Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

Q: Is Judith Morton Johnston Elementary a good school?

Judith Morton Johnston Elementary ranks 366 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Judith Morton Johnston Elementary is a public elementary school in Highland, Indiana, serving 364 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the School Town of Highland district, which is ranked 87 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating.

Compared to nearby schools like Southridge Elementary and Allen J Warren Elementary, Judith Morton Johnston Elementary has a more diverse student population, with 49.45% White, 7.42% African American, and 40.66% Hispanic students. However, the school also has a higher chronic absenteeism rate of 15.3%, compared to the district's 11.9% rate. Academically, Judith Morton Johnston Elementary's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (40.44%) and Math (52.46%) are lower than the district (45% and 47.2%) and state (38.6% and 52.4%) averages.

The data suggests that Judith Morton Johnston Elementary faces some challenges compared to its peers. The school has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (53.57%) than nearby schools, which may contribute to the lower academic performance and higher chronic absenteeism rates. Addressing these issues could be crucial for the school's long-term success and the academic growth of its students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

8220 Fifth St
Highland, IN 46322

(219) 923-2428

District: School Town of Highland

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,577

Students who attend Judith Morton Johnston Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Highland Middle School
High:	Highland High School

Student/teacher ratio: 24.2

Number of students: 376

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.3%

Hispanic:

36.2%

African American:

9.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.3%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Judith Morton Johnston Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Judith Morton Johnston Elementary ranks better than 63.8% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 3^rd among 4 ranked elementary schools in the School Town of Highland District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 64.12. (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: White (50.3%), Hispanic (36.2%), African American (9.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Judith Morton Johnston Elementary is 24.2, which is the highest among 4 elementary schools in the School Town of Highland District! (See more...)

Compare Judith Morton Johnston Elementary employs 15.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Judith Morton Johnston Elementary is $9,577. 2 elementary schools in the School Town of Highland District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Judith Morton Johnston Elementary was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

School Town of Highland:

SchoolDigger ranks School Town of Highland 105^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	53.86	181^st	326	44.5%
2005	47.94	580^th	959	39.5%
2006	34.59	716^th	961	25.5%
2007	49.38	590^th	985	40.1%
2008	72.83	221^st	996	77.8%
2009	74.05	227^th	1003	77.4%
2010	80.54	131^st	1009	87.0%
2011	67.78	330^th	1025	67.8%
2012	63.89	393^rd	1015	61.3%
2013	64.07	412^th	1035	60.2%
2014	67.98	343^rd	1036	66.9%
2015	65.11	377^th	1040	63.8%
2016	77.71	187^th	1046	82.1%
2017	78.42	179^th	1033	82.7%
2018	70.10	307^th	1027	70.1%
2019	67.41	334^th	1031	67.6%
2021	53.18	505^th	1016	50.3%
2022	61.50	401^st	1020	60.7%
2023	66.48	344^th	1016	66.1%
2024	64.12	366^th	1010	63.8%

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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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	409	0	3	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	429
1989	444	0	4	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	465
1990	414	0	2	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	437
1991	401	0	2	20	0	n/a	n/a	0	423
1992	351	0	2	14	0	n/a	n/a	0	367
1993	386	0	4	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	390
1994	405	0	4	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	411
1995	358	0	2	22	0	n/a	n/a	7	389
1996	358	0	2	22	0	n/a	n/a	7	389
1997	351	1	2	32	0	n/a	n/a	4	390
1998	372	1	2	31	0	n/a	n/a	0	406
1999	370	1	5	29	0	n/a	n/a	0	405
2000	334	1	0	41	0	n/a	n/a	0	376
2001	330	1	14	38	1	n/a	n/a	0	384
2002	330	3	12	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	386
2003	330	3	12	40	1	n/a	n/a	0	386
2004	346	1	10	42	2	n/a	n/a	0	401
2005	343	2	8	50	2	n/a	n/a	0	405
2006	315	4	8	52	2	n/a	n/a	0	381
2007	324	6	9	66	3	n/a	n/a	13	421
2008	279	7	5	59	1	n/a	n/a	10	361
2009	305	10	3	57	3	n/a	n/a	6	384
2010	283	12	2	60	3	n/a	n/a	9	369
2011	248	13	4	86	3	2	20	0	376
2012	256	7	2	102	1	0	13	0	381
2013	204	8	2	89	0	0	11	0	314
2014	201	6	3	87	2	0	10	0	309
2015	187	6	3	94	2	0	10	0	302
2016	192	7	2	90	2	0	6	0	299
2017	191	14	2	119	2	0	3	0	331
2018	202	26	2	154	2	0	5	0	391
2019	224	27	3	159	2	0	6	0	421
2020	236	38	2	172	0	0	9	0	457
2021	185	35	2	153	0	0	6	0	381
2022	190	26	2	167	0	0	5	0	390
2023	180	27	1	148	0	0	8	0	364
2024	189	36	2	136	0	0	13	0	376

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 Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	429	23.6	18.1	6.1
1989	465	24.4	19.0	3.2
1990	437	22.4	19.5	5.7
1991	423	22.1	19.1	3.5
1992	367	17.3	21.2	7.4
1993	390	17.7	22.0	8.5
1994	411	16.3	25.2	9.2
1995	389	17.7	22.0	8.6
1996	389	17.7	22.0	8.6
1997	390	17.7	22.0	13.2
1998	406	19.0	21.4	10.6
1999	405	18.7	21.7	16
2000	376	17.0	22.1	15.7
2001	384	16.2	23.7	16.9
2002	386	17.8	21.7	16.1
2003	386	17.8	21.7	16.1
2004	401	18.4	21.8	14.7
2005	405	16.6	24.4	25.9
2006	381	16.6	23.0	25.5
2007	421	n/a	n/a	17.4
2008	361	14.6	24.7	26.5
2009	384	15.6	24.6	34.1
2010	369	15.2	24.2	36.7
2011	376	15.5	24.1	40.7
2012	381	23.0	16.5	43.8
2013	314	17.0	18.4	49
2014	309	16.0	19.3	49.8
2015	302	16.0	18.8	51
2016	299	17.0	17.5	46.2
2017	331	18.0	18.3	47.7
2018	391	19.0	20.5	55.5
2019	421	20.0	21.0	54.2
2020	457	21.0	21.7	48.1
2021	381	19.0	20.0	47.5
2022	390	21.5	18.1	36.4
2023	364	18.5	19.6	53.6
2024	376	15.5	24.2	46.3

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 Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	429	23.6	18.1	6.1
1989	465	24.4	19.0	3.2
1990	437	22.4	19.5	5.7
1991	423	22.1	19.1	3.5
1992	367	17.3	21.2	7.4
1993	390	17.7	22.0	8.5
1994	411	16.3	25.2	9.2
1995	389	17.7	22.0	8.6
1996	389	17.7	22.0	8.6
1997	390	17.7	22.0	13.2
1998	406	19.0	21.4	10.6
1999	405	18.7	21.7	16
2000	376	17.0	22.1	15.7
2001	384	16.2	23.7	16.9
2002	386	17.8	21.7	16.1
2003	386	17.8	21.7	16.1
2004	401	18.4	21.8	14.7
2005	405	16.6	24.4	25.9
2006	381	16.6	23.0	25.5
2007	421	n/a	n/a	17.4
2008	361	14.6	24.7	26.5
2009	384	15.6	24.6	34.1
2010	369	15.2	24.2	36.7
2011	376	15.5	24.1	40.7
2012	381	23.0	16.5	43.8
2013	314	17.0	18.4	49
2014	309	16.0	19.3	49.8
2015	302	16.0	18.8	51
2016	299	17.0	17.5	46.2
2017	331	18.0	18.3	47.7
2018	391	19.0	20.5	55.5
2019	421	20.0	21.0	54.2
2020	457	21.0	21.7	48.1
2021	381	19.0	20.0	47.5
2022	390	21.5	18.1	36.4
2023	364	18.5	19.6	53.6
2024	376	15.5	24.2	46.3

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 Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$340 (4.3%)	$7,622 (95.7%)	$7,963
2020	$280 (3.6%)	$7,544 (96.4%)	$7,824
2021	$357 (4.0%)	$8,505 (96.0%)	$8,863
2022	$635 (6.6%)	$8,942 (93.4%)	$9,577

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

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 334^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 344^th of 1016 Elementary schools	1.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	46.9	31.6	15.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (School Town of Highland)	44.2	43.5	0.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	73.5	70.2	3.3%
3rd Grade Math (School Town of Highland)	65.2	63.2	2%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	45.3	46.9	1.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (School Town of Highland)	48.2	46.1	2.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	53.1	68.8	15.7%
4th Grade Math (School Town of Highland)	61.1	63.6	2.5%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	43.8	46.9	3.1%
4th Grade Science (School Town of Highland)	52.2	39.8	12.4%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	63.5	42.6	20.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (School Town of Highland)	42.2	36.9	5.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	63.5	39.3	24.2%
5th Grade Math (School Town of Highland)	40.9	42.8	1.9%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Judith Morton Johnston Elementary)	73.1	41	32.1%
5th Grade Social Studies (School Town of Highland)	48.4	41.7	6.7%
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	421	364	13.5%
African American	27	27
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	3	1	66.7%
Hispanic	159	148	6.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	224	180	19.6%
Two or More Races	6	8	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54.2%	53.6%	0.6%

Schools Near Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

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
Judith Morton Johnston Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	8220 Fifth St	Highland	46322	Lake County	School Town of Highland	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 923-2428	376	16	24.2	46.3%	189 (50.3%)	36 (9.6%)	136 (36.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.5%)	64.1	366^th of 1010 public elementary schools	63.8%		66.5	344^th of 1016 public elementary schools	66.1%	22	40.0	35.7	45.6		40.4	60.0	51.4	48.5		52.5	48.5	$9,577	$635	$8,942
Joseph Hess Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3640 Orchard Dr	Hammond	46323	Lake County	School City of Hammond	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 989-7355	686	36	18.8	59.3%	90 (13.1%)	259 (37.8%)	295 (43.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	39 (5.7%)	15.4	864^th of 1010 public elementary schools	14.5%		14.8	862^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	15.2%	2	17.7	17.8	20.3	15.9	18.0	32.9	23.3	18.2	5.8	20.5	15.6	$10,883	$1,907	$8,976
Southridge Elementary School	Public	K-5	9221 Johnston St	Highland	46322	Lake County	School Town of Highland	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 922-5650	407	18	23.2	34.4%	238 (58.5%)	25 (6.1%)	127 (31.2%)	5 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.9%)	54.8	470^th of 1010 public elementary schools	53.5%		61.7	396^th of 1016 public elementary schools	61.0%	74	39.0	37.5	33.8		36.8	61.0	47.2	43.7		50.9	33.8	$9,083	$469	$8,613
Mildred Merkley Elementary School	Public	K-5	9340 Fifth St	Highland	46322	Lake County	School Town of Highland	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 922-5640	281	15	19.3	46.6%	125 (44.5%)	29 (10.3%)	107 (38.1%)	10 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.6%)	64.4	361^st of 1010 public elementary schools	64.3%		57.1	457^th of 1016 public elementary schools	55.0%	96	39.2	40.4	52.0		43.9	60.8	57.5	42.9		53.7	37.5	$10,375	$536	$9,839
Morton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	7006 Marshall Ave	Hammond	46323	Lake County	School City of Hammond	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 989-7336	525	32	16.4	60.4%	43 (8.2%)	190 (36.2%)	268 (51.0%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.6%)	12.4	903^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	10.6%		12.6	887^th of 1016 public elementary schools	12.7%	16	9.4	16.7	21.7	12.1	14.8	9.4	9.2	26.1	10.3	13.7	17.4	$11,989	$1,868	$10,121
Ernest R Elliott Elementary School	Public	K-5	8718 White Oak Ave	Munster	46321	Lake County	School Town of Munster	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 838-5250	487	28	17.3	26.3%	272 (55.9%)	19 (3.9%)	153 (31.4%)	16 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.5%)	86.5	109^th of 1010 public elementary schools	89.2%		93.3	41^st of 1016 public elementary schools	96.0%	68	52.4	64.6	64.0		60.5	66.7	70.7	57.0		64.3	55.0	$9,837	$921	$8,916
Allen J Warren Elementary School	Public	K-5	2901 100th St	Highland	46322	Lake County	School Town of Highland	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 922-5660	283	16	18.2	51.9%	107 (37.8%)	61 (21.6%)	98 (34.6%)	11 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	72.9	263^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	74.0%		70.2	298^th of 1016 public elementary schools	70.7%	35	51.0	49.0	42.9		47.7	60.8	63.3	59.2		61.1	38.8	$10,023	$509	$9,514
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	6940 Northcote Ave	Hammond	46324	Lake County	School City of Hammond	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 989-7353	415	32	12.8	53.3%	57 (13.7%)	146 (35.2%)	185 (44.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.0%)	19.7	818^th of 1010 public elementary schools	19.0%		17.4	845^th of 1016 public elementary schools	16.8%	27	16.4	23.4	30.0	6.7	19.5	29.9	25.0	32.0	4.4	23.9	20.0	$13,828	$1,872	$11,956
Warren G Harding Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	3211 165th St	Hammond	46323	Lake County	School City of Hammond	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 989-7351	643	41	15.5	60.7%	109 (17.0%)	214 (33.3%)	285 (44.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (5.3%)	26.1	759^th of 1010 public elementary schools	24.9%		29.1	737^th of 1016 public elementary schools	27.5%	22	23.4	25.6	20.7	24.1	23.5	26.3	31.4	35.4	19.5	28.1	25.6	$11,963	$1,968	$9,995
Beiriger Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	601 N Lillian St	Griffith	46319	Lake County	Griffith Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 924-4030	455	35	13.0	57.6%	197 (43.3%)	92 (20.2%)	143 (31.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.8%)	54.8	472^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	53.3%		57.4	451^st of 1016 public elementary schools	55.6%	21	28.4	28.2	46.4		34.3	51.6	38.2	47.1		46.0	60.7	$10,095	$1,747	$8,348

Frequently Asked Questions about Judith Morton Johnston Elementary

What district is Judith Morton Johnston Elementary in?

School Town of Highland

Is Judith Morton Johnston Elementary a good school?

Judith Morton Johnston Elementary ranks 366^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Judith Morton Johnston Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 376 students attended Judith Morton Johnston Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Judith Morton Johnston Elementary?

Students at Judith Morton Johnston Elementary are 50% White, 36% Hispanic, 10% African American, 3% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Judith Morton Johnston Elementary attend?

Students who attend Judith Morton Johnston Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : Highland Middle School
High : Highland 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.