The top reported proficiency rate is 18% in Math. The lowest is 11% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Arlington Heights Elementary Sch
Arlington Heights Elementary School is a regular public school in Bloomington, Indiana, serving students from prekindergarten through sixth grade. It is part of the Monroe County Community School Corporation, the district that operates the city’s public schools. Bloomington itself is a mid-sized college city anchored by Indiana University Bloomington, giving the community a blend of residential neighborhoods, a notable student rental market, and a commercial downtown core. The local economy extends beyond the university into pharmaceuticals, medical devices, advanced manufacturing, and technology, with life-sciences employment concentration well above national averages.
The school’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary serving this grade span, with classes distributed across kindergarten through sixth grade. The student body is predominantly white, with a substantial share identifying as two or more races, and smaller but present populations of Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Native American students. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, indicating that a majority of families face economic pressures. This is a detail a parent may want to explore further with the school to understand what supports and resources are in place.
On state assessments, the data is clear. Students at Arlington Heights Elementary recorded proficiency rates substantially below the district’s median across tested subjects. In math, proficiency was low. In English language arts, it was similarly low. In science and social studies, the rates were also quite low, though the number of students tested in those subjects was smaller. Compared to other elementary schools in Monroe County, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects places it at the bottom of the county. The participation rate on the assessments was high, so the results reflect nearly all students. A parent considering this school will want to ask about specific instructional strategies, intervention programs, and how the school is working to raise academic performance for its students.
The school serves prekindergarten through sixth grade, so there is no high school graduation rate to report, and no data on chronic absenteeism or discipline was available in the materials reviewed.
The community context is worth noting. Bloomington is a gold-rated bicycle-friendly city with an extensive trail network, including the B-Line Trail that runs through downtown. The city’s housing market is shaped by the large university population. Typical home values in the area are above the state average, and rents are on the higher side as well, reflecting a competitive market where many properties cater to students and university-affiliated households. The school itself is located on West Parrish Road, on the west side of Bloomington, in a residential area.
The district brief did not surface any recent major changes or initiatives to report, so that portion of the picture is quiet.
Arlington Heights Elementary is a school where the academic results raise questions. A family with strong concerns about standardized test performance will want to dig into what the school offers beyond those numbers, such as enrichment, arts, or social-emotional learning. The school’s economic profile, with a majority of students from lower-income households, may mean it qualifies for additional federal supports, though that status was not confirmed in the data. For a parent or guardian, the central takeaway is that this is a school performing well below its peers academically, set in a dynamic and economically diverse college town where housing costs are not cheap. The best next step is a visit, a conversation with the principal about how the school addresses gaps in learning, and a look at what specific programs or supports are in place for students who are struggling.
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