Ben Davis University High School

Q: Is Ben Davis University High School a good school?

Ben Davis University High School ranks 83 rd of 431 Indiana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Ben Davis University High School is a public high school serving grades 10-12 in Indianapolis, Indiana, part of the MSD Wayne Township school district. With a diverse student population, the school consistently outperforms the district and state in academic assessments, maintains exceptional graduation rates, and stands out in its performance for specific student subgroups.

Ben Davis University High School's academic achievements are impressive, with 63.89% of 11th-grade students proficient or better in SAT/Evidence-based Reading and Writing, compared to 31.09% for the district, and 20.37% proficient or better in math, compared to 8.93% for the district. The school's four-year graduation rate ranges from 98% to 100%, significantly higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, Ben Davis University High School ranks 13th out of 132 Indiana high schools for African American students, 17th out of 184 for Hispanic students, and 5th out of 74 for English Language Learners, all with a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Ben Davis University High School's performance is exceptional, the school faces some challenges, such as a fluctuating statewide ranking and a high chronic absenteeism rate. However, the school's ability to maintain strong academic performance, even with a high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, is a testament to its effectiveness in addressing the needs of students from low-income backgrounds. When compared to other schools in the area, such as Ben Davis High School, Ben Davis University High School stands out as a high-performing institution within the MSD Wayne Township district and the state of Indiana.

Detail:

Public 10-12

1155 S High School Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46241

(317) 988-7800

District: MSD Wayne Township

SchoolDigger Rank:
83^rd of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,671

Feeder schools for Ben Davis University High School:

Elementary:	Bridgeport Elementary School
	Chapel Glen Elementary School
	Chapelwood Elementary School
	Garden City Elementary School
	More...
	Maplewood Elementary School
	McClelland Elementary School
	North Wayne Elementary School
	Rhoades Elementary School
	Robey Elementary School
	Stout Field Elementary School
	Westlake Elementary School
Middle:	Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center
	Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center

Student/teacher ratio: 21.6

Number of students: 378

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

40.7%

African American:

33.1%

White:

23.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 73.3%

See top rated Indiana high schools

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Ben Davis University High School ranks better than 80.7% of high schools in Indiana. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the MSD Wayne Township School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 69.09. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Ben Davis University High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 Ben Davis University High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (40.7%), African American (33.1%), White (23.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 73.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the MSD Wayne Township School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ben Davis University High School is 21.6. 2 high schools in the MSD Wayne Township School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Ben Davis University High School employs 17.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ben Davis University High School is $12,671, which is the 2^nd highest among 3 high schools in the MSD Wayne Township School District.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ben Davis University High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Ben Davis University High School 83^rd of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See Ben Davis University High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

MSD Wayne Township:

SchoolDigger ranks MSD Wayne Township 287^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Ben Davis University High School

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Rank History for all students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2016	37.73	275^th	394	30.2%
2017	42.34	239^th	380	37.1%
2018	53.57	195^th	385	49.4%
2019	57.72	136^th	389	65.0%
2021	57.02	131^st	388	66.2%
2022	62.65	141^st	409	65.5%
2023	34.79	272^nd	398	31.7%
2024	69.09	83^rd	431	80.7%

See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	80.56	5^th	74	93.2%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	45.79	133^rd	285	53.3%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	49.55	176^th	379	53.6%
2024	92.77	9^th	377	97.6%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	26.72	302^nd	388	22.2%
2024	65.29	99^th	392	74.7%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	43.19	210^th	383	45.2%
2024	69.29	83^rd	392	78.8%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	86.06	19^th	125	84.8%
2023	71.72	28^th	125	77.6%
2024	90.50	10^th	132	92.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	89.50	17^th	164	89.6%
2023	47.29	78^th	166	53.0%
2024	91.30	11^th	184	94.0%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Ben Davis University High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	61.90	132^nd	378	65.1%
2023	50.06	156^th	375	58.4%
2024	53.47	148^th	381	61.2%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for White Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ben Davis University High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	65	51	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	4	127
2009	113	90	4	19	1	n/a	n/a	8	235
2010	141	110	7	29	1	n/a	n/a	10	298
2011	163	110	6	49	1	0	20	0	349
2012	162	102	6	49	1	0	24	0	344
2013	159	117	5	57	1	0	29	0	368
2014	147	139	6	51	1	0	24	0	368
2015	147	119	7	61	0	0	24	0	358
2016	157	118	9	79	1	0	20	0	384
2017	148	122	8	87	2	0	22	0	389
2018	137	132	5	92	2	0	25	0	393
2019	128	120	3	106	1	0	23	0	381
2020	120	122	3	142	1	0	21	0	409
2021	108	133	4	154	0	0	13	0	412
2022	96	130	6	146	0	0	9	0	387
2023	88	122	5	136	0	0	7	0	358
2024	88	125	3	154	0	0	8	0	378

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 Ben Davis University High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	127	6.0	21.2	67.5
2009	235	10.0	23.5	59.9
2010	298	14.0	21.2	64.9
2011	349	16.9	20.6	65
2012	344	18.0	19.1	63.1
2013	368	19.0	19.3	64.4
2014	368	18.0	20.4	70.1
2015	358	18.0	19.8	69.8
2016	384	17.0	22.5	68.2
2017	389	18.4	21.0	68.9
2018	393	19.0	20.6	68.2
2019	381	19.8	19.1	73.8
2020	409	21.0	19.4	63.8
2021	412	21.0	19.6	64.6
2022	387	23.3	16.5	69.3
2023	358	17.5	20.4	72.1
2024	378	17.5	21.6	73.3

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 Ben Davis University High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	127	6.0	21.2	67.5
2009	235	10.0	23.5	59.9
2010	298	14.0	21.2	64.9
2011	349	16.9	20.6	65
2012	344	18.0	19.1	63.1
2013	368	19.0	19.3	64.4
2014	368	18.0	20.4	70.1
2015	358	18.0	19.8	69.8
2016	384	17.0	22.5	68.2
2017	389	18.4	21.0	68.9
2018	393	19.0	20.6	68.2
2019	381	19.8	19.1	73.8
2020	409	21.0	19.4	63.8
2021	412	21.0	19.6	64.6
2022	387	23.3	16.5	69.3
2023	358	17.5	20.4	72.1
2024	378	17.5	21.6	73.3

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 Ben Davis University High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$671 (5.9%)	$10,799 (94.1%)	$11,470
2020	$637 (5.6%)	$10,641 (94.4%)	$11,278
2021	$1,112 (9.6%)	$10,500 (90.4%)	$11,612
2022	$1,204 (9.5%)	$11,467 (90.5%)	$12,670

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ben Davis University High 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 136^th of 389 High schools	Ranks 272^nd of 398 High schools	33.4%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	381	358	6%
African American	120	122	1.7%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	3	5	66.7%
Hispanic	106	136	28.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	128	88	31.3%
Two or More Races	23	7	69.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	73.8%	72.1%	1.7%

Schools Near Ben Davis University High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)				ILEARN Math (2024)				ILEARN Biology (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	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th 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 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ben Davis University High School	Public	10-12	1155 S High School Rd	Indianapolis	46241	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 988-7800	378	18	21.6	73.3%	88 (23.3%)	125 (33.1%)	154 (40.7%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.1%)	69.1	83^rd of 431 public high schools	80.7%		34.8	272^nd of 398 public high schools	31.7%	189	63.9	20.4										$12,671	$1,204	$11,467
Achieve Virtual Education Academy	Public	7-12	1250 N High School Rd	Indianapolis	46224	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 988-7144	631	27	23.5	47.5%	319 (50.6%)	129 (20.4%)	132 (20.9%)	4 (0.6%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (7.1%)	47.5	215^th of 431 public high schools	50.1%		18.2	332^nd of 398 public high schools	16.6%	117	51.6	16.1		38.9	35.7	37.5		10.5	7.1	9.1	31.3	$9,214	$5,528	$3,686
Area 31 Career & Technical Center	Public	6-12	1200 N High School Rd	Indianapolis	46214	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 988-7230	0	1	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Ben Davis High School	Public	10-12	1200 N Girls Sch Rd	Indianapolis	46214	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 988-7000	3,274	180	18.1	68.1%	606 (18.5%)	1,288 (39.3%)	1,182 (36.1%)	23 (0.7%)	1 (0.0%)	3 (0.1%)	171 (5.2%)	17.3	357^th of 431 public high schools	17.2%		13	359^th of 398 public high schools	9.8%	2	26.5	7.3									12.5	$13,049	$1,094	$11,955
Speedway Senior High School	Public	9-12	5357 W 25th St	Speedway	46224	Marion County	School Town of Speedway	No	No	No	No	(317) 244-7238	572	35	16.3	44.8%	247 (43.2%)	132 (23.1%)	123 (21.5%)	34 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (6.3%)	84.5	37^th of 431 public high schools	91.4%		83	35^th of 398 public high schools	91.2%	2	60.8	44.2									62.4	$13,194	$1,443	$11,751
George Washington High School	Public	9-12	2215 W Washington St	Indianapolis	46222	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 693-5555	624	54	11.6	56.7%	61 (9.8%)	276 (44.2%)	254 (40.7%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.3%)	8.5	395^th of 431 public high schools	8.4%		5.8	385^th of 398 public high schools	3.3%	10	16.4	4.5									3.5	$16,186	$1,840	$14,346
Excel Center For Adult Learners	Public, Charter	9-12	1635 W Michigan St	Indianapolis	46222	Marion County	Excel Center for Adult Learners	Yes	No	No	No	(317) 524-3910	1,285	50	25.7	63.0%	165 (12.8%)	774 (60.2%)	254 (19.8%)	15 (1.2%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	73 (5.7%)	8	399^th of 431 public high schools	7.4%		2.8	395^th of 398 public high schools	0.8%	4	18.2	0.0										$4,280	$186	$4,094
Indianapolis Metropolitan High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1635 W Michigan St	Indianapolis	46222	Marion County	Indianapolis Metropolitan High School	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 524-4638	251	22	11.4	39.8%	59 (23.5%)	131 (52.2%)	44 (17.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	16 (6.4%)	6.9	407^th of 431 public high schools	5.6%		6	384^th of 398 public high schools	3.5%	23	12.1	1.7									5.0	$13,199	$3,247	$9,952
Monarca Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	5525 W 34th Street	Indianapolis	46224	Marion County	Monarca Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(317) 379-0499	99	9	11.0	46.5%	2 (2.0%)	9 (9.1%)	88 (88.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)			16.7	29.1		26.2	12.5	14.1		13.7
Decatur Township School for Excellence	Public	7-12	5106 S High School Rd	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 856-0900	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)												$678,293	$27,392	$650,902

Frequently Asked Questions about Ben Davis University High School

What is the racial makeup of Ben Davis University High School?

Students at Ben Davis University High School are 41% Hispanic, 33% African American, 23% White, 2% Two or more races.

Ben Davis University High School

Ben Davis University High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

MSD Wayne Township:

What do you think?

Rank History for Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for all students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for Female students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for Male students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for African American students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ben Davis University High School

Rank History for White students at Ben Davis University High School

Enrollment information for Ben Davis University High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ben Davis University High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Ben Davis University High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ben Davis University High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Ben Davis University High School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Ben Davis University High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Ben Davis University High School

Rate Ben Davis University High School!

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