The top reported proficiency rate is 38% in Math. The lowest is 26% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Concord South Side Elementary Sch
Concord South Side Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fourth grade, part of the Concord Community Schools district in Elkhart, Indiana. The school sits on the south side of the city, in a part of Elkhart that is a mix of residential streets and industrial corridors.
Elkhart is a mid-sized industrial city known as the RV Capital of the World and the Band Instrument Capital of the World, with a heavy concentration of recreational vehicle manufacturers, musical instrument makers, and related industries. The local economy has been tied to cyclical manufacturing, making it sensitive to downturns, and a major pharmaceutical employer pulled out years ago. Downtown Elkhart has a historic commercial district along Main Street, with civic anchors like the Lerner Theatre and the Midwest Museum of American Art, but the city’s built environment is spread out. Housing values in the zip code are moderate, and rents are below the national average for the area, which may make the community more accessible for families looking for affordability.
The school enrolls a sizable student body for an early-elementary building. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a community with working-class and lower-income households. The student population is fairly diverse: about two-fifths of students are white, roughly three in ten are Hispanic, about one in five are Black, and a smaller share identify as two or more races or Asian. This is a school where families will find peers from a range of backgrounds. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the reporting, so a parent who wants to understand support for those groups should inquire directly with the school.
Academically, the 2024-25 Indiana ILEARN results show that proficiency rates in math, English language arts, and science are all below the midpoint among districts in Elkhart County. The school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects falls below the county median, which is a pattern a parent would want to look into further with the school. Participation rates were high, so results are based on nearly all students. Because the school only serves through fourth grade, there is no graduation data and no high school measures to evaluate. The school does not yet offer the kinds of advanced courses or career pathways found at the secondary level.
Concord Community Schools, the district that runs this elementary, completed major capital construction projects funded by a referendum in recent years, with substantial spending on facility improvements reported. That suggests the physical learning environment has been upgraded, which can matter for families choosing a school.
This is a school for families seeking an early-elementary option in a manufacturing-center city with a diverse student body and a high share of economically disadvantaged families. The academic results are modest relative to other districts in the county, and the community context is working-class and industrial rather than affluent or suburban. A parent who values recent facility investments and wants a neighborhood school within a larger district will find relevant information here. For families focused on high test scores or a more advantaged peer environment, this school may not be the best fit.
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