Darden Elementary School

Summary:

Darden Elementary School is a public elementary school in South Bend, Indiana, serving 522 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the South Bend Community School Corporation, which is ranked 317 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Darden Elementary School faces significant challenges, with consistently high chronic absenteeism rates (45.6% to 49.9%), low academic performance on ILEARN tests (only 18.23% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to 21.88% for the district and 38.6-41.8% for the state), and a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (68.47% to 78.54%). While the school has seen a steady increase in per-student spending, from $10,512 in 2018-2019 to $15,874 in 2021-2022, the academic performance has not shown a corresponding improvement.

When compared to other nearby schools in the South Bend district, such as Marquette Montessori Academy and Clay International Academy, Darden Elementary School is underperforming, with significantly lower test scores and higher chronic absenteeism rates. The school's performance is also significantly lower than schools in the higher-performing Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, such as Walt Disney Elementary School and Prairie Vista Elementary School, which have much higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism, and lower free/reduced lunch rates, despite serving more diverse student populations.


Detail:

Public K-5

 18645 Janet St
       South Bend, IN  46637


(574) 243-7335

District: South Bend Community School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
899th of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,874 Help


Students who attend Darden Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    LaSalle Academy
High:    Clay High School
    Rise Up Academy at Eggleston

Student/teacher ratio:  13.5 Help
Number of students:  522

Racial breakdown:

White:
38.9%
African American:
36.8%
Two or more races:
14.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  78.5% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Darden Elementary School ranks worse than 89% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 7th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.19. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Student population at Darden Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.9%), African American (36.8%), two or more races (14.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 78.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Darden Elementary School is 13.5, which is the 6th best among 16 elementary schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Darden Elementary School employs 38.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Darden Elementary School is $15,874, which is the 6th highest among 16 elementary schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

South Bend Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks South Bend Community School Corp 319th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Darden Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2005 25.52 803rd 959 16.3%
2006 34.97 713th 961 25.8%
2007 34.29 747th 985 24.2%
2008 41.20 700th 996 29.7%
2009 22.53 840th 1003 16.3%
2010 31.19 793rd 1009 21.4%
2011 40.83 737th 1025 28.1%
2012 26.40 840th 1015 17.2%
2013 33.98 807th 1035 22.0%
2014 45.15 690th 1036 33.4%
2015 20.42 903rd 1040 13.2%
2016 17.32 912th 1046 12.8%
2017 18.52 885th 1033 14.3%
2018 18.22 872nd 1027 15.1%
2019 10.86 932nd 1031 9.6%
2021 9.15 921st 1016 9.4%
2022 15.24 865th 1020 15.2%
2023 10.94 905th 1016 10.9%
2024 13.19 899th 1010 11.0%
See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

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

Darden Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
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Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Darden Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 415 169 8 12 9 n/a n/a 0 613
1989 448 188 13 13 9 n/a n/a 0 671
1990 458 185 10 12 10 n/a n/a 0 675
1991 478 172 13 10 13 n/a n/a 0 686
1992 468 146 12 8 9 n/a n/a 0 643
1993 436 138 11 6 13 n/a n/a 0 604
1994 416 158 10 7 11 n/a n/a 0 602
1995 443 161 15 11 11 n/a n/a 0 641
1996 443 161 15 11 11 n/a n/a 0 641
1997 447 169 17 15 8 n/a n/a 4 660
1998 446 174 20 14 9 n/a n/a 0 663
1999 453 158 22 13 7 n/a n/a 0 653
2000 420 191 20 28 13 n/a n/a 0 672
2001 439 213 22 26 15 n/a n/a 0 715
2002 418 154 16 20 12 n/a n/a 0 620
2003 418 154 16 20 12 n/a n/a 0 620
2004 510 115 7 13 14 n/a n/a 0 659
2005 478 104 11 15 11 n/a n/a 0 619
2006 488 98 14 19 10 n/a n/a 0 629
2007 447 100 25 38 13 n/a n/a 48 671
2008 442 126 23 38 7 n/a n/a 53 689
2009 396 135 22 47 7 n/a n/a 56 663
2010 378 131 18 40 6 n/a n/a 59 632
2011 344 121 9 48 6 0 55 0 583
2012 349 131 6 44 5 0 63 0 598
2013 336 126 6 42 5 0 58 0 573
2014 337 137 10 41 5 0 61 0 591
2015 311 132 3 39 5 0 52 0 542
2016 295 125 5 64 4 0 60 0 553
2017 273 92 7 43 1 0 65 0 481
2018 249 88 5 43 1 0 65 0 451
2019 241 150 4 49 0 0 69 0 513
2020 208 143 6 38 0 0 66 0 461
2021 167 141 6 38 0 0 59 0 411
2022 212 182 7 48 0 0 68 0 517
2023 203 192 8 45 0 0 74 0 522

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 Darden Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 613 35.7 17.1 29.7
1989 671 37.4 17.9 24.1
1990 675 37.2 18.1 26.2
1991 686 37.7 18.1 25.8
1992 643 n/a n/a 27.4
1993 604 35.3 17.1 33.9
1994 602 35.4 17.0 27.9
1995 641 35.4 18.1 31
1996 641 35.4 18.1 31
1997 660 35.1 18.8 33.1
1998 663 36.0 18.4 32.6
1999 653 37.0 17.6 32.5
2000 672 42.0 16.0 43.3
2001 715 41.3 17.3 42.9
2002 620 37.1 16.7 45.5
2003 620 37.1 16.7 45.5
2004 659 46.2 14.3 46.3
2005 619 44.5 13.9 46.2
2006 629 40.3 15.6 44.4
2007 671 n/a n/a 54.4
2008 689 40.9 16.8 54.6
2009 663 41.4 16.0 58.5
2010 632 39.7 15.9 66.1
2011 583 39.4 14.7 64.5
2012 598 39.0 15.3 65.1
2013 573 30.0 19.1 71.6
2014 591 33.5 17.6 71.7
2015 542 4.0 135.5 72.7
2016 553 26.0 21.2 74.5
2017 481 30.0 16.0 71.3
2018 451 28.0 16.1 76.7
2019 513 26.0 19.7 75
2020 461 27.0 17.0 69.4
2021 411 27.0 15.2 77.1
2022 517 42.1 12.2 68.5
2023 522 38.6 13.5 78.5

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 Darden Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 613 35.7 17.1 29.7
1989 671 37.4 17.9 24.1
1990 675 37.2 18.1 26.2
1991 686 37.7 18.1 25.8
1992 643 n/a n/a 27.4
1993 604 35.3 17.1 33.9
1994 602 35.4 17.0 27.9
1995 641 35.4 18.1 31
1996 641 35.4 18.1 31
1997 660 35.1 18.8 33.1
1998 663 36.0 18.4 32.6
1999 653 37.0 17.6 32.5
2000 672 42.0 16.0 43.3
2001 715 41.3 17.3 42.9
2002 620 37.1 16.7 45.5
2003 620 37.1 16.7 45.5
2004 659 46.2 14.3 46.3
2005 619 44.5 13.9 46.2
2006 629 40.3 15.6 44.4
2007 671 n/a n/a 54.4
2008 689 40.9 16.8 54.6
2009 663 41.4 16.0 58.5
2010 632 39.7 15.9 66.1
2011 583 39.4 14.7 64.5
2012 598 39.0 15.3 65.1
2013 573 30.0 19.1 71.6
2014 591 33.5 17.6 71.7
2015 542 4.0 135.5 72.7
2016 553 26.0 21.2 74.5
2017 481 30.0 16.0 71.3
2018 451 28.0 16.1 76.7
2019 513 26.0 19.7 75
2020 461 27.0 17.0 69.4
2021 411 27.0 15.2 77.1
2022 517 42.1 12.2 68.5
2023 522 38.6 13.5 78.5

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 Darden Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,135 (10.8%) $9,378 (89.2%) $10,512
2020 $1,590 (12.9%) $10,698 (87.1%) $12,288
2021 $2,440 (17.6%) $11,397 (82.4%) $13,837
2022 $3,912 (24.6%) $11,962 (75.4%) $15,874

Data source: Indiana Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Darden 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 932nd of 1031 Elementary schoolsRanks 905th of 1016 Elementary schools
 1.3%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Darden Elementary School)31.310.6
 20.7%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)2518.4
 6.6%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)46.339.7
 6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Darden Elementary School)31.314.1
 17.2%
   3rd Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)32.923.5
 9.4%
   3rd Grade Math (Indiana)58.753.1
 5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Darden Elementary School)19.820.2
 0.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)21.617.6
 4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)45.840.3
 5.5%
4th Grade Math (Darden Elementary School)17.414.6
 2.8%
   4th Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)25.318.7
 6.6%
   4th Grade Math (Indiana)5448.8
 5.2%
4th Grade Science (Darden Elementary School)26.718
 8.7%
   4th Grade Science (South Bend Community School Corp)20.516.5
 4%
   4th Grade Science (Indiana)46.337
 9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Darden Elementary School)16.413.3
 3.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)2018.9
 1.1%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)47.540.2
 7.3%
5th Grade Math (Darden Elementary School)18.97.8
 11.1%
   5th Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)19.514.6
 5%
   5th Grade Math (Indiana)47.841.1
 6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Darden Elementary School)16.213.5
 2.7%
   5th Grade Social Studies (South Bend Community School Corp)19.316.3
 3%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)4639.1
 6.9%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students513522
 1.8%
African American150192
 28%
American Indian00
Asian48
 100%
Hispanic4945
 8.2%
Pacific Islander00
White241203
 15.8%
Two or More Races6974
 7.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients75%78.5%
 3.5%


Schools Near Darden Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Darden Elementary School

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

Middle : LaSalle Academy
High : Clay High School
High : Rise Up Academy at Eggleston

Students at Darden Elementary School are 39% White, 37% African American, 14% Two or more races, 9% Hispanic, 2% Asian.

Darden Elementary School ranks in the bottom 11.0% of Indiana elementary schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 522 students attended Darden 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.





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