Is River Forest High School a good school?

River Forest High School ranks in the bottom 17.9% of Indiana high schools.

How many students attend River Forest High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 532 students attended River Forest High School.

What is the racial makeup of River Forest High School?

Students at River Forest High School are 43% Hispanic, 33% White, 16% African American, 8% Two or more races.

What schools feed into River Forest High School?

River Forest High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Henry S Evans Elementary School Elementary : John I Meister Elementary School Middle : River Forest Middle School

River Forest High School

Summary:

River Forest High School is a public high school located in Hobart, Indiana, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 532. The school is part of the School City of Hobart district, which is ranked 300 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

River Forest High School faces significant challenges, with a diverse student population that is predominantly Hispanic (42.67%) and consistently low academic performance, ranking between 321 and 362 out of 431 high schools in Indiana. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated, ranging from a low of 76.1% in 2020-2021 to a high of 88.9% in 2019-2020, which is still below the state average. Additionally, River Forest High School has experienced a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 14.8% in 2021-2022 to 26.3% in 2022-2023, significantly higher than the state average. These challenges are likely exacerbated by the school's high percentage of students (over 80%) who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Portage High School, River Forest High School generally performs worse on academic metrics, including test scores and graduation rates. However, the school's African American and Hispanic student subgroups perform better relative to their peers statewide, suggesting that the school may be providing more equitable opportunities for these students. Despite the increase in funding per student, from $10,653 in 2018-2019 to $11,845 in 2021-2022, River Forest High School still lags behind the spending levels of some nearby schools, such as Calumet New Technical High School and West Side Leadership Academy.

Detail:

Public 9-12

3300 Indiana St
Hobart, IN 46342

(219) 962-7551

District: River Forest Community School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
354^th of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,845

Feeder schools for River Forest High School:

Elementary:	Henry S Evans Elementary School
	John I Meister Elementary School
Middle:	River Forest Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.4

Number of students: 532

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

42.7%

White:

32.5%

African American:

16.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 82.9%

See top rated Indiana high schools

Compare River Forest High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details River Forest High School ranks worse than 82.1% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 17.63. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at River Forest High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 River Forest High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (42.7%), White (32.5%), African American (16%). (See more...)

Compare Details 82.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at River Forest High School is 17.4. (See more...)

Compare River Forest High School employs 30.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at River Forest High School is $11,845.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

River Forest High School:

SchoolDigger ranks River Forest High School 354^th of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See River Forest High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

River Forest Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks River Forest Community School Corp 299^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for River Forest High School?

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Rank History for River Forest High School

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Rank History for all students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	15.54	318^th	349	8.9%
2006	29.24	300^th	349	14.0%
2007	33.18	289^th	354	18.4%
2008	33.42	298^th	360	17.2%
2009	18.61	323^rd	364	11.3%
2010	27.71	277^th	362	23.5%
2011	12.19	333^rd	364	8.5%
2012	25.50	319^th	373	14.5%
2013	30.13	254^th	353	28.0%
2014	19.48	324^th	379	14.5%
2015	38.88	268^th	400	33.0%
2016	21.23	338^th	394	14.2%
2017	31.61	282^nd	380	25.8%
2018	22.63	321^st	385	16.6%
2019	20.24	329^th	389	15.4%
2021	17.84	336^th	388	13.4%
2022	10.18	365^th	409	10.8%
2023	14.24	354^th	398	11.1%
2024	17.63	354^th	431	17.9%

See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	18.55	88^th	104	15.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	15.83	282^nd	285	1.1%
2024	19.49	260^th	289	10.0%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	16.50	337^th	379	11.1%
2024	28.28	280^th	377	25.7%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	16.13	337^th	388	13.1%
2024	14.66	344^th	392	12.2%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	11.87	350^th	383	8.6%
2024	16.20	336^th	392	14.3%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	43.43	61^st	125	51.2%
2023	21.37	107^th	125	14.4%
2024	32.67	83^rd	132	37.1%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	11.59	154^th	164	6.1%
2023	14.39	154^th	166	7.2%
2024	26.20	142^nd	184	22.8%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at River Forest High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	12.69	343^rd	378	9.3%
2023	22.46	314^th	375	16.3%
2024	17.94	326^th	381	14.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for River Forest High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	562	3	3	143	0	n/a	n/a	0	711
1989	351	1	0	106	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1990	333	1	0	117	0	n/a	n/a	0	451
1991	321	0	2	131	1	n/a	n/a	0	455
1992	312	1	3	139	1	n/a	n/a	0	456
1993	323	2	1	133	0	n/a	n/a	0	459
1994	302	3	1	124	0	n/a	n/a	0	430
1995	300	7	1	121	1	n/a	n/a	0	430
1996	300	7	1	121	1	n/a	n/a	0	430
1997	281	5	2	111	1	n/a	n/a	0	400
1998	293	3	2	102	1	n/a	n/a	0	401
1999	295	2	0	98	0	n/a	n/a	0	395
2000	275	3	1	93	2	n/a	n/a	0	374
2001	239	3	1	77	4	n/a	n/a	0	324
2002	230	2	2	84	4	n/a	n/a	0	322
2003	230	2	2	84	4	n/a	n/a	0	322
2004	214	10	1	87	8	n/a	n/a	0	320
2005	223	8	3	96	8	n/a	n/a	0	338
2006	225	13	2	104	5	n/a	n/a	0	349
2007	232	20	3	125	5	n/a	n/a	3	388
2008	353	30	8	210	5	n/a	n/a	8	614
2009	391	38	7	220	8	n/a	n/a	14	678
2010	365	50	7	206	7	n/a	n/a	30	665
2011	342	32	10	254	3	0	31	0	672
2012	337	31	3	269	2	0	23	0	665
2013	309	33	4	275	3	0	21	0	645
2014	309	29	1	264	4	0	28	0	635
2015	293	33	5	263	3	0	29	0	626
2016	194	30	1	189	3	0	19	0	436
2017	187	37	0	190	2	0	23	0	439
2018	212	54	1	198	2	0	30	0	497
2019	250	61	1	204	2	0	32	0	550
2020	220	59	1	216	3	0	32	0	531
2021	204	61	1	201	2	0	32	0	501
2022	192	66	2	213	2	0	35	0	510
2023	173	85	3	227	2	1	41	0	532

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 River Forest High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	711	38.3	18.5	3.7
1989	458	14.3	32.0	38
1990	451	24.1	18.7	19.5
1991	455	24.1	18.8	16.5
1992	456	28.1	16.2	23.5
1993	459	24.1	19.0	24.4
1994	430	22.1	19.5	29.1
1995	430	20.9	20.6	28.1
1996	430	20.9	20.6	28.1
1997	400	19.8	20.2	33.5
1998	401	20.1	20.0	28.7
1999	395	20.2	19.6	44.8
2000	374	20.6	18.2	45.5
2001	324	20.5	15.8	47.8
2002	322	17.4	18.5	51.6
2003	322	17.4	18.5	51.6
2004	320	16.9	18.9	n/a
2005	338	16.6	20.4	n/a
2006	349	17.9	19.5	60.2
2007	388	n/a	n/a	54.8
2008	614	30.7	20.0	68.3
2009	678	32.4	20.9	74.7
2010	665	32.4	20.5	77.8
2011	672	33.2	20.2	69.3
2012	665	42.0	15.8	74.1
2013	645	36.0	17.9	68.4
2014	635	35.5	17.8	73.9
2015	626	34.0	18.4	73.3
2016	436	26.0	16.7	57.1
2017	439	29.0	15.1	77
2018	497	30.0	16.5	64.8
2019	550	29.6	18.5	68.5
2020	531	36.5	14.5	69.5
2021	501	30.0	16.6	68.7
2022	510	36.5	13.9	55.5
2023	532	30.5	17.4	82.9

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 River Forest High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	711	38.3	18.5	3.7
1989	458	14.3	32.0	38
1990	451	24.1	18.7	19.5
1991	455	24.1	18.8	16.5
1992	456	28.1	16.2	23.5
1993	459	24.1	19.0	24.4
1994	430	22.1	19.5	29.1
1995	430	20.9	20.6	28.1
1996	430	20.9	20.6	28.1
1997	400	19.8	20.2	33.5
1998	401	20.1	20.0	28.7
1999	395	20.2	19.6	44.8
2000	374	20.6	18.2	45.5
2001	324	20.5	15.8	47.8
2002	322	17.4	18.5	51.6
2003	322	17.4	18.5	51.6
2004	320	16.9	18.9	n/a
2005	338	16.6	20.4	n/a
2006	349	17.9	19.5	60.2
2007	388	n/a	n/a	54.8
2008	614	30.7	20.0	68.3
2009	678	32.4	20.9	74.7
2010	665	32.4	20.5	77.8
2011	672	33.2	20.2	69.3
2012	665	42.0	15.8	74.1
2013	645	36.0	17.9	68.4
2014	635	35.5	17.8	73.9
2015	626	34.0	18.4	73.3
2016	436	26.0	16.7	57.1
2017	439	29.0	15.1	77
2018	497	30.0	16.5	64.8
2019	550	29.6	18.5	68.5
2020	531	36.5	14.5	69.5
2021	501	30.0	16.6	68.7
2022	510	36.5	13.9	55.5
2023	532	30.5	17.4	82.9

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 River Forest High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$99 (0.9%)	$10,554 (99.1%)	$10,653
2020	$117 (1.1%)	$10,792 (98.9%)	$10,909
2021	$236 (2.1%)	$11,049 (97.9%)	$11,285
2022	$505 (4.3%)	$11,340 (95.7%)	$11,845

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on River Forest 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 329^th of 389 High schools	Ranks 354^th of 398 High schools	4.4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (River Forest High School)	19.6	13.2	6.4%
End of Course Biology (River Forest Community School Corp)	19.6	13.2	6.4%
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	550	532	3.3%
African American	61	85	39.3%
American Indian	2	2
Asian	1	3	200%
Hispanic	204	227	11.3%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	250	173	30.8%
Two or More Races	32	41	28.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	68.5%	82.9%	14.3%

Schools Near River Forest High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)				ILEARN Math (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	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th 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 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
River Forest High School	Public	9-12	3300 Indiana St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	River Forest Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 962-7551	532	31	17.4	82.9%	173 (32.5%)	85 (16.0%)	227 (42.7%)	3 (0.6%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	41 (7.7%)	17.6	354^th of 431 public high schools	17.9%		14.2	354^th of 398 public high schools	11.1%		31.1	2.5									24.6	$11,845	$505	$11,340
Gary Career Center	Public	6-12	1800 E 35th Ave	Gary	46409	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 962-7571	0	12	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Thomas A Edison Junior-Senior High School	Public	6-12	3304 Parkside Ave	Lake Station	46405	Lake County	Lake Station Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 962-8531	616	34	17.9	75.8%	227 (36.9%)	101 (16.4%)	266 (43.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.6%)	13.8	375^th of 431 public high schools	13.0%		10.5	365^th of 398 public high schools	8.3%	10	24.4	3.5	19.1	23.9	20.9	21.4	9.7	5.7	0.0	5.1	20.8	$10,562	$672	$9,890
Neighbors' New Vistas High School	Public, Charter	9-12	5201 US Highway 6	Portage	46368	Porter County	Neighbors' New Vistas High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 850-4448	148	12	12.3	62.2%	80 (54.1%)	25 (16.9%)	36 (24.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.1%)	13.7	376^th of 431 public high schools	12.8%		4.9	388^th of 398 public high schools	2.5%	12	29.0	0.0										$12,498	$1,783	$10,715
Hobart High School	Public	9-12	2211 E Tenth St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	No	(219) 942-8521	1,306	64	20.4	47.5%	806 (61.7%)	120 (9.2%)	338 (25.9%)	6 (0.5%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (2.3%)	53.1	176^th of 431 public high schools	59.2%		49.1	182^nd of 398 public high schools	54.3%	6	53.3	18.6									40.3	$11,513	$1,136	$10,377
Gary Middle College	Public, Charter	9-12	131 East 5th Ave	Gary	46402	Lake County	Gary Middle College	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 888-7120	176	10	17.6	55.7%	2 (1.1%)	149 (84.7%)	19 (10.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.4%)	5.7	417^th of 431 public high schools	3.2%		2.6	396^th of 398 public high schools	0.5%	21	8.0	0.0										$15,264	$2,516	$12,748
Merrillville High School	Public	9-12	276 E 68th Pl	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 650-5307	2,042	125	16.3	63.9%	163 (8.0%)	1,387 (67.9%)	378 (18.5%)	11 (0.5%)	4 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	99 (4.8%)	23.5	331^st of 431 public high schools	23.2%		21.8	322^nd of 398 public high schools	19.1%	9	33.5	9.5									25.2	$11,799	$1,080	$10,719
Portage High School	Public	9-12	6450 US Hwy 6	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 764-6026	2,243	118	19.0	55.4%	1,162 (51.8%)	360 (16.0%)	591 (26.3%)	20 (0.9%)	5 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	105 (4.7%)	30.2	305^th of 431 public high schools	29.2%		30.8	289^th of 398 public high schools	27.4%	16	43.9	13.5									16.9	$10,741	$885	$9,856
Excel Center - Gary	Public, Charter	9-12	4610 W Ridge Road	Gary	46408	Lake County	Excel Center - Gary	Yes	No	No	No	(219) 789-5236	145	8	18.1	50.3%	21 (14.5%)	93 (64.1%)	22 (15.2%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.5%)								(n/a)												$6,136	$-01	$6,137
Calumet New Technical High School	Public	9-12	3900 Calhoun St	Gary	46408	Lake County	Lake Ridge New Technical Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 838-6990	619	39	16.0	89.8%	156 (25.2%)	257 (41.5%)	170 (27.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.5%)	15.8	367^th of 431 public high schools	14.8%		10.6	364^th of 398 public high schools	8.5%	3	24.8	4.3									24.8	$14,412	$2,549	$11,863

River Forest High School

River Forest High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

River Forest Community School Corp:

What do you think?

Rank History for River Forest High School

Rank History for all students at River Forest High School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at River Forest High School

Rank History for Special Education students at River Forest High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at River Forest High School

Rank History for Female students at River Forest High School

Rank History for Male students at River Forest High School

Rank History for African American students at River Forest High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at River Forest High School

Rank History for White students at River Forest High School

Enrollment information for River Forest High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at River Forest High School

Student/Teacher Ratio River Forest High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for River Forest High School

Impact of COVID-19 on River Forest High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near River Forest High School

Frequently Asked Questions about River Forest High School

Rate River Forest High School!

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