Willow Lake Elementary School

Summary:

Willow Lake Elementary School is a public elementary school in Indianapolis, Indiana, serving 582 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the MSD Washington Township district, which is ranked 201 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating.

Willow Lake stands out for its significantly higher percentages of African American (41.92%) and Hispanic (29.73%) students compared to nearby schools, which tend to have a more even racial distribution. The school also faces challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 20.9% to 26.3% over the past three years, and consistently lower proficiency rates on ILEARN assessments compared to district and state averages. For example, in 2023-2024, Willow Lake's English Language Arts proficiency rate was 23.65%, while the district and state averages were 35.3% and 38.6%, respectively. Additionally, Willow Lake has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 43.36% to 75.09% over the past three years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Despite the increase in per-student spending at Willow Lake, from $7,733 in 2019-2020 to $12,912 in 2021-2022, the school's performance continues to lag behind nearby schools within the same district, such as Nora Elementary, Spring Mill Elementary, and Fox Hill Elementary, which have higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism rates, and more diverse student populations. The school's challenges may require a comprehensive, data-driven approach to address the root causes and implement effective strategies for improvement.

Detail:

Public K-5

7535 Harcourt Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46260

(317) 280-3701

District: MSD Washington Township

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,912

Students who attend Willow Lake Elementary School usually attend:

High:

North Central High School

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 660

Racial breakdown:

African American:

44.2%

Hispanic:

30.9%

White:

14.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.3%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Willow Lake Elementary School ranks worse than 76.8% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks last among 8 ranked elementary schools in the MSD Washington Township School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 24.22. (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 Willow Lake Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (44.2%), Hispanic (30.9%), White (14.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Willow Lake Elementary School is 16.5. 6 elementary schools in the MSD Washington Township School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Willow Lake Elementary School employs 40 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Willow Lake Elementary School is $12,912. 5 elementary schools in the MSD Washington Township School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

MSD Washington Township:

SchoolDigger ranks MSD Washington Township 206^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Willow Lake Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2021	14.55	861^st	1016	15.3%
2022	18.56	835^th	1020	18.1%
2023	24.09	782^nd	1016	23.0%
2024	24.22	776^th	1010	23.2%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, May 7, 2021

My daughter came home and told me that they taught her that "white people are bad." She's never had homework. She's hardly learned anything, and I'd put her education level, as a fourth grader, at somewhere between first and second grade. She says her teachers are mean, and I've only had negative experiences with the staff, who come across as pompous. In third grade, a kid showed her a gun in his backpack on the bus, he said that it was his father's, and the administration did nothing. This school is garbage. Your child's early years are too precious to allow a school like this to waste them. Close Quote

by a parent
Friday, July 17, 2020

My child started Kindergarten in the 2019-2020 school year, which was Willow Lake’s first. Her teacher (Ms. Rybak) is an incredible teacher and handled the pandemic closure as well as any Kindergarten teacher could be expected. My child had really severe separation anxiety the first several weeks of school that she was able to overcome with the help of her teacher and Miss Emily (Yarger). The specials teachers are also very well liked by my child and myself. The principal, Ms. Brown, and vice principal, Mr. Fort, are always friendly and make themselves available to students and parents alike. For Kindergartners, there is a dual language program in Spanish. Every staff member I’ve encountered is someone I’d be happy to have around my child. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Willow Lake Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Two or More Races	Total
2020	107	367	47	152	25	698
2021	91	367	47	147	28	680
2022	87	289	49	150	20	595
2023	93	244	47	173	25	582
2024	96	292	39	204	29	660

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 Willow Lake Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	698	37.0	18.8	79.4
2021	680	40.0	16.9	73.7
2022	595	45.0	13.2	43.4
2023	582	39.0	14.9	75.1
2024	660	40.0	16.5	55.3

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 Willow Lake Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2020	698	37.0	18.8	79.4
2021	680	40.0	16.9	73.7
2022	595	45.0	13.2	43.4
2023	582	39.0	14.9	75.1
2024	660	40.0	16.5	55.3

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 Willow Lake Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2020	$558 (7.2%)	$7,176 (92.8%)	$7,733
2021	$1,103 (10.8%)	$9,119 (89.2%)	$10,221
2022	$1,858 (14.4%)	$11,053 (85.6%)	$12,912

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Schools Near Willow Lake 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
Willow Lake Elementary School	Public	K-5	7535 Harcourt Rd	Indianapolis	46260	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 280-3701	660	40	16.5	55.3%	96 (14.5%)	292 (44.2%)	204 (30.9%)	39 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.4%)	24.2	776^th of 1010 public elementary schools	23.2%		24.1	782^nd of 1016 public elementary schools	23.0%	6	17.7	28.2	25.0				23.7	23.4	28.2	25.0				25.6	33.3	$12,912	$1,858	$11,053
Greenbriar Elementary School	Public	K-5	8201 N Ditch Rd	Indianapolis	46260	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 259-5445	492	35	14.2	55.5%	74 (15.0%)	257 (52.2%)	94 (19.1%)	29 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (7.7%)	30.4	727^th of 1010 public elementary schools	28.0%		22.5	798^th of 1016 public elementary schools	21.5%	71	20.5	25.3	32.1				26.1	37.2	26.5	36.9				33.5	26.5	$13,435	$1,714	$11,720
Spring Mill Elementary School	Public	K-5	8250 Springmill Rd	Indianapolis	46260	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 259-5462	478	36	13.2	54.4%	72 (15.1%)	263 (55.0%)	95 (19.9%)	11 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (7.5%)	46.6	562^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	44.4%		29.4	734^th of 1016 public elementary schools	27.8%	172	48.8	30.7	39.7				40.5	58.8	33.9	24.1				39.4	25.6	$13,148	$1,841	$11,307
College Park Elementary School	Public	K-5	2811 Barnard Street	Indianapolis	46268	Marion County	MSD Pike Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 347-7400	473	30	15.8	72.5%	9 (1.9%)	280 (59.2%)	148 (31.3%)	17 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.8%)	15.4	865^th of 1010 public elementary schools	14.4%		13.8	875^th of 1016 public elementary schools	13.9%	10	29.6	18.4	11.1				20.5	34.6	14.5	3.2				18.6	7.9	$11,281	$1,498	$9,783
Fox Hill Elementary School	Public	K-5	802 Fox Hill Dr	Indianapolis	46228	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 259-5371	613	37	16.5	51.1%	134 (21.9%)	200 (32.6%)	195 (31.8%)	25 (4.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (9.5%)	40.2	628^th of 1010 public elementary schools	37.8%		34.7	681^st of 1016 public elementary schools	33.0%	53	36.7	38.4	31.0				35.7	48.6	45.5	20.5				39.8	12.1	$13,076	$1,624	$11,452
Eastbrook Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7625 New Augusta Rd	Indianapolis	46268	Marion County	MSD Pike Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 298-2784	521	39	13.4	77.4%	29 (5.6%)	274 (52.6%)	176 (33.8%)	11 (2.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.8%)	15.5	862^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	14.7%		14.4	870^th of 1016 public elementary schools	14.4%	8	13.9	20.0	20.5				18.2	16.5	17.8	16.7				17.0	26.9	$11,571	$1,502	$10,069
New Augusta Public Academy - South	Public	K-5	6250 Rodebaugh Rd	Indianapolis	46268	Marion County	MSD Pike Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 387-4325	443	29	15.5	72.0%	28 (6.3%)	313 (70.7%)	69 (15.6%)	6 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (5.9%)	23.2	781^st of 1010 public elementary schools	22.7%		23.7	786^th of 1016 public elementary schools	22.6%	5	27.3	16.7	21.2				21.4	34.3	19.2	34.6				28.4	25.0	$11,925	$1,874	$10,051
Crooked Creek Elementary School	Public	K-5	2150 Kessler Blvd W Dr	Indianapolis	46228	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 259-5478	449	28	16.3	51.0%	86 (19.2%)	209 (46.5%)	99 (22.0%)	25 (5.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.7%)	52.8	496^th of 1010 public elementary schools	50.9%		47.5	564^th of 1016 public elementary schools	44.5%	68	36.4	41.5	33.7				36.8	57.6	49.2	39.3				47.7	33.7	$13,553	$1,610	$11,943
Center for Inquiry School 84	Public	K-8	440 E 57th St	Indianapolis	46220	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 226-4284	441	31	14.4	7.0%	356 (80.7%)	23 (5.2%)	12 (2.7%)	9 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	39 (8.8%)	94.3	36^th of 1010 public elementary schools	96.4%		96.7	13^th of 1016 public elementary schools	98.7%	23	67.4	58.0	65.2	67.4	79.2	77.1	69.0	83.7	82.0	82.6	65.2	75.0	56.3	74.2	62.2	$14,225	$1,555	$12,670
Nora Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1000 E 91st St	Indianapolis	46240	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 844-5436	486	31	15.6	61.3%	104 (21.4%)	172 (35.4%)	165 (34.0%)	14 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	28 (5.8%)	37.6	653^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	35.3%		29.1	738^th of 1016 public elementary schools	27.4%	85	31.4	20.0	33.3				27.8	46.5	30.5	28.7				34.4	43.7	$13,461	$2,176	$11,286

Frequently Asked Questions about Willow Lake Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Willow Lake Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Willow Lake Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : North Central High School

What district is Willow Lake Elementary School in?

MSD Washington Township

How many students attend Willow Lake Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 660 students attended Willow Lake Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Willow Lake Elementary School?

Students at Willow Lake Elementary School are 44% African American, 31% Hispanic, 15% White, 6% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

Is Willow Lake Elementary School a good school?

Willow Lake Elementary School ranks in the bottom 23.2% of Indiana elementary schools.

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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.