21st Century Charter Sch of Gary, Gary IN

Original Research by School Decision on 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary

21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is a K-12 charter school located in Gary, Indiana, a Rust Belt city that has experienced profound population loss and economic restructuring since the mid-20th century. The school serves a student body that is overwhelmingly Black, with a small Hispanic population and very few white or multiracial students. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school is its own district, operating as a single charter school entity under the oversight of Ball State University as its authorizer.

The school's academic performance on state assessments is a central concern. On the ILEARN exams, proficiency rates in math, English language arts, science, and social studies all fall well below state averages. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, places it below the midpoint among districts in Lake County. A parent considering this school should be aware that the vast majority of students are not meeting state proficiency benchmarks in any tested subject. The school's charter authorizer placed it on probation in 2020, citing reading and math scores below state averages at the elementary and middle school levels. That probation status carries implications for the school's long-term renewal and operational stability.

The school serves a large enrollment for a single-site charter, spanning kindergarten through twelfth grade. The student body is almost entirely Black, with a small Hispanic population and very few white or multiracial students. The school is located in Gary, a city that has experienced severe population decline and economic disinvestment since the mid-20th century. Housing values in the area are well below state and national benchmarks, reflecting the broader economic challenges of the community. The city's housing market has seen modest year-over-year declines in value.

Gary itself is a city shaped by its industrial past. U.S. Steel's Gary Works remains the dominant employer, though its workforce has shrunk dramatically over the decades. The city has lost a substantial portion of its population since its peak, and a significant share of housing units are estimated to be vacant or abandoned. Recent investments include the Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, which opened in 2021, and the city promotes lakefront tourism and a growing small business community as economic development strategies. Public transit is available through the Gary Public Transportation Corporation bus system and the South Shore Line passenger railway, which connects to Chicago.

The school's charter status means it operates independently of the Gary Community School Corporation, with its own board and enrollment process. As a single-school district, all administrative and instructional resources are concentrated at one campus. The school's probation from its authorizer is a significant factor for families to weigh, as it signals concerns about academic performance that could affect the school's future. A parent may want to ask the school directly about its current status with Ball State University and any improvement plans in place. The school's graduation rate was not available in the data, so a family interested in high school outcomes would need to seek that information from the school. State testing data for high school grades was also not included in the available assessment results, which only cover grades three through eight.

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Academic performance

State test results and graduation outcomes.

Graduation rate (ACGR)

85-89%Cohort of 61 students · Class of 2021

The federal source publishes a banded range instead of an exact rate when the graduating cohort is small enough that an exact number could risk identifying individual students.

How this school compares to all schools in this state

Each dot is one school’s SY 2020-21 graduation rate, binned by integer rate. Taller columns mean more schools at that rate. This school is highlighted.

389 schools plotted. 9 additional schools' rates are federally suppressed and not shown. Data: EDFacts SY 2020-21.

Math

Grades 3-819%

School 19% · District 19%

▼ 21 pts below state median · ▼ 10 pts below county median

English language arts

Grades 3-818%

School 18% · District 18%

▼ 19 pts below state median · ▼ 12 pts below county median

Science

Grades 3-813%

School 13% · District 13%

▼ 27 pts below state median · ▼ 22 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 56%

School 6% · District 6%

▼ 26 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

This school21st Century Charter Sch of Gary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income25%Higher-income30%6 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income21%Higher-income18%4 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income18%Higher-income24%5 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income9%Higher-income7%2 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income14%Higher-income5%9 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income19%Higher-income29%10 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income42%Higher-income44%1 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income33%Higher-income24%9 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income22%Higher-income12%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income7%Higher-income14%7 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income6%Higher-income0%5 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income5%Higher-income7%2 pp gap