Barker Middle School

Q: Is Barker Middle School a good school?

Barker Middle School ranks 322 nd of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Barker Middle School is a public middle school located in Michigan City, Indiana, serving around 430 students in grades 7-8. The school is part of the Michigan City Area Schools district, which is ranked 275 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Barker Middle School faces several challenges, including lower academic performance compared to the state and district averages. In 2023-2024, only 32.65% of Barker Middle School students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and only 17.2% were proficient or better in math, significantly lower than the Michigan City Area Schools district and the state averages. The school also has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 17.5%, which may be contributing to the lower academic outcomes. Additionally, Barker Middle School serves a population with significant economic challenges, with 79.07% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch.

Despite the relatively high per-student spending of $14,189 in the 2021-2022 school year, Barker Middle School's academic performance remains lower than nearby schools, such as New Prairie Middle School and Chesterton Middle School, which have significantly higher ILEARN test scores and are ranked much higher in the state. Addressing the attendance issues, providing targeted support and resources for economically disadvantaged students, and implementing a more comprehensive approach to improving educational outcomes could be key strategies for Barker Middle School to improve its performance.

Detail:

Public 7-8

319 E Barker Rd
Michigan City, IN 46360

(219) 873-2057

District: Michigan City Area Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
322^nd of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,189

Students who attend Barker Middle School usually attend:

High:

Michigan City High School

Feeder schools for Barker Middle School:

Elementary:	Coolspring Elementary School
	Edgewood Elementary School
	Knapp Elementary School
	Pine Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 11.8

Number of students: 378

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.2%

African American:

34.1%

Hispanic:

14.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 65.9%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Barker Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Barker Middle School ranks worse than 66.4% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.2. (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 Barker Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.2%), African American (34.1%), Hispanic (14.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 65.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Barker Middle School is 11.8. (See more...)

Compare Barker Middle School employs 31.9 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Barker Middle School is $14,189.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Barker Middle School 322^nd of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Barker Middle School in the ranking list.)

Michigan City Area Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Michigan City Area Schools 272^nd of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Barker Middle School.

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Rank History for Barker Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	36.28	292^nd	370	21.1%
2006	27.31	322^nd	375	14.1%
2007	40.19	289^th	382	24.3%
2008	55.70	191^st	392	51.3%
2009	46.32	274^th	423	35.2%
2010	55.03	224^th	428	47.7%
2011	51.46	266^th	451	41.0%
2012	50.75	261^st	447	41.6%
2013	43.65	298^th	444	32.9%
2014	42.64	333^rd	470	29.1%
2015	25.80	393^rd	485	19.0%
2016	33.81	378^th	494	23.5%
2017	25.77	381^st	472	19.3%
2018	29.47	369^th	473	22.0%
2019	43.83	284^th	470	39.6%
2021	29.36	348^th	483	28.0%
2022	25.45	366^th	490	25.3%
2023	24.43	369^th	489	24.5%
2024	35.20	322^nd	485	33.6%

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 parent
Monday, November 23, 2009

This ranking is quite unfair. Barker Middle School is a safe environment with a rigorous curriculum. My daughter, who is a good student, is quite often challenged. There is also a good community of support around the school. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Barker Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	527	179	5	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	716
1989	469	171	10	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	658
1990	452	169	8	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	637
1991	483	152	4	9	1	n/a	n/a	0	649
1992	491	183	4	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	691
1993	499	188	7	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	702
1994	475	195	7	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	684
1995	392	150	4	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	553
1996	392	150	4	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	553
1997	383	157	8	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	555
1998	356	151	8	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	523
1999	340	135	6	8	0	n/a	n/a	0	489
2000	348	131	11	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	503
2001	346	140	8	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	508
2002	370	157	5	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	557
2003	370	157	5	24	1	n/a	n/a	0	557
2004	372	152	5	27	4	n/a	n/a	0	560
2005	322	77	4	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	415
2006	308	74	4	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	403
2007	288	87	3	21	1	n/a	n/a	19	419
2008	263	80	3	29	1	n/a	n/a	22	398
2009	260	83	4	24	1	n/a	n/a	26	398
2010	249	82	4	20	1	n/a	n/a	25	381
2011	259	96	4	32	2	0	33	0	426
2012	251	95	3	32	2	0	37	0	420
2013	271	109	5	30	2	0	33	0	450
2014	285	126	2	41	1	0	28	0	483
2015	247	139	1	37	2	0	29	0	455
2016	207	125	2	42	1	0	39	0	416
2017	169	135	5	43	0	0	40	0	392
2018	167	158	3	40	2	0	40	0	410
2019	177	143	1	38	2	1	46	0	408
2020	180	124	3	45	0	0	47	0	399
2021	193	138	2	48	0	0	37	0	418
2022	180	170	4	59	0	0	29	0	442
2023	161	160	3	59	0	1	46	0	430
2024	148	129	2	54	0	2	43	0	378

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 Barker Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	716	37.6	19.0	30.6
1989	658	35.9	18.3	23.3
1990	637	38.7	16.4	30.3
1991	649	39.4	16.4	30.2
1992	691	36.5	18.9	30.5
1993	702	37.8	18.6	27.9
1994	684	38.5	17.8	28.8
1995	553	41.0	13.5	30
1996	553	41.0	13.5	30
1997	555	40.0	13.9	30.6
1998	523	39.5	13.2	30
1999	489	38.3	12.8	39.1
2000	503	40.0	12.6	43.9
2001	508	38.2	13.3	43.1
2002	557	38.2	14.6	47.9
2003	557	38.2	14.6	47.9
2004	560	33.6	16.7	50.9
2005	415	23.2	17.9	39.8
2006	403	26.4	15.3	45.9
2007	419	n/a	n/a	54
2008	398	25.9	15.4	50.5
2009	398	29.1	13.7	58.1
2010	381	26.2	14.5	63.5
2011	426	26.1	16.3	61.7
2012	420	31.0	13.5	62.1
2013	450	30.0	15.0	58.4
2014	483	29.0	16.6	62.5
2015	455	29.0	15.6	65.9
2016	416	30.0	13.8	67.1
2017	392	32.0	12.2	69.6
2018	410	32.0	12.8	70.5
2019	408	33.5	12.1	67.6
2020	399	32.0	12.4	66.4
2021	418	40.0	10.4	74.6
2022	442	32.3	13.6	76.7
2023	430	32.5	13.1	79.1
2024	378	31.9	11.8	65.9

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 Barker Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	716	37.6	19.0	30.6
1989	658	35.9	18.3	23.3
1990	637	38.7	16.4	30.3
1991	649	39.4	16.4	30.2
1992	691	36.5	18.9	30.5
1993	702	37.8	18.6	27.9
1994	684	38.5	17.8	28.8
1995	553	41.0	13.5	30
1996	553	41.0	13.5	30
1997	555	40.0	13.9	30.6
1998	523	39.5	13.2	30
1999	489	38.3	12.8	39.1
2000	503	40.0	12.6	43.9
2001	508	38.2	13.3	43.1
2002	557	38.2	14.6	47.9
2003	557	38.2	14.6	47.9
2004	560	33.6	16.7	50.9
2005	415	23.2	17.9	39.8
2006	403	26.4	15.3	45.9
2007	419	n/a	n/a	54
2008	398	25.9	15.4	50.5
2009	398	29.1	13.7	58.1
2010	381	26.2	14.5	63.5
2011	426	26.1	16.3	61.7
2012	420	31.0	13.5	62.1
2013	450	30.0	15.0	58.4
2014	483	29.0	16.6	62.5
2015	455	29.0	15.6	65.9
2016	416	30.0	13.8	67.1
2017	392	32.0	12.2	69.6
2018	410	32.0	12.8	70.5
2019	408	33.5	12.1	67.6
2020	399	32.0	12.4	66.4
2021	418	40.0	10.4	74.6
2022	442	32.3	13.6	76.7
2023	430	32.5	13.1	79.1
2024	378	31.9	11.8	65.9

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 Barker Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$917 (8.3%)	$10,078 (91.7%)	$10,995
2020	$754 (6.7%)	$10,527 (93.3%)	$11,281
2021	$1,011 (8.5%)	$10,870 (91.5%)	$11,880
2022	$1,627 (11.5%)	$12,562 (88.5%)	$14,189

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Barker 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 284^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 369^th of 489 Middle schools	15%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
7th Grade English Language Arts (Barker Middle School)	40.5	27.8	12.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan City Area Schools)	35.2	24.2	11%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Barker Middle School)	38.1	20.7	17.5%
7th Grade Math (Michigan City Area Schools)	32.7	19.5	13.2%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Barker Middle School)	44.3	21.7	22.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Michigan City Area Schools)	36	24.5	11.5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Barker Middle School)	33.5	10.9	22.7%
8th Grade Math (Michigan City Area Schools)	28.4	14.7	13.7%
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	408	430	5.4%
African American	143	160	11.9%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	1	3	200%
Hispanic	38	59	55.3%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	177	161	9%
Two or More Races	46	46
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	67.6%	79.1%	11.4%

Schools Near Barker 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
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
Martin T Krueger Middle School	Public	7-8	2001 Springland Ave	Michigan City	46360	LaPorte County	Michigan City Area Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 873-2061	329	30	10.7	77.5%	129 (39.2%)	118 (35.9%)	38 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (12.8%)	20.9	380^th of 485 public middle schools	21.6%		26.7	360^th of 489 public middle schools	26.4%	20			23.1	17.3	20.3			15.1	15.3	15.2			$14,301	$1,677	$12,624
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
LaPorte Middle School	Public	7-8	306 E 18th Street	La Porte	46350	LaPorte County	LaPorte Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 324-1370	899	66	13.5	61.5%	658 (73.2%)	23 (2.6%)	141 (15.7%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	71 (7.9%)	68.3	145^th of 485 public middle schools	70.1%		49.4	248^th of 489 public middle schools	49.3%	103			47.0	42.6	44.8			36.9	35.8	36.3			$8,862	$271	$8,591
Kesling Intermediate School	Public	5-6	306 E 18th St	La Porte	46350	LaPorte County	LaPorte Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 362-7507	887	66	13.5	63.0%	637 (71.8%)	21 (2.4%)	153 (17.2%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (7.8%)								(n/a)	40.6	42.6			41.6	46.5	35.3			40.6	43.8		$10,075	$266	$9,810
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
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
New Prairie Middle School	Public	6-8	5325 N Cougar Rd	New Carlisle	46552	St. Joseph County	New Prairie United School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 654-3070	666	36	18.2	38.9%	562 (84.4%)	3 (0.5%)	77 (11.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.5%)	81.7	70^th of 485 public middle schools	85.6%		80.3	80^th of 489 public middle schools	83.6%	10		43.6	60.6	50.0	51.7		53.5	50.9	40.3	48.0			$9,462	$482	$8,980
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Barker Middle School

How many students attend Barker Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 378 students attended Barker Middle School.

What district is Barker Middle School in?

Michigan City Area Schools

What high school do graduates of Barker Middle School attend?

Students who attend Barker Middle School usually go on to attend Michigan City High School

What is the racial makeup of Barker Middle School?

Students at Barker Middle School are 39% White, 34% African American, 14% Hispanic, 11% Two or more races.

Is Barker Middle School a good school?

Barker Middle School ranks 322^nd of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

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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.