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:
899^th of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,874

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

Number of students: 522

Racial breakdown:

White:

38.9%

African American:

36.8%

Two or more races:

14.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 78.5%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Darden Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Darden Elementary School ranks worse than 89% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 7^th among 16 ranked elementary schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 13.19. (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 Darden Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (38.9%), African American (36.8%), two or more races (14.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 78.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Darden Elementary School is 13.5, which is the 6^th best among 16 elementary schools in the South Bend Community School Corp District. (See more...)

Compare Darden Elementary School employs 38.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Darden Elementary School is $15,874, which is the 6^th 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 319^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Darden Elementary School

Compare

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

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 Darden Elementary School

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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

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

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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total 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 932^nd of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 905^th 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)	31.3	10.6	20.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)	25	18.4	6.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Darden Elementary School)	31.3	14.1	17.2%
3rd Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)	32.9	23.5	9.4%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Darden Elementary School)	19.8	20.2	0.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)	21.6	17.6	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Darden Elementary School)	17.4	14.6	2.8%
4th Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)	25.3	18.7	6.6%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Darden Elementary School)	26.7	18	8.7%
4th Grade Science (South Bend Community School Corp)	20.5	16.5	4%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Darden Elementary School)	16.4	13.3	3.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Bend Community School Corp)	20	18.9	1.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Darden Elementary School)	18.9	7.8	11.1%
5th Grade Math (South Bend Community School Corp)	19.5	14.6	5%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Darden Elementary School)	16.2	13.5	2.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (South Bend Community School Corp)	19.3	16.3	3%
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	513	522	1.8%
African American	150	192	28%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	4	8	100%
Hispanic	49	45	8.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	241	203	15.8%
Two or More Races	69	74	7.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	75%	78.5%	3.5%

Schools Near Darden 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
Darden Elementary School	Public	K-5	18645 Janet St	South Bend	46637	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 243-7335	522	39	13.5	78.5%	203 (38.9%)	192 (36.8%)	45 (8.6%)	8 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	74 (14.2%)	13.2	899^th of 1010 public elementary schools	11.0%		10.9	905^th of 1016 public elementary schools	10.9%	6	20.3	14.5	20.0				18.2	30.5	12.9	3.3				15.5	16.7	$15,874	$3,912	$11,962
Clay International Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	52900 Lily Rd	South Bend	46637	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4300	571	41	13.7	69.4%	226 (39.6%)	160 (28.0%)	96 (16.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	87 (15.2%)	18.3	832^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	17.6%		18.3	833^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	18.0%	1	13.9	26.2	29.4	16.9	35.2	28.6	25.6	27.8	26.2	17.7	15.6	7.0	8.3	14.8	14.7	$14,843	$2,898	$11,945
Swanson Traditional School	Public	PK, KG-5	17677 Parker Dr	South Bend	46635	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-2700	454	29	15.8	49.6%	255 (56.2%)	87 (19.2%)	44 (9.7%)	9 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	59 (13.0%)	87.2	104^th of 1010 public elementary schools	89.7%		80.9	175^th of 1016 public elementary schools	82.8%	71	65.6	67.9	56.7				63.0	70.5	76.8	53.7				66.3	50.8	$13,974	$3,279	$10,694
Paramount School of Excellence South Bend	Public, Charter	K-8	3414 Hepler Street	South Bend	46635	St. Joseph County	Paramount School of Excellence South Bend	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(317) 519-4588	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	18.7	829^th of 1010 public elementary schools	17.9%					(n/a)	16.1	19.1	21.3	33.3			22.6	9.7	33.3	12.8	20.5			19.5	6.4
Marquette Montessori Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-6	1818 Bergan St	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	Yes	No	Yes	(574) 393-2400	383	25	15.3	68.9%	131 (34.2%)	151 (39.4%)	40 (10.4%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (14.6%)	21.8	791^st of 1010 public elementary schools	21.7%		24	783^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	22.9%	8	20.5	25.6	36.4	10.7			23.7	20.5	23.1	15.2	0.0			15.8	36.4	$15,081	$3,616	$11,465
Madison S.T.E.A.M. Academy	Public	K-5	832 N Lafayette Blvd	South Bend	46601	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 393-3200	618	42	14.5	93.0%	75 (12.1%)	305 (49.4%)	165 (26.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	70 (11.3%)	7	970^th of 1010 public elementary schools	4.0%		6.2	983^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	3.2%	13	12.8	12.5	13.6				12.9	11.7	3.9	10.2				8.4	6.8	$13,267	$3,530	$9,737
Prairie Vista Elementary School	Public	K-5	15400 Brick Rd	Granger	46530	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 271-0055	509	26	19.7	16.1%	389 (76.4%)	16 (3.1%)	37 (7.3%)	35 (6.9%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (5.5%)	98.7	2^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	99.8%		98.8	2^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	99.8%		75.3	83.5	86.1				81.6	90.6	85.9	82.6				86.3	89.5	$8,899	$290	$8,609
Muessel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1021 Blaine St	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 393-3400	241	22	10.8	87.6%	32 (13.3%)	154 (63.9%)	32 (13.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (9.1%)	4.1	1006^th of 1010 public elementary schools	0.4%		3.9	1015^th of 1016 public elementary schools	0.1%	9	6.3	5.7	4.9				5.7	6.3	5.7	4.9				5.7	5.0	$17,902	$5,845	$12,057
McKinley Elementary School	Public	K-5	228 N Greenlawn Ave	South Bend	46617	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 393-3300	513	28	18.1	87.3%	78 (15.2%)	134 (26.1%)	233 (45.4%)	7 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	61 (11.9%)	7.2	966^th of 1010 public elementary schools	4.4%		9.7	916^th of 1016 public elementary schools	9.8%	50	10.6	8.3	10.0				9.7	19.7	2.8	8.0				9.7	12.0	$14,633	$3,918	$10,715
Walt Disney Elementary School	Public	K-5	4015 N Filbert Rd	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 259-2486	521	31	16.7	56.4%	214 (41.1%)	153 (29.4%)	64 (12.3%)	34 (6.5%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	52 (10.0%)	60.9	402^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	60.2%		47.8	560^th of 1016 public elementary schools	44.9%	158	40.2	46.1	40.2				42.2	51.2	59.6	43.5				51.3	35.9	$9,386	$1,012	$8,374

Frequently Asked Questions about Darden Elementary School

How many students attend Darden Elementary School?

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

Is Darden Elementary School a good school?

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

What schools do graduates of Darden Elementary School attend?

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

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

What is the racial makeup of Darden Elementary School?

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

What district is Darden Elementary School in?

South Bend Community School Corp

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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.