The top reported proficiency rate is 11% in English language arts. The lowest is 3% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Matchbook Learning
Matchbook Learning is a small Indiana district serving kindergarten through eighth grade, based in Marion County. The district operates as a single school also named Matchbook Learning, though publicly reported materials describe the recent opening of a separate charter high school called The Match, creating a K-12 pathway in the Haughville neighborhood. That high school expansion, launched in 2024, means families who start in the K-8 program can now continue within the same charter system rather than searching for a high school seat elsewhere.
The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black population and a small share of white students and students of two or more races. Enrollment hovers around a modest size for its grade band. The district serves every grade from kindergarten through eighth, with roughly balanced class sizes across those years. Information on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are classified as English learners was not available in the data, so a parent would want to ask the school directly about those supports and services.
On state assessments, performance is low. Across tested subjects—math, English language arts, science, and social studies—the proportion of students meeting proficiency standards is in the single digits in both math and science and barely above one in ten in English language arts. When compared with other districts in Marion County, Matchbook Learning’s overall proficiency index lands in the bottom quartile. These results are for the K-8 grades tested on the ILEARN assessment. The district reports, in publicly available materials, that it has adopted a competency-based personalized learning model that adjusts in real time to each student’s needs. The same materials claim that the first ninth-grade class at the new high school showed growth on NWEA assessments equivalent to one to two grade levels in half a year. A parent considering the K-8 school may want to discuss how that personalized model translates into classroom practice and ask about the specific support strategies for students who are not yet at grade level.
Chronic absenteeism, a measure of how many students miss a substantial portion of the school year, stands at a level better than the midpoint among Marion County districts. That is a relative bright spot and suggests that the school community is keeping students engaged in attendance despite other challenges.
Per-pupil spending falls in the middle range among the county’s districts, roughly on par with the median. No graduation rate is available because the district’s grade band historically ended at eighth grade; the new high school will eventually produce that metric.
Community context beyond the county name was not provided in the data, so this narrative cannot speak to the surrounding housing market, local employment patterns, or the neighborhood feel. The district’s governance details—whether it operates as a charter, magnet, or traditional public entity—were also missing from the data, though the public report of a new charter high school suggests the K-8 school may share that status. A parent investigating Matchbook Learning should confirm the school’s legal structure to understand enrollment, admissions, and transportation policies.
Overall, Matchbook Learning serves a diverse, primarily Hispanic and Black student body on the west side of Indianapolis. Its academic results are low relative to the county and state, but the district is pursuing a nontraditional instructional model and has taken steps to extend its program through high school. Families considering this school will want to look closely at how the personalized learning approach is implemented, what interventions are in place for students who are behind, and how the new high school is developing its academic and career-focused offerings.
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