Cowan Elementary School

Q: Is Cowan Elementary School a good school?

Cowan Elementary School ranks 401 st of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Cowan Elementary School is a public elementary school in Muncie, Indiana, serving 429 students in grades K-6. The school is part of the Muncie Community Schools district, which is ranked 143 out of 381 districts in the state.

Cowan Elementary stands out for its relatively strong academic performance, with higher test scores than the district and state averages, particularly in math. In 2023-2024, 52.94% of Cowan students were proficient or better in ILEARN/Math, compared to 43.85% for the district and 38.1% for the state. The school also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (15.7%) compared to nearby schools like North View Elementary (24.6%) and South View Elementary (49.8%). However, Cowan's racial makeup is significantly less diverse than the surrounding schools, with 88.58% of its students being white.

While Cowan Elementary's performance has been relatively consistent, its rating has decreased from 4 stars to 2 stars in recent years, indicating a need for improvement. The school serves a population with significant economic challenges, with 56.64% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Despite this, Cowan's spending per student ($8,376 in 2021-2022) is lower than the state average, which could be a concern if the school is not adequately resourced to meet the needs of its student population. Overall, Cowan Elementary appears to be a relatively strong-performing school within its district, but there may be room for improvement and a need for additional resources and support.

Detail:

Public K-6

1000 W Cr 600 S
Muncie, IN 47302

(765) 289-7129

District: Cowan Community School Corp

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,376

Students who attend Cowan Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Cowan High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.6

Number of students: 429

Racial breakdown:

White:

88.6%

Two or more races:

7.0%

Hispanic:

3.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.6%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Cowan Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Cowan Elementary School ranks better than 60.3% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.96. (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 (88.6%), two or more races (7%), Hispanic (3.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cowan Elementary School is 15.6. (See more...)

Compare Cowan Elementary School employs 27.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cowan Elementary School is $8,376.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Cowan Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Cowan Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks Cowan Community School Corp 164^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cowan Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	71.69	71^st	326	78.2%
2005	82.11	101^st	959	89.5%
2006	81.22	120^th	961	87.5%
2007	76.04	181^st	985	81.6%
2008	74.90	191^st	996	80.8%
2009	75.15	210^th	1003	79.1%
2010	71.66	272^nd	1009	73.0%
2011	46.77	666^th	1025	35.0%
2012	46.87	659^th	1015	35.1%
2013	58.14	505^th	1035	51.2%
2014	74.06	218^th	1036	79.0%
2015	76.08	200^th	1040	80.8%
2016	77.86	184^th	1046	82.4%
2017	64.73	392^nd	1033	62.1%
2018	68.24	333^rd	1027	67.6%
2019	60.92	414^th	1031	59.8%
2021	51.42	536^th	1016	47.2%
2022	46.50	588^th	1020	42.4%
2023	47.65	563^rd	1016	44.6%
2024	60.96	401^st	1010	60.3%

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 Cowan Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	339	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	339
1989	334	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	336
1990	321	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	321
1991	333	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	333
1992	358	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	358
1993	316	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	316
1994	337	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	337
1995	344	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	345
1996	344	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	345
1997	370	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	370
1998	365	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	365
1999	356	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	356
2000	355	4	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	360
2001	364	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	367
2002	340	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	345
2003	340	4	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	345
2004	331	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	333
2005	328	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	330
2006	338	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	341
2007	363	2	0	1	n/a	n/a	3	369
2008	370	1	0	2	n/a	n/a	4	377
2009	383	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	5	392
2010	377	2	1	2	n/a	n/a	6	388
2011	403	4	2	6	0	6	0	421
2012	416	3	3	5	0	8	0	435
2013	418	3	3	5	0	7	0	436
2014	369	3	1	5	0	9	0	387
2015	390	1	1	4	0	9	0	405
2016	396	0	1	5	0	9	0	411
2017	407	3	0	8	0	8	0	426
2018	416	2	0	7	0	16	0	441
2019	415	2	0	9	0	13	0	439
2020	404	2	0	12	0	16	0	434
2021	395	5	0	11	0	16	0	427
2022	392	3	0	13	0	27	0	435
2023	380	3	0	16	0	30	0	429

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 Cowan Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	339	16.3	20.7	6.2
1989	336	14.3	23.4	7.7
1990	321	17.1	18.7	5.6
1991	333	19.5	17.0	8.4
1992	358	22.1	16.1	7.8
1993	316	19.1	16.5	6
1994	337	19.3	17.5	6.8
1995	345	17.8	19.4	3.5
1996	345	17.8	19.4	3.5
1997	370	18.7	19.8	5.1
1998	365	19.1	19.1	5.8
1999	356	18.8	18.9	10.1
2000	360	18.6	19.4	7.8
2001	367	17.7	20.7	10.9
2002	345	19.3	17.9	9.9
2003	345	19.3	17.9	9.9
2004	333	19.9	16.7	14.7
2005	330	20.0	16.5	13.3
2006	341	19.5	17.5	13.2
2007	369	n/a	n/a	17.5
2008	377	23.8	15.8	18.5
2009	392	24.1	16.3	21.7
2010	388	25.4	15.2	26.2
2011	421	25.8	16.3	30.6
2012	435	30.0	14.5	35.4
2013	436	25.0	17.4	38.3
2014	387	24.0	16.1	36.7
2015	405	25.0	16.2	39.5
2016	411	25.0	16.4	45.3
2017	426	28.0	15.2	49.8
2018	441	28.0	15.7	54.6
2019	439	28.0	15.6	53.5
2020	434	28.0	15.5	53.7
2021	427	28.0	15.2	54.1
2022	435	29.5	14.7	51.5
2023	429	27.5	15.6	56.6

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 Cowan Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	339	16.3	20.7	6.2
1989	336	14.3	23.4	7.7
1990	321	17.1	18.7	5.6
1991	333	19.5	17.0	8.4
1992	358	22.1	16.1	7.8
1993	316	19.1	16.5	6
1994	337	19.3	17.5	6.8
1995	345	17.8	19.4	3.5
1996	345	17.8	19.4	3.5
1997	370	18.7	19.8	5.1
1998	365	19.1	19.1	5.8
1999	356	18.8	18.9	10.1
2000	360	18.6	19.4	7.8
2001	367	17.7	20.7	10.9
2002	345	19.3	17.9	9.9
2003	345	19.3	17.9	9.9
2004	333	19.9	16.7	14.7
2005	330	20.0	16.5	13.3
2006	341	19.5	17.5	13.2
2007	369	n/a	n/a	17.5
2008	377	23.8	15.8	18.5
2009	392	24.1	16.3	21.7
2010	388	25.4	15.2	26.2
2011	421	25.8	16.3	30.6
2012	435	30.0	14.5	35.4
2013	436	25.0	17.4	38.3
2014	387	24.0	16.1	36.7
2015	405	25.0	16.2	39.5
2016	411	25.0	16.4	45.3
2017	426	28.0	15.2	49.8
2018	441	28.0	15.7	54.6
2019	439	28.0	15.6	53.5
2020	434	28.0	15.5	53.7
2021	427	28.0	15.2	54.1
2022	435	29.5	14.7	51.5
2023	429	27.5	15.6	56.6

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 Cowan Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$400 (5.2%)	$7,273 (94.8%)	$7,673
2020	$372 (5.1%)	$6,956 (94.9%)	$7,329
2021	$668 (8.1%)	$7,573 (91.9%)	$8,241
2022	$516 (6.2%)	$7,860 (93.8%)	$8,376

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cowan 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 414^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 563^rd of 1016 Elementary schools	15.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Elementary School)	49.2	32.3	16.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Community School Corp)	49.2	32.3	16.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Cowan Elementary School)	50.8	41.9	8.9%
3rd Grade Math (Cowan Community School Corp)	50.8	41.9	8.9%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Elementary School)	41.1	23.3	17.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Community School Corp)	41.1	23.3	17.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Cowan Elementary School)	42.9	32.9	10%
4th Grade Math (Cowan Community School Corp)	42.9	32.9	10%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Cowan Elementary School)	50	24.7	25.3%
4th Grade Science (Cowan Community School Corp)	50	24.7	25.3%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Elementary School)	59.6	26.7	32.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Community School Corp)	59.6	26.7	32.9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Cowan Elementary School)	56.1	35	21.1%
5th Grade Math (Cowan Community School Corp)	56.1	35	21.1%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Cowan Elementary School)	49.1	49.2	0.1%
5th Grade Social Studies (Cowan Community School Corp)	49.1	49.2	0.1%
5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)	46	39.1	6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Elementary School)	54.2	39	15.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Cowan Community School Corp)	54.2	39	15.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Cowan Elementary School)	55.9	64.4	8.5%
6th Grade Math (Cowan Community School Corp)	55.9	64.4	8.5%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Cowan Elementary School)	59.3	50.9	8.5%
6th Grade Science (Cowan Community School Corp)	59.3	50.9	8.5%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	439	429	2.3%
African American	2	3	50%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	9	16	77.8%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	415	380	8.4%
Two or More Races	13	30	130.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.5%	56.6%	3.1%

Schools Near Cowan 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
Cowan Elementary School	Public	K-6	1000 W Cr 600 S	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Cowan Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 289-7129	429	28	15.6	56.6%	380 (88.6%)	3 (0.7%)	16 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.0%)	61	401^st of 1010 public elementary schools	60.3%		47.7	563^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	44.6%	162	32.2	25.4	31.9	47.7			34.5	55.9	50.9	48.6	56.9			52.9	51.4	$8,376	$516	$7,861
Grissom Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3201 S Macedonia Ave	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5401	450	31	14.5	84.9%	284 (63.1%)	61 (13.6%)	18 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	86 (19.1%)	12.2	907^th of 1010 public elementary schools	10.2%		11.3	903^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	11.1%	4	7.1	17.0	18.2				13.5	14.1	20.8	16.4				16.8	21.8	$10,007	$2,317	$7,690
South View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2100 S Franklin	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5226	445	35	12.7	91.7%	255 (57.3%)	89 (20.0%)	27 (6.1%)	8 (1.8%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (14.2%)	6.5	976^th of 1010 public elementary schools	3.4%		4.3	1011^th of 1016 public elementary schools	0.5%	35	7.4	12.0	9.9				10.0	9.4	16.0	8.8				11.5	4.9	$9,651	$2,183	$7,469
Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	2801 E 16th St	Muncie	47302	Delaware County	Inspire Academy - A School of Inquiry	Yes	No	No	Yes	(765) 216-7980	176	10	17.6	100.0%	86 (48.9%)	38 (21.6%)	6 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (25.6%)	6	986^th of 1010 public elementary schools	2.4%		5.3	994^th of 1016 public elementary schools	2.2%	8	5.0	15.8	11.8	0.0	22.7	12.5	11.4	20.0	5.3	12.5	0.0	5.0	0.0	7.3	0.0	$14,597	$3,508	$11,089
East Washington Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 E Washington	Muncie	47305	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5434	468	33	14.3	70.5%	283 (60.5%)	96 (20.5%)	16 (3.4%)	6 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	66 (14.1%)	63	374^th of 1010 public elementary schools	63.0%		61.8	394^th of 1016 public elementary schools	61.2%	20	48.7	43.1	42.9				44.9	52.6	52.8	41.6				48.9	41.6	$10,135	$1,824	$8,311
West View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3401 W Gilbert St	Muncie	47304	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5437	479	29	16.4	61.0%	288 (60.1%)	61 (12.7%)	47 (9.8%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	75 (15.7%)	31.5	713^th of 1010 public elementary schools	29.4%		36.1	671^st of 1016 public elementary schools	34.0%	42	19.4	32.5	23.3				25.2	37.3	52.0	25.6				37.6	22.2	$8,800	$1,467	$7,333
Yorktown Elementary School	Public	3-5	8810 W Smith St	Yorktown	47396	Delaware County	Yorktown Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 759-2770	672	36	18.9	36.0%	582 (86.6%)	19 (2.8%)	11 (1.6%)	21 (3.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.5%)	68.1	316^th of 1010 public elementary schools	68.7%		73.5	256^th of 1016 public elementary schools	74.8%	60	43.3	39.7	48.0				43.7	66.2	49.8	48.9				54.8	48.4	$8,579	$832	$7,747
Longfellow Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1900 E Centennial	Muncie	47303	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5410	324	23	14.0	86.4%	85 (26.2%)	156 (48.1%)	12 (3.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	68 (21.0%)	10.6	924^th of 1010 public elementary schools	8.5%		8.6	935^th of 1016 public elementary schools	8.0%	11	12.2	19.4	15.2				15.3	20.4	22.2	8.7				16.8	10.9	$10,641	$2,301	$8,341
Pleasant View Elementary School	Public	K-2	9101 W River Rd	Yorktown	47396	Delaware County	Yorktown Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 759-2800	598	34	17.8	40.1%	497 (83.1%)	15 (2.5%)	30 (5.0%)	7 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (8.2%)								(n/a)																$9,047	$742	$8,305
North View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	807 W Yale Ave	Muncie	47304	Delaware County	Muncie Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 747-5422	371	25	14.7	68.7%	183 (49.3%)	81 (21.8%)	12 (3.2%)	26 (7.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	68 (18.3%)	39.8	633^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	37.3%		51.2	528^th of 1016 public elementary schools	48.0%	105	13.3	41.9	36.7				30.4	36.7	43.6	36.7				39.2	30.6	$9,240	$1,675	$7,564

Frequently Asked Questions about Cowan Elementary School

What district is Cowan Elementary School in?

Cowan Community School Corp

What schools do graduates of Cowan Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Cowan Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Cowan High School

What is the racial makeup of Cowan Elementary School?

Students at Cowan Elementary School are 89% White, 7% Two or more races, 4% Hispanic.

Is Cowan Elementary School a good school?

Cowan Elementary School ranks 401^st of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Cowan Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 429 students attended Cowan Elementary School.

Rate Cowan 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.