The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in Science. The lowest is 17% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Community Montessori
Community Montessori is a tuition-free public charter school in New Albany, Indiana, serving students from preschool through twelfth grade. It operates as its own school district, Community Montessori Inc. The school serves a modest enrollment that has grown substantially from its founding, and the district’s publicly reported information notes that it maintains a waitlist throughout the year, so a family interested in this program should be aware that access is not guaranteed by residence alone.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller shares of students who identify as two or more races, Hispanic, Black, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native. About one in five students qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, a figure lower than national averages and likely reflecting the household incomes in the surrounding area. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the records reviewed.
New Albany sits directly across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky, and functions as part of that metropolitan area. The city has a historic downtown with late 19th-century mansions and an annual festival, Harvest Homecoming, that draws large crowds. The community has invested in parks, riverfront greenway expansion, and new public safety facilities. Housing values in the school’s ZIP code sit close to the state benchmark and below the national median, and rents have risen at a faster clip than the national rent index, a trend families moving to the area may want to track. Indiana University Southeast and a Purdue Polytechnic satellite campus are located in the city.
On state assessments, Community Montessori’s proficiency rates came in below the district’s county peers. Overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades placed the school above the midpoint among Floyd County districts, but the context is a small comparison set of only two districts. In math, the share of students scoring at the proficient or above level was modest. In English language arts, proficiency was higher, though still below what many families would consider a strong rate. In science and social studies, the tested cohorts were small, and proficiency in social studies was notably low. A parent may want to ask the school for a fuller account of how its curriculum and pedagogy align with state standards and how it supports students who are not yet meeting benchmarks.
Because Community Montessori graduates high school seniors, a graduation rate would ordinarily be expected, but the data did not provide one. A parent should inquire directly about the school’s graduation rate, college acceptance patterns, and postsecondary outcomes.
The school follows Montessori methodology, which emphasizes self-directed learning, mixed-age classrooms, and hands-on work. For families drawn to that educational philosophy, this is a rare public option covering the full K-12 span. For families who prefer a traditional, teacher-led instructional model, the approach here would be a clear departure.
The district brief noted the school’s growth from a small founding cohort and its current waitlist, indicating strong local demand. The trade-off for that demand is that a family cannot count on a seat simply by moving into the area. The neighborhood comparison frame is limited because Community Montessori is a single-school charter district with only one other district in the county for comparison, so broad generalizations about how it stacks up should be taken lightly.
Overall, Community Montessori offers a distinctive educational model in a mid-sized river city with a moderate cost of housing and access to the Louisville metro. The academic results on state tests are mixed and a parent would want to understand the school’s approach to ensuring all students reach proficiency. The most immediate practical question for most families will be whether a seat is available.
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