Central Elementary School

Q: Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks 458 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Greencastle, Indiana, serving 339 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the South Putnam Community Schools district, which is ranked 98 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 4-star rating.

While Central Elementary School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (93.81%) compared to the state average, its academic performance lags behind nearby schools. The school's proficiency rates in ILEARN/English Language Arts (39.43%) and ILEARN/Math (48%) are lower than the district's scores (47.31% and 45.71%, respectively) and the state's scores. Additionally, the school has seen fluctuations in its chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 5.5% in 2020-2021 to 16.9% in 2021-2022, suggesting unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the school's spending per student has increased over the past few years, and it maintains a relatively low student-teacher ratio, which could lead to improved outcomes in the future.

When comparing Central Elementary School to other nearby schools, some interesting patterns emerge. Fillmore Elementary School, which is part of the same South Putnam Community Schools district, consistently outperforms Central Elementary School on test scores. Similarly, Van Buren Elementary School, which is part of the Clay Community Schools district, also outperforms Central Elementary School on test scores, particularly in Math. The performance of other nearby schools, such as Cloverdale Elementary School and Tzouanakis Intermediate School, which are part of the Greencastle Community School Corp district, is mixed compared to Central Elementary School.

Detail:

Public K-5

1888 E US Hwy 40
Greencastle, IN 46135

(765) 653-6175

District: South Putnam Community Schools

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,512

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	South Putnam Middle School
High:	South Putnam High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 349

Racial breakdown:

White:

93.7%

Hispanic:

3.7%

Two or more races:

1.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 51.6%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Central Elementary School ranks better than 54.7% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 56.21. (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 (93.7%), Hispanic (3.7%), two or more races (1.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 51.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 13.2. (See more...)

Compare Central Elementary School employs 26.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Central Elementary School is $10,512.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

South Putnam Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks South Putnam Community Schools 90^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Central Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	72.57	66^th	326	79.8%
2005	71.74	229^th	959	76.1%
2006	73.71	205^th	961	78.7%
2007	80.95	122^nd	985	87.6%
2008	67.14	318^th	996	68.1%
2009	60.40	440^th	1003	56.1%
2010	41.32	697^th	1009	30.9%
2011	66.31	355^th	1025	65.4%
2012	60.63	449^th	1015	55.8%
2013	54.21	572^nd	1035	44.7%
2014	50.76	615^th	1036	40.6%
2015	57.95	473^rd	1040	54.5%
2016	41.14	722^nd	1046	31.0%
2017	49.52	598^th	1033	42.1%
2018	56.68	501^st	1027	51.2%
2019	59.47	434^th	1031	57.9%
2021	69.61	305^th	1016	70.0%
2022	55.67	477^th	1020	53.2%
2023	61.59	397^th	1016	60.9%
2024	56.21	458^th	1010	54.7%

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 Central Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	163	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	163
1989	151	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	154
1990	174	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	175
1991	172	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	173
1992	172	2	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	174
1993	196	1	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	197
1994	187	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	187
1995	203	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	205
1996	203	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	2	205
1997	213	0	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	217
1998	234	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	234
1999	232	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	232
2000	243	0	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	246
2001	270	0	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
2002	263	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	265
2003	263	1	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	265
2004	244	0	1	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	250
2005	254	3	1	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	261
2006	273	3	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	278
2007	276	3	2	1	0	n/a	n/a	3	285
2008	257	1	2	0	0	n/a	n/a	7	267
2009	243	0	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	8	254
2010	225	1	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	7	235
2011	242	1	0	4	0	0	3	0	250
2012	241	0	0	3	1	0	4	0	249
2013	354	1	0	7	0	1	2	0	365
2014	350	2	0	8	0	1	5	0	366
2015	344	0	1	9	0	1	7	0	362
2016	342	1	1	10	0	2	10	0	366
2017	333	0	0	7	1	2	10	0	353
2018	326	2	0	10	1	2	10	0	351
2019	302	2	0	15	1	2	11	0	333
2020	322	0	0	13	1	1	10	0	347
2021	310	0	0	9	0	1	10	0	330
2022	312	2	0	9	0	1	10	0	334
2023	318	2	0	8	0	2	9	0	339
2024	327	1	0	13	0	3	5	0	349

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	163	8.0	20.3	6.1
1989	154	8.3	18.5	11
1990	175	8.8	19.8	9.7
1991	173	8.8	19.6	12.7
1992	174	n/a	n/a	21.3
1993	197	10.0	19.7	29.4
1994	187	10.0	18.7	28.3
1995	205	12.4	16.5	26.6
1996	205	12.4	16.5	26.6
1997	217	12.7	17.1	18.4
1998	234	12.7	18.4	14.5
1999	232	13.5	17.2	14.7
2000	246	13.6	18.1	17.5
2001	271	16.6	16.3	17
2002	265	17.2	15.4	11.7
2003	265	17.2	15.4	11.7
2004	250	17.2	14.5	19.2
2005	261	15.8	16.5	16.5
2006	278	16.6	16.7	20.1
2007	285	n/a	n/a	24.5
2008	267	15.3	17.5	26.2
2009	254	15.2	16.7	32.5
2010	235	15.2	15.4	44.3
2011	250	18.9	13.1	43.2
2012	249	19.2	12.9	40.2
2013	365	22.8	16.0	48.8
2014	366	20.8	17.5	53.3
2015	362	21.0	17.2	50
2016	366	24.0	15.2	48.6
2017	353	24.4	14.4	46.7
2018	351	25.4	13.8	43.3
2019	333	25.4	13.1	39.3
2020	347	23.4	14.8	43.8
2021	330	24.4	13.5	47.3
2022	334	26.2	12.7	43.1
2023	339	24.5	13.8	48.4
2024	349	26.3	13.2	51.6

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 Central Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	163	8.0	20.3	6.1
1989	154	8.3	18.5	11
1990	175	8.8	19.8	9.7
1991	173	8.8	19.6	12.7
1992	174	n/a	n/a	21.3
1993	197	10.0	19.7	29.4
1994	187	10.0	18.7	28.3
1995	205	12.4	16.5	26.6
1996	205	12.4	16.5	26.6
1997	217	12.7	17.1	18.4
1998	234	12.7	18.4	14.5
1999	232	13.5	17.2	14.7
2000	246	13.6	18.1	17.5
2001	271	16.6	16.3	17
2002	265	17.2	15.4	11.7
2003	265	17.2	15.4	11.7
2004	250	17.2	14.5	19.2
2005	261	15.8	16.5	16.5
2006	278	16.6	16.7	20.1
2007	285	n/a	n/a	24.5
2008	267	15.3	17.5	26.2
2009	254	15.2	16.7	32.5
2010	235	15.2	15.4	44.3
2011	250	18.9	13.1	43.2
2012	249	19.2	12.9	40.2
2013	365	22.8	16.0	48.8
2014	366	20.8	17.5	53.3
2015	362	21.0	17.2	50
2016	366	24.0	15.2	48.6
2017	353	24.4	14.4	46.7
2018	351	25.4	13.8	43.3
2019	333	25.4	13.1	39.3
2020	347	23.4	14.8	43.8
2021	330	24.4	13.5	47.3
2022	334	26.2	12.7	43.1
2023	339	24.5	13.8	48.4
2024	349	26.3	13.2	51.6

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 Central Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$56 (0.6%)	$9,863 (99.4%)	$9,919
2020	$18 (0.2%)	$9,161 (99.8%)	$9,180
2021	$533 (5.5%)	$9,192 (94.5%)	$9,725
2022	$781 (7.4%)	$9,731 (92.6%)	$10,512

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Central 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 434^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 397^th of 1016 Elementary schools	3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	53.3	47.3	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Putnam Community Schools)	47.8	44.2	3.6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	75.6	74.6	1%
3rd Grade Math (South Putnam Community Schools)	72.5	79.2	6.7%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	44.1	50	5.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Putnam Community Schools)	44.2	46.2	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	50.8	61.7	10.9%
4th Grade Math (South Putnam Community Schools)	53.2	62.8	9.6%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Central Elementary School)	57.6	36.7	20.9%
4th Grade Science (South Putnam Community Schools)	63.6	42.3	21.3%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Central Elementary School)	50.9	42.7	8.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (South Putnam Community Schools)	53.6	45	8.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.5	40.2	7.3%
5th Grade Math (Central Elementary School)	45.3	35.3	10%
5th Grade Math (South Putnam Community Schools)	49.3	40	9.3%
5th Grade Math (Indiana)	47.8	41.1	6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Central Elementary School)	39.6	23.5	16.1%
5th Grade Social Studies (South Putnam Community Schools)	46.4	28.8	17.7%
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	333	339	1.8%
African American	2	2
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	15	8	46.7%
Pacific Islander	2	2
White	302	318	5.3%
Two or More Races	11	9	18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	39.3%	48.4%	9%

Schools Near Central 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
Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	1888 E US Hwy 40	Greencastle	46135	Putnam County	South Putnam Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 653-6175	349	26	13.2	51.6%	327 (93.7%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	5 (1.4%)	56.2	458^th of 1010 public elementary schools	54.7%		61.6	397^th of 1016 public elementary schools	60.9%	61	30.6	38.6	46.4				39.4	57.1	49.1	40.6				48.0	36.2	$10,512	$781	$9,731
Martha J Ridpath Elementary School	Public	K-2	711 South Central Ave	Greencastle	46135	Putnam County	Greencastle Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 653-3315	178	15	12.2	65.7%	166 (93.3%)	3 (1.7%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	6 (3.4%)								(n/a)																$9,620	$1,267	$8,353
Deer Meadow Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1000 Deer Meadow Ln	Greencastle	46135	Putnam County	Greencastle Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 653-3518	312	20	16.0	56.4%	297 (95.2%)	2 (0.6%)	5 (1.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)								(n/a)																$9,422	$1,659	$7,763
Cloverdale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	311 E Logan St	Cloverdale	46120	Putnam County	Cloverdale Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 795-4339	466	23	20.2	74.0%	427 (91.6%)	3 (0.6%)	9 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (5.6%)	51.3	513^th of 1010 public elementary schools	49.2%		67.1	340^th of 1016 public elementary schools	66.5%	173	49.3	35.6					42.3	58.0	28.8					43.0		$8,057	$1,199	$6,858
Cloverdale Distance Learning Academy	Public, Virtual	K-8	310 E Logan St	Cloverdale	46120	Putnam County	Cloverdale Community Schools	No	No	Yes	No	(795) 795-4203	1,456				1,229 (84.4%)	40 (2.7%)	96 (6.6%)	9 (0.6%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.3%)	76 (5.2%)	43.6	589^th of 1010 public elementary schools	41.7%		47.1	567^th of 1016 public elementary schools	44.2%	22	34.4	40.2	35.5	39.8	46.9	55.4	40.0	41.0	32.8	32.2	21.9	27.6	24.6	31.6	38.8	$6,579	$736	$5,843
Tzouanakis Intermediate School	Public	3-5	500 Linwood Dr	Greencastle	46135	Putnam County	Greencastle Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(765) 653-4700	401	28	14.3	50.6%	368 (91.8%)	9 (2.2%)	15 (3.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.7%)	45.9	573^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	43.3%		54.3	488^th of 1016 public elementary schools	52.0%	85	26.6	33.6	30.3				30.0	48.3	41.4	41.8				44.0	44.6	$9,128	$750	$8,377
Fillmore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	161 S Main St	Fillmore	46128	Putnam County	South Putnam Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 246-6136	114	11	10.0	52.6%	108 (94.7%)	1 (0.9%)	4 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	85.2	125^th of 1010 public elementary schools	87.6%		77.3	205^th of 1016 public elementary schools	79.8%	80	66.7	61.9	44.4				57.9	83.3	76.2	44.4				68.4	61.1	$11,741	$925	$10,817
Eminence Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6760 N Sr 42	Eminence	46151	Morgan County	Eminence Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 528-2141	113	14	8.0	58.4%	105 (92.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (4.4%)	46.6	563^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	44.3%		60.3	410^th of 1016 public elementary schools	59.6%	153	13.3	43.5	31.3				31.5	20.0	69.6	43.8				48.2	25.0	$12,680	$1,234	$11,446
Bainbridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	412 S Washington	Bainbridge	46105	Putnam County	North Putnam Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 522-6233	445	27	16.6	0.7%	425 (95.5%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.7%)	58.3	431^st of 1010 public elementary schools	57.3%		68.3	320^th of 1016 public elementary schools	68.5%	111	44.6	36.2	42.1				40.8	66.1	47.8	31.6				46.8	43.4	$10,153	$1,113	$9,040
Mill Creek West Elementary	Public	K-5	4704 Pearl St	Amo	46103	Hendricks County	Mill Creek Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 539-9255	355	20	17.5	31.0%	333 (93.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.9%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.7%)	69.9	300^th of 1010 public elementary schools	70.3%		71.3	286^th of 1016 public elementary schools	71.9%	14	42.3	39.6	45.8				42.5	53.9	73.6	70.8				66.0	39.6	$9,874	$1,167	$8,706

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : South Putnam Middle School
High : South Putnam High School

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 349 students attended Central Elementary School.

What district is Central Elementary School in?

South Putnam Community Schools

Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Central Elementary School ranks 458^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 94% White, 4% 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.