South Newton Elementary School

Q: Is South Newton Elementary School a good school?

South Newton Elementary School ranks 474 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

South Newton Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 416 students in grades PK-5 in Kentland, Indiana, which is part of the Benton Community School Corp district, ranked 227 out of 381 school districts in the state.

While the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (81.25%) compared to nearby schools, it faces several challenges. South Newton Elementary has a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 21% to 33.1% over the past three years, which is higher than surrounding schools. Additionally, the school's test scores are generally lower than state and district averages, particularly in English Language Arts, with only 32.84% of 3rd-grade students proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to the district average of 34.04% and the state average of 38.6%. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 45.01% to 68.27% over the past three years, indicating a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students.

When compared to nearby schools, such as Prairie Crossing Elementary School, Tri-County Intermediate School, and Van Rensselaer Elementary School, South Newton Elementary School generally performs worse in both English Language Arts and Math, with lower proficiency rates across all grades. The school's declining statewide ranking, from 238 out of 1,036 Indiana elementary schools in 2013-2014 to 474 out of 1,010 in 2023-2024, suggests that it is not keeping pace with the performance of other elementary schools in the state.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

13188 S 50 E
Kentland, IN 47951

(219) 474-5167

District: South Newton School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
474^th of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,116

Students who attend South Newton Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	South Newton Middle School
High:	South Newton Senior High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.4

Number of students: 416

Racial breakdown:

White:

81.3%

Hispanic:

16.8%

Two or more races:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.3%

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Compare South Newton Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details South Newton Elementary School ranks better than 53.1% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.67. (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 (81.3%), Hispanic (16.8%), two or more races (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Newton Elementary School is 13.4. (See more...)

Compare South Newton Elementary School employs 31 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Newton Elementary School is $11,116.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

South Newton School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks South Newton School Corp 201^st of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for South Newton Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	45.38	611^th	959	36.3%
2006	28.75	780^th	961	18.8%
2007	47.97	604^th	985	38.7%
2008	71.28	251^st	996	74.8%
2009	70.94	281^st	1003	72.0%
2010	78.15	166^th	1009	83.5%
2011	79.77	132^nd	1025	87.1%
2012	67.43	332^nd	1015	67.3%
2013	66.78	365^th	1035	64.7%
2014	72.96	238^th	1036	77.0%
2015	64.05	393^rd	1040	62.2%
2016	65.04	392^nd	1046	62.5%
2017	54.63	540^th	1033	47.7%
2018	43.91	661^st	1027	35.6%
2019	53.04	531^st	1031	48.5%
2021	40.91	639^th	1016	37.1%
2022	37.07	681^st	1020	33.2%
2023	52.04	515^th	1016	49.3%
2024	54.67	474^th	1010	53.1%

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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Enrollment information for South Newton Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1997	517	0	1	20	0	n/a	n/a	7	545
1998	584	0	2	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1999	541	0	1	24	2	n/a	n/a	0	568
2000	532	0	1	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	557
2001	442	0	1	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	467
2002	393	1	2	31	2	n/a	n/a	0	429
2003	393	1	2	31	2	n/a	n/a	0	429
2004	386	2	1	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	422
2005	389	1	4	31	1	n/a	n/a	0	426
2006	369	1	4	38	5	n/a	n/a	0	417
2007	351	2	3	40	2	n/a	n/a	20	418
2008	348	2	3	40	2	n/a	n/a	22	417
2009	337	6	3	40	2	n/a	n/a	20	408
2010	345	4	2	30	0	n/a	n/a	14	395
2011	373	12	0	40	0	0	0	0	425
2012	341	8	0	35	0	0	5	0	389
2013	359	5	0	40	0	1	11	0	416
2014	367	3	0	56	0	0	11	0	437
2015	381	4	0	57	0	0	11	0	453
2016	392	1	0	61	0	1	10	0	465
2017	366	1	0	57	0	2	7	0	433
2018	386	3	0	55	0	2	5	0	451
2019	362	1	0	47	0	2	4	0	416
2020	329	1	0	60	0	2	5	0	397
2021	342	2	0	52	0	2	4	0	402
2022	333	2	0	67	0	2	7	0	411
2023	338	0	0	70	0	2	6	0	416

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 South Newton Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	545	32.7	16.7	27.3
1998	599	34.0	17.6	23.5
1999	568	34.4	16.5	32.2
2000	557	36.5	15.3	32
2001	467	31.9	14.6	36.4
2002	429	30.4	14.1	41
2003	429	30.4	14.1	41
2004	422	27.0	15.6	38.6
2005	426	28.0	15.2	43.4
2006	417	27.0	15.4	45.1
2007	418	n/a	n/a	45.7
2008	417	29.0	14.4	48.1
2009	408	28.0	14.6	55.7
2010	395	28.1	14.0	57.7
2011	425	27.8	15.2	57.2
2012	389	28.0	13.8	54
2013	416	19.0	21.8	62.5
2014	437	27.0	16.1	64.5
2015	453	25.0	18.1	64.9
2016	465	25.0	18.6	65.8
2017	433	20.0	21.6	66.1
2018	451	20.8	21.6	64.5
2019	416	19.5	21.3	65.4
2020	397	23.0	17.2	66.8
2021	402	23.0	17.4	60.7
2022	411	30.5	13.4	45
2023	416	31.0	13.4	68.3

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 South Newton Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1997	545	32.7	16.7	27.3
1998	599	34.0	17.6	23.5
1999	568	34.4	16.5	32.2
2000	557	36.5	15.3	32
2001	467	31.9	14.6	36.4
2002	429	30.4	14.1	41
2003	429	30.4	14.1	41
2004	422	27.0	15.6	38.6
2005	426	28.0	15.2	43.4
2006	417	27.0	15.4	45.1
2007	418	n/a	n/a	45.7
2008	417	29.0	14.4	48.1
2009	408	28.0	14.6	55.7
2010	395	28.1	14.0	57.7
2011	425	27.8	15.2	57.2
2012	389	28.0	13.8	54
2013	416	19.0	21.8	62.5
2014	437	27.0	16.1	64.5
2015	453	25.0	18.1	64.9
2016	465	25.0	18.6	65.8
2017	433	20.0	21.6	66.1
2018	451	20.8	21.6	64.5
2019	416	19.5	21.3	65.4
2020	397	23.0	17.2	66.8
2021	402	23.0	17.4	60.7
2022	411	30.5	13.4	45
2023	416	31.0	13.4	68.3

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 South Newton Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$656 (6.9%)	$8,817 (93.1%)	$9,473
2020	$689 (7.5%)	$8,526 (92.5%)	$9,215
2021	$892 (8.9%)	$9,127 (91.1%)	$10,019
2022	$1,498 (13.5%)	$9,618 (86.5%)	$11,116

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Newton 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 531^st of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 515^th of 1016 Elementary schools	0.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Newton Elementary School)	47.5	37.3	10.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Newton School Corp)	47.5	37.3	10.2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (South Newton Elementary School)	57.4	45.8	11.6%
3rd Grade Math (South Newton School Corp)	57.4	45.8	11.6%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Newton Elementary School)	40.6	33.8	6.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Newton School Corp)	40.6	33.8	6.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (South Newton Elementary School)	50	39.7	10.3%
4th Grade Math (South Newton School Corp)	50	39.7	10.3%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (South Newton Elementary School)	39.7	39.7	0%
4th Grade Science (South Newton School Corp)	39.7	39.7	0%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Newton Elementary School)	44.4	41.7	2.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Newton School Corp)	44.4	41.7	2.7%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (South Newton Elementary School)	61.1	30.6	30.5%
5th Grade Math (South Newton School Corp)	61.1	30.6	30.5%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (South Newton Elementary School)	47.2	62.5	15.3%
5th Grade Social Studies (South Newton School Corp)	47.2	62.5	15.3%
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	416	416
African American	1	0	100%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	47	70	48.9%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	362	338	6.6%
Two or More Races	4	6	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	65.4%	68.3%	2.9%

Schools Near South Newton 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 All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th 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
South Newton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	13188 S 50 E	Kentland	47951	Newton County	South Newton School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 474-5167	416	31	13.4	68.3%	338 (81.3%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (16.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	6 (1.4%)	54.7	474^th of 1010 public elementary schools	53.1%		52	515^th of 1016 public elementary schools	49.3%	41	26.3	30.0	43.1		32.8	48.7	43.3	56.9		49.8	52.3	$11,116	$1,498	$9,618
Morocco Elementary School	Public	K-6	310 S Lincoln	Morocco	47963	Newton County	North Newton School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 285-2258	139	11	13.1	63.3%	110 (79.1%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (14.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.5%)	36.4	664^th of 1010 public elementary schools	34.3%		38.4	651^st of 1016 public elementary schools	35.9%	13	31.3	30.8	10.5	31.3	25.0	62.5	53.9	15.8	31.3	39.1	21.1	$11,941	$830	$11,111
Tri-County Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	300 E Michigan St	Remington	47977	Jasper County	Tri-County School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 261-2214	209	12	16.9	35.4%	183 (87.6%)	1 (0.5%)	16 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.3%)								(n/a)												$11,372	$546	$10,826
Van Rensselaer Elementary School	Public	3-5	902 E Washington	Rensselaer	47978	Jasper County	Rensselaer Central School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 866-8212	321	21	15.4	52.3%	276 (86.0%)	4 (1.2%)	34 (10.6%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.2%)	74.2	247^th of 1010 public elementary schools	75.5%		81.1	171^st of 1016 public elementary schools	83.2%	76	45.3	49.0	56.9		50.5	58.5	59.4	64.2		60.8	38.5	$9,069	$746	$8,323
Rensselaer Central Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1144 N Melville St	Rensselaer	47978	Jasper County	Rensselaer Central School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 866-5441	386	25	15.7	55.4%	317 (82.1%)	2 (0.5%)	52 (13.5%)	3 (0.8%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.6%)								(n/a)												$9,500	$1,384	$8,116
Prairie Crossing Elementary School	Public	K-6	2758 S 400 E	Oxford	47971	Benton County	Benton Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 884-3000	561	36	15.6	65.1%	459 (81.8%)	4 (0.7%)	77 (13.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.4%)	45.4	574^th of 1010 public elementary schools	43.2%		43.2	607^th of 1016 public elementary schools	40.3%	33	20.0	28.0	29.7	37.4	29.3	43.1	36.0	43.8	37.4	39.7	51.6	$12,142	$1,640	$10,502
Tri-County Intermediate School	Public	3-6	200 W North	Wolcott	47995	White County	Tri-County School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 279-2138	227	16	13.9	41.0%	197 (86.8%)	2 (0.9%)	17 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	10 (4.4%)	54.4	476^th of 1010 public elementary schools	52.9%		61	404^th of 1016 public elementary schools	60.2%	72	47.3	42.0	32.7	28.1	37.5	67.3	60.9	32.7	32.8	48.6	27.3	$10,565	$610	$9,955

Frequently Asked Questions about South Newton Elementary School

What schools do graduates of South Newton Elementary School attend?

Students who attend South Newton Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : South Newton Middle School
High : South Newton Senior High School

How many students attend South Newton Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 416 students attended South Newton Elementary School.

What district is South Newton Elementary School in?

South Newton School Corp

Is South Newton Elementary School a good school?

South Newton Elementary School ranks 474^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of South Newton Elementary School?

Students at South Newton Elementary School are 81% White, 17% Hispanic, 1% Two or more races.

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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.