The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in English language arts. The lowest is 10% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Rooted School Indianapolis
Rooted School Indianapolis is a public charter school serving grades seven through twelve in the Arlington Woods neighborhood on the east side of Indianapolis. It opened in fall 2020 as a mayor-sponsored charter, starting with just ninth grade and adding a new grade each year until it reached its current seven-through-twelve span. That makes it a relatively young school, and its small enrollment reflects that recent start.
The school’s academic model is distinct for its area. Its curriculum emphasizes technology-sector career preparation and financial literacy, with partnerships that offer industry certifications and paid tech internships. The district brief notes that the school’s stated aim is for students to graduate with both a college acceptance and a job offer. That is a clearly defined goal, and readers interested in a career-connected secondary experience will find a direct match here.
On state assessments, proficiency rates are low in both math and English language arts. That is a soft spot, and a parent may want to look into this further with the school to understand the academic support model and how the school measures readiness given its project-based approach. However, when compared across districts in Marion County, the overall proficiency index sits right at the midpoint, actually just above it, which puts this school’s test performance in line with the typical district-level experience in the county rather than standing out as particularly high or low.
The student body is overwhelmingly Black, and a substantial majority of students come from low-income households, as measured by free and reduced-price lunch eligibility. The school does not report data on students with disabilities or English learners, so the full range of support structures is not visible from the available information.
Housing in the surrounding ZIP code is notably affordable. Home values are well below the Indiana state median and far below the national median. Rents, too, run lower than the national average. That context matters for families deciding where to live or whether commuting from another part of Indianapolis makes sense.
Graduation rate data is not available, which is common for a school that has not yet had a full cohort go through all four high school years. Chronic absenteeism data is also absent. Those gaps may fill in as the school matures and reports a longer track record. Program offerings, such as specific AP or dual-credit courses, were likewise not part of the data.
Rooted School Indianapolis fits a family looking for a small, intentionally career-focused charter high school on the east side of Indianapolis, one that is still building its academic record and whose test results place it around the middle of the county. The emphasis on tech internships and financial literacy gives it a distinctive identity within the city’s school landscape.
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