a diverse student population with a significant Asian student representation, Paul Harding Junior High School consistently underperforms academically compared to the state and district averages. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 27.63% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and just 12.79% were proficient in Math, far below the district's performance. The school has also struggled with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.4% to 27.1% over the past few years. When compared to nearby middle schools, such as Blackhawk Middle School, which had significantly higher proficiency rates, it becomes clear that Paul Harding Junior High School is an outlier in terms of academic achievement.

Despite the school's diverse student population and available resources, including a relatively low student-teacher ratio, the data suggests that the school may need to implement targeted interventions and strategies to address the underlying issues contributing to its poor performance. This could include a focus on improving student engagement, attendance, and the quality of instruction, as well as a closer examination of the school's curriculum and support systems. The findings highlight the need for a comprehensive and data-driven approach to improving educational outcomes for the students at Paul Harding Junior High School.

Detail:

Public 7-8

6501 Wayne Trace
Fort Wayne, IN 46816

(260) 446-0240

District: East Allen County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
360^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,280

Students who attend Paul Harding Junior High School usually attend:

High:

New Haven Junior/Senior High School

Feeder schools for Paul Harding Junior High School:

Elementary:	Prince Chapman Academy
	Southwick Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 430

Racial breakdown:

Asian:

49.3%

African American:

25.6%

Hispanic:

15.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 88.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Paul Harding Junior High School ranks worse than 74.2% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.93. (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 Paul Harding Junior High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Asian (49.3%), African American (25.6%), Hispanic (15.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 88.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Paul Harding Junior High School is 13.6. (See more...)

Compare Paul Harding Junior High School employs 31.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Paul Harding Junior High School is $11,280.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Paul Harding Junior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Paul Harding Junior High School 360^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Paul Harding Junior High School in the ranking list.)

East Allen County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks East Allen County Schools 175^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Paul Harding Junior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2014	10.97	433^rd	470	7.9%
2015	14.80	425^th	485	12.4%
2016	11.80	445^th	494	9.9%
2017	6.28	441^st	472	6.6%
2018	21.87	392^nd	473	17.1%
2019	19.57	398^th	470	15.3%
2021	20.18	380^th	483	21.3%
2022	18.83	395^th	490	19.4%
2023	24.98	368^th	489	24.7%
2024	24.93	360^th	485	25.8%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Sunday, May 17, 2020

Staff is committed, caring and invested. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Paul Harding Junior High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Two or More Races	Total
2012	16	129	75	25	0	14	259
2013	21	123	73	32	1	16	266
2014	17	124	75	41	1	18	276
2015	26	117	90	34	0	22	289
2016	20	136	123	46	0	24	349
2017	22	130	135	49	0	11	347
2018	20	131	137	52	0	20	360
2019	19	116	178	48	0	32	393
2020	28	128	181	55	0	25	417
2021	22	124	203	63	0	21	433
2022	29	121	208	67	0	15	440
2023	25	110	212	65	0	18	430

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 Paul Harding Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	259	24.7	10.4	90.3
2013	266	25.4	10.4	91.7
2014	276	25.0	11.0	91.3
2015	289	23.0	12.5	92.7
2016	349	24.0	14.5	93.7
2017	347	24.1	14.3	91.9
2018	360	26.0	13.8	93.9
2019	393	29.0	13.5	90.8
2020	417	31.0	13.4	82.7
2021	433	30.0	14.4	83.1
2022	440	33.7	13.0	88.6
2023	430	31.4	13.6	88.1

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 Paul Harding Junior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2012	259	24.7	10.4	90.3
2013	266	25.4	10.4	91.7
2014	276	25.0	11.0	91.3
2015	289	23.0	12.5	92.7
2016	349	24.0	14.5	93.7
2017	347	24.1	14.3	91.9
2018	360	26.0	13.8	93.9
2019	393	29.0	13.5	90.8
2020	417	31.0	13.4	82.7
2021	433	30.0	14.4	83.1
2022	440	33.7	13.0	88.6
2023	430	31.4	13.6	88.1

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 Paul Harding Junior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,169 (11.4%)	$9,127 (88.6%)	$10,296
2020	$1,056 (10.5%)	$9,049 (89.5%)	$10,105
2021	$1,174 (11.3%)	$9,184 (88.7%)	$10,358
2022	$1,771 (15.7%)	$9,509 (84.3%)	$11,280

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Paul Harding Junior 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 398^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 368^th of 489 Middle schools	9.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Paul Harding Junior High School)	35.8	23.3	12.5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (East Allen County Schools)	55	40.6	14.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Paul Harding Junior High School)	23.2	18.4	4.9%
7th Grade Math (East Allen County Schools)	42.8	36.2	6.6%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Paul Harding Junior High School)	31.6	28.3	3.3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (East Allen County Schools)	54.3	43.6	10.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Paul Harding Junior High School)	17.5	12.7	4.8%
8th Grade Math (East Allen County Schools)	36.5	26.6	9.9%
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	393	430	9.4%
African American	116	110	5.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	178	212	19.1%
Hispanic	48	65	35.4%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	19	25	31.6%
Two or More Races	32	18	43.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	90.8%	88.1%	2.7%

Schools Near Paul Harding Junior High 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)				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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Paul Harding Junior High School	Public	7-8	6501 Wayne Trace	Fort Wayne	46816	Allen County	East Allen County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 446-0240	430	31	13.6	88.1%	25 (5.8%)	110 (25.6%)	65 (15.1%)	212 (49.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.2%)	24.9	360^th of 485 public middle schools	25.8%		25	368^th of 489 public middle schools	24.7%	8		27.5	27.7	27.6		12.4	13.2	12.8	$11,280	$1,771	$9,509
Timothy L. Johnson Academy Middle	Public, Charter	6-8	4625 Werling Drive	Fort Wayne	46806	Allen County	Timothy L. Johnson Academy Middle	Yes	No	No	Yes	(260) 441-8727	195	11	17.7	81.5%	3 (1.5%)	53 (27.2%)	16 (8.2%)	118 (60.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.6%)	7.8	467^th of 485 public middle schools	3.7%		5.8	479^th of 489 public middle schools	2.0%	12	9.8	14.3	12.2	12.2	2.0	1.8	4.1	2.6	$9,288	$2,988	$6,300
Memorial Park Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	2200 Maumee Ave	Fort Wayne	46803	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(260) 467-5300	592	40	14.9	61.0%	196 (33.1%)	184 (31.1%)	127 (21.5%)	20 (3.4%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (10.5%)	55.5	211^th of 485 public middle schools	56.5%		50.3	240^th of 489 public middle schools	50.9%	29	40.7	44.1	32.8	39.3	41.5	33.3	19.7	31.9	$12,518	$2,417	$10,101
Lakeside Middle School	Public	6-8	2100 Lake Ave	Fort Wayne	46805	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-8625	502	34	14.9	77.5%	175 (34.9%)	140 (27.9%)	88 (17.5%)	25 (5.0%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	71 (14.1%)	22.5	373^rd of 485 public middle schools	23.1%		25.1	367^th of 489 public middle schools	24.9%	6	19.0	19.6	27.8	22.3	25.0	14.7	9.6	16.2	$11,438	$1,404	$10,035
Miami Middle School	Public	6-8	8100 Amherst Dr	Fort Wayne	46819	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-8560	497	40	12.5	80.3%	106 (21.3%)	175 (35.2%)	90 (18.1%)	80 (16.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (9.3%)	12.9	425^th of 485 public middle schools	12.4%		11.4	442^nd of 489 public middle schools	9.6%	17	19.6	15.5	17.8	17.6	10.3	7.1	5.7	7.7	$11,711	$1,652	$10,060
Kekionga Middle School	Public	6-8	2929 Engle Rd	Fort Wayne	46809	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-6600	538	37	14.7	79.9%	120 (22.3%)	155 (28.8%)	164 (30.5%)	36 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	62 (11.5%)	13.3	421^st of 485 public middle schools	13.2%		15.9	413^th of 489 public middle schools	15.5%	8	17.4	20.7	17.4	18.5	10.5	9.5	0.6	7.0	$12,002	$1,872	$10,130
Lane Middle School	Public	6-8	4901 Vance Ave	Fort Wayne	46815	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 467-4400	710	47	15.0	74.4%	170 (23.9%)	226 (31.8%)	167 (23.5%)	64 (9.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	82 (11.5%)	16.1	409^th of 485 public middle schools	15.7%		14.8	418^th of 489 public middle schools	14.5%	9	17.6	17.1	24.3	19.8	12.7	9.8	8.8	10.3	$10,322	$1,274	$9,048
Blackhawk Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	7200 E State Blvd	Fort Wayne	46815	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(260) 467-4885	797	48	16.6	45.8%	399 (50.1%)	177 (22.2%)	100 (12.5%)	40 (5.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	80 (10.0%)	61.7	178^th of 485 public middle schools	63.3%		63.1	166^th of 489 public middle schools	66.1%	12	34.9	43.0	39.6	39.2	39.3	37.6	35.8	37.6	$10,582	$1,185	$9,397
Portage Middle School	Public	6-8	3521 Taylor St	Fort Wayne	46802	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-4500	436	30	14.4	78.9%	125 (28.7%)	132 (30.3%)	124 (28.4%)	5 (1.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (11.0%)	20.9	379^th of 485 public middle schools	21.9%		15.2	416^th of 489 public middle schools	14.9%	37	21.1	23.9	16.1	20.5	20.3	19.6	6.5	15.6	$12,499	$1,758	$10,741
Jefferson Middle School	Public	6-8	5303 Wheelock Rd	Fort Wayne	46835	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 467-4825	682	41	16.7	57.5%	383 (56.2%)	110 (16.1%)	83 (12.2%)	22 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	83 (12.2%)	35.1	324^th of 485 public middle schools	33.2%		39.4	301^st of 489 public middle schools	38.4%	23	30.8	26.2	22.8	26.7	33.0	16.7	26.3	25.2	$10,870	$1,166	$9,704

Frequently Asked Questions about Paul Harding Junior High School

What high school do graduates of Paul Harding Junior High School attend?

Students who attend Paul Harding Junior High School usually go on to attend New Haven Junior/Senior High School

Is Paul Harding Junior High School a good school?

Paul Harding Junior High School ranks 360^th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Paul Harding Junior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 430 students attended Paul Harding Junior High School.

What district is Paul Harding Junior High School in?

East Allen County Schools

What is the racial makeup of Paul Harding Junior High School?

Students at Paul Harding Junior High School are 49% Asian, 26% African American, 15% Hispanic, 6% White, 4% 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.