The top reported proficiency rate is 24% in Social studies. The lowest is 13% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Se Neighborhood Sch of Excellence
SE Neighborhood Sch of Excellence serves kindergarten through eighth grade in Marion County, operating as a single-school district. The school’s enrollment is relatively small for a district serving this grade band, with a student body that is predominantly white, while sizable shares of students identify as Hispanic and Black. A smaller number of students identify as two or more races, and very small numbers identify as Asian or American Indian or Alaska Native. The demographic mix is characteristic of the near-southeast side of Indianapolis, where the school is located. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, as well as the share of students with disabilities or who are English learners, was not available for this profile.
On state assessments administered in the most recent school year, proficiency rates across tested subjects were low. In math, roughly one in five students scored at or above the proficient level across grades three through eight. In English language arts, the share was slightly lower. In science, tested in a narrower grade range, about one in eight students met proficiency. In social studies, tested only in fifth grade, roughly one in four students scored proficient. Across all subjects and grades, the district’s overall proficiency fell above the midpoint among Marion County’s districts, meaning that while the rates are low in absolute terms, a number of other districts in the county posted even lower results. A parent reviewing these results will want to understand the school’s academic approach and how it supports students who are behind grade level.
The school has faced formal scrutiny over its academic performance. According to publicly reported documents, the Indianapolis Office of Education Innovation issued a formal Notice of Non-Compliance to the school in early 2023 for failing to meet academic performance standards set in its charter agreement. The notice cited deficiencies in state test scores and a failure to close achievement gaps between student subgroups. The school then entered a charter renewal process in spring 2024. This process carries implications for whether the school remains authorized to operate, a situation a family considering the school would want to investigate further with the school and its authorizer. Chronic absenteeism was high, with a rate that placed the district below the midpoint among Marion County’s districts in that category.
Per-pupil current spending fell in the middle range, in the upper half of the county. This spending level does not stand out as unusually high or low relative to nearby districts.
Because the school serves only through eighth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report, and no data on Advanced Placement or dual-credit course access. The school’s single building houses all grades, which means students experience the same campus throughout their elementary and middle school years. The school’s small size may appeal to families looking for a setting where staff know students across multiple years.
For a family weighing this option, the central considerations are the academic proficiency levels, which are low by state standards, and the district’s uncertain charter authorization status. A parent should ask what specific interventions and curricula the school uses to raise achievement, and should closely track the outcome of the renewal process. For families whose priority is a small, neighborhood-rooted school in the southeast part of Indianapolis, and who are prepared to advocate for academic support, this school is a plausible fit, but one that requires due diligence on both performance and governance.
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