Merle J Abbett Elementary School

Summary:

Merle J Abbett Elementary School is a public elementary school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, serving 498 students in grades PK-5. The school faces significant challenges, with a student population that is predominantly minority and economically disadvantaged.

Merle J Abbett consistently ranks among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Indiana, with proficiency rates well below the state and Fort Wayne Community Schools district averages in ILEARN English Language Arts and Math assessments. For example, in 2023-2024, only 12.84% of Merle J Abbett students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 28.81% for the district. The school also has a very high chronic absenteeism rate, reaching 42.7% in the 2020-2021 school year, significantly higher than the surrounding schools.

While nearby schools like Fairfield Elementary, South Wayne Elementary, and Levan R. Scott Academy also serve predominantly minority and economically disadvantaged student populations, they generally outperform Merle J Abbett on academic measures. Addressing the challenges at Merle J Abbett will require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to improve educational outcomes for the students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

4325 Smith St
Fort Wayne, IN 46806

(260) 467-5800

District: Fort Wayne Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
961^st of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,302

Students who attend Merle J Abbett Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Lane Middle School
High:	South Side High School

Student/teacher ratio: 6.4

Number of students: 450

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

48.7%

African American:

29.6%

Asian:

8.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 81.1%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Merle J Abbett Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Merle J Abbett Elementary School ranks worse than 95.1% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 29^th among 31 ranked elementary schools in the Fort Wayne Community Schools District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 7.49. (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 Racial makeup is: Hispanic (48.7%), African American (29.6%), Asian (8.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 81.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merle J Abbett Elementary School is 6.4, which is the lowest among 33 elementary schools in the Fort Wayne Community Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Merle J Abbett Elementary School employs 69.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merle J Abbett Elementary School is $11,302. 25 elementary schools in the Fort Wayne Community Schools District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Merle J Abbett Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Fort Wayne Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Fort Wayne Community Schools 283^rd of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Merle J Abbett Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	21.44	841^st	959	12.3%
2006	3.45	939^th	961	2.3%
2007	12.72	905^th	985	8.1%
2008	20.63	865^th	996	13.2%
2009	4.18	981^st	1003	2.2%
2010	4.08	987^th	1009	2.2%
2011	8.88	968^th	1025	5.6%
2012	25.40	847^th	1015	16.6%
2013	11.35	970^th	1035	6.3%
2014	3.75	1012^th	1036	2.3%
2015	14.47	945^th	1040	9.1%
2016	1.82	1033^rd	1046	1.2%
2017	2.05	1011^th	1033	2.1%
2018	1.42	1020^th	1027	0.7%
2019	3.04	1014^th	1031	1.6%
2021	6.59	966^th	1016	4.9%
2022	4.09	1014^th	1020	0.6%
2023	5.15	995^th	1016	2.1%
2024	7.49	961^st	1010	4.9%

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 Merle J Abbett Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	194	239	2	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	466
1989	172	214	4	21	3	n/a	n/a	0	414
1990	149	198	3	26	3	n/a	n/a	0	379
1991	140	177	3	18	4	n/a	n/a	0	342
1992	137	156	1	21	2	n/a	n/a	0	317
1993	165	144	3	23	2	n/a	n/a	0	337
1994	175	119	0	25	1	n/a	n/a	0	320
1995	204	146	0	23	2	n/a	n/a	0	375
1996	204	146	0	23	2	n/a	n/a	0	375
1997	221	147	4	23	3	n/a	n/a	0	398
1998	185	154	6	31	4	n/a	n/a	0	380
1999	169	151	5	47	6	n/a	n/a	0	378
2000	139	150	4	58	6	n/a	n/a	0	357
2001	130	140	3	68	10	n/a	n/a	0	351
2002	101	119	4	111	7	n/a	n/a	0	342
2003	101	119	4	111	7	n/a	n/a	0	342
2004	81	118	3	112	5	n/a	n/a	0	319
2005	74	115	2	125	3	n/a	n/a	0	319
2006	79	95	1	119	3	n/a	n/a	0	297
2007	66	95	6	122	1	n/a	n/a	15	305
2008	44	87	5	135	0	n/a	n/a	15	286
2009	27	92	1	130	0	n/a	n/a	20	270
2010	38	87	0	130	0	n/a	n/a	21	276
2011	33	101	1	145	1	1	25	0	307
2012	20	68	2	157	1	0	30	0	278
2013	18	91	6	155	0	0	41	0	311
2014	22	125	7	156	1	0	44	0	355
2015	19	167	8	171	0	0	44	0	409
2016	25	208	6	180	1	2	44	0	466
2017	21	230	4	166	0	2	53	0	476
2018	28	207	3	178	1	1	51	0	469
2019	25	224	6	174	0	1	44	0	474
2020	19	211	16	202	0	1	48	0	497
2021	28	241	16	202	0	1	36	0	524
2022	21	224	28	203	0	0	28	0	504
2023	21	190	34	212	0	0	41	0	498
2024	23	133	40	219	0	0	35	0	450

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 Merle J Abbett Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	466	25.0	18.6	31.1
1989	414	24.3	17.0	54.3
1990	379	24.3	15.5	45.1
1991	342	18.7	18.2	41.2
1992	317	20.0	15.8	60.9
1993	337	21.0	16.0	65.6
1994	320	20.0	16.0	69.4
1995	375	22.4	16.7	70.7
1996	375	22.4	16.7	70.7
1997	398	22.0	18.1	71.4
1998	380	22.0	17.3	74.7
1999	378	24.6	15.4	78.3
2000	357	24.6	14.5	75.9
2001	351	23.0	15.3	79.5
2002	342	26.5	12.9	82.5
2003	342	26.5	12.9	82.5
2004	319	23.5	13.6	89.3
2005	319	22.0	14.5	88.1
2006	297	26.2	11.3	89.2
2007	305	n/a	n/a	96.6
2008	286	20.9	13.7	97
2009	270	23.2	11.6	104.8
2010	276	20.3	13.5	100.8
2011	307	20.3	15.1	94.8
2012	278	23.0	12.0	95.7
2013	311	22.0	14.1	94.2
2014	355	24.0	14.7	91.8
2015	409	22.0	18.5	87.8
2016	466	23.0	20.2	92.1
2017	476	24.0	19.8	79.2
2018	469	26.0	18.0	91.7
2019	474	25.4	18.6	85
2020	497	27.0	18.4	84.5
2021	524	26.0	20.1	85.7
2022	504	n/a	n/a	87.3
2023	498	52.7	9.4	86.5
2024	450	69.8	6.4	81.1

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 Merle J Abbett Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	466	25.0	18.6	31.1
1989	414	24.3	17.0	54.3
1990	379	24.3	15.5	45.1
1991	342	18.7	18.2	41.2
1992	317	20.0	15.8	60.9
1993	337	21.0	16.0	65.6
1994	320	20.0	16.0	69.4
1995	375	22.4	16.7	70.7
1996	375	22.4	16.7	70.7
1997	398	22.0	18.1	71.4
1998	380	22.0	17.3	74.7
1999	378	24.6	15.4	78.3
2000	357	24.6	14.5	75.9
2001	351	23.0	15.3	79.5
2002	342	26.5	12.9	82.5
2003	342	26.5	12.9	82.5
2004	319	23.5	13.6	89.3
2005	319	22.0	14.5	88.1
2006	297	26.2	11.3	89.2
2007	305	n/a	n/a	96.6
2008	286	20.9	13.7	97
2009	270	23.2	11.6	104.8
2010	276	20.3	13.5	100.8
2011	307	20.3	15.1	94.8
2012	278	23.0	12.0	95.7
2013	311	22.0	14.1	94.2
2014	355	24.0	14.7	91.8
2015	409	22.0	18.5	87.8
2016	466	23.0	20.2	92.1
2017	476	24.0	19.8	79.2
2018	469	26.0	18.0	91.7
2019	474	25.4	18.6	85
2020	497	27.0	18.4	84.5
2021	524	26.0	20.1	85.7
2022	504	n/a	n/a	87.3
2023	498	52.7	9.4	86.5
2024	450	69.8	6.4	81.1

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 Merle J Abbett Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$1,523 (16.6%)	$7,672 (83.4%)	$9,195
2020	$1,470 (15.4%)	$8,098 (84.6%)	$9,568
2021	$1,857 (18.1%)	$8,380 (81.9%)	$10,237
2022	$2,509 (22.2%)	$8,793 (77.8%)	$11,302

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Merle J Abbett 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 1014^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 995^th of 1016 Elementary schools	0.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	13.8	6.5	7.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	34.2	29.4	4.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	10.3	5.2	5.1%
3rd Grade Math (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	44.4	36.5	7.9%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	10.9	13	2.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	34.2	30.6	3.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	12.5	8.7	3.8%
4th Grade Math (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	40.9	33.6	7.3%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	6.3	8.7	2.4%
4th Grade Science (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	31.3	25.4	5.9%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	6.8	3.9	2.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	34.9	29.5	5.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	8.5	1.3	7.2%
5th Grade Math (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	37.3	25.8	11.5%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Merle J Abbett Elementary School)	11.9	4	7.9%
5th Grade Social Studies (Fort Wayne Community Schools)	31.2	24.8	6.4%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	474	498	5.1%
African American	224	190	15.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	6	34	466.7%
Hispanic	174	212	21.8%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	25	21	16%
Two or More Races	44	41	6.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	85%	86.5%	1.5%

Schools Near Merle J Abbett 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 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th 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 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th 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
Merle J Abbett Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4325 Smith St	Fort Wayne	46806	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-5800	450	70	6.4	81.1%	23 (5.1%)	133 (29.6%)	219 (48.7%)	40 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.8%)	7.5	961^st of 1010 public elementary schools	4.9%		5.2	995^th of 1016 public elementary schools	2.1%	34	9.5	15.3	13.9				12.8	6.8	11.3	15.3				11.1	2.8	$11,302	$2,509	$8,793
Levan R Scott Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	950 E Fairfax Ave	Fort Wayne	46806	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-8050	349	31	11.4	83.7%	18 (5.2%)	124 (35.5%)	88 (25.2%)	103 (29.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.6%)	6.6	975^th of 1010 public elementary schools	3.5%		6.2	981^st of 1016 public elementary schools	3.4%	6	6.8	16.7	10.8				11.5	17.0	10.2	5.4				11.6	2.7	$10,848	$1,913	$8,934
John S Irwin Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	3501 S Anthony Blvd	Fort Wayne	46806	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(260) 467-5310	289	20	14.4	67.1%	74 (25.6%)	149 (51.6%)	33 (11.4%)	8 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (8.7%)	47.1	557^th of 1010 public elementary schools	44.9%		45.9	578^th of 1016 public elementary schools	43.1%	21	44.7	51.1	23.9				40.0	48.9	57.5	21.7				42.9	17.4	$13,560	$3,204	$10,356
Weisser Park Elementary School	Public, Magnet	1-5	902 Colerick St	Fort Wayne	46806	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(260) 467-8875	600	42	14.3	59.3%	221 (36.8%)	218 (36.3%)	107 (17.8%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (7.3%)	58.9	423^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	58.1%		61.4	400^th of 1016 public elementary schools	60.6%	23	50.0	46.7	42.4				46.4	52.5	40.0	36.4				43.0	40.2	$12,020	$2,065	$9,955
Timothy L Johnson Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	4625 Werling Dr	Fort Wayne	46806	Allen County	Timothy L Johnson Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(260) 441-8727	394	20	19.7	65.0%	1 (0.3%)	91 (23.1%)	22 (5.6%)	270 (68.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	6	987^th of 1010 public elementary schools	2.3%		6.8	970^th of 1016 public elementary schools	4.5%	17	8.6	16.4	6.1				10.7	17.2	4.9	6.1				9.5	2.0	$10,680	$1,913	$8,767
Whitney M Young Early Childhood	Public, Magnet	PK-K	1026 E Pontiac St	Fort Wayne	46803	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(260) 467-8950	215	16	13.5	51.6%	78 (36.3%)	68 (31.6%)	45 (20.9%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (9.3%)								(n/a)																$15,845	$3,571	$12,275
Harrison Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	355 S Cornell Cir	Fort Wayne	46807	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-7000	642	50	12.8	74.6%	90 (14.0%)	180 (28.0%)	222 (34.6%)	98 (15.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	51 (7.9%)	19.9	815^th of 1010 public elementary schools	19.3%		20.1	819^th of 1016 public elementary schools	19.4%	4	24.7	19.5	23.5				22.7	25.8	27.9	22.0				25.1	17.5	$11,477	$2,507	$8,971
Jeff H Towles Intermediate School	Public	1-8	420 E Paulding Rd	Fort Wayne	46816	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 467-4300	556	44	12.7	55.6%	231 (41.5%)	143 (25.7%)	112 (20.1%)	8 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (11.0%)	37.1	658^th of 1010 public elementary schools	34.9%		38.3	653^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	35.7%	5	40.9	29.6	34.9	19.7	45.3	33.9	33.8	46.5	21.1	30.3	21.1	14.1	15.4	25.0	39.4	$12,081	$1,061	$11,020
Bunche Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK-K	1111 Greene St	Fort Wayne	46803	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	Yes	No	No	(260) 467-4790	233	16	14.7	54.1%	96 (41.2%)	63 (27.0%)	38 (16.3%)	5 (2.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (12.9%)								(n/a)																$12,508	$1,206	$11,303
Fairfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2825 Fairfield Ave	Fort Wayne	46807	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-5900	480	35	13.7	77.7%	69 (14.4%)	124 (25.8%)	221 (46.0%)	22 (4.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (9.0%)	10.3	927^th of 1010 public elementary schools	8.2%		17.4	844^th of 1016 public elementary schools	16.9%	83	7.1	22.6	15.3				14.2	12.9	17.7	13.9				14.6	13.9	$11,471	$2,268	$9,204

Frequently Asked Questions about Merle J Abbett Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Merle J Abbett Elementary School?

Students at Merle J Abbett Elementary School are 49% Hispanic, 30% African American, 9% Asian, 8% Two or more races, 5% White.

What district is Merle J Abbett Elementary School in?

Fort Wayne Community Schools

What schools do graduates of Merle J Abbett Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Merle J Abbett Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lane Middle School
High : South Side High School

How many students attend Merle J Abbett Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 450 students attended Merle J Abbett Elementary School.

Is Merle J Abbett Elementary School a good school?

Merle J Abbett Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.9% of Indiana elementary schools.

Rate Merle J Abbett Elementary 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.