The top reported proficiency rate is 86% in Social studies. The lowest is 47% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Crawford County Middle School
Crawford County Middle School, located in the very small rural town of Marengo, Indiana, serves students in grades six through eight as part of the Crawford County Community School Corporation. The school is the only middle-grade regular public school in its district, and it occupies a single campus on the south side of town. Marengo sits in the southern part of Indiana, near the Hoosier National Forest and Patoka Lake, and the town has seen a modest population decline in recent years. Housing in the area is meaningfully less expensive than the national median, and the local economy is anchored by the underground Marengo Warehouse and Distribution Center, Marengo Cave as a tourist draw, and small-town commercial businesses. Many residents likely commute to larger communities for work.
The middle school itself enrolls a student body that is overwhelmingly white, with a very small number of Hispanic students and a handful of multiracial students. No Black or Asian students were reported in the enrollment data. About two out of three students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that a substantial share of families face economic challenges. The school does not report data on students with Individualized Education Programs or English learners, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about its special education staffing and English learner support.
On state assessments, the school’s results are mixed. In math, slightly more than half of students scored proficient or above on the ILEARN. In English language arts, the share was similar. Science, tested in a single grade, showed just under half of students reaching the proficient level. The participation rate on the math and reading tests was extremely high, so the results reflect nearly all enrolled students. The school has an older social studies score from a different test and a different year, so it does not offer a current picture of that subject. Overall, these results suggest that the school serves a student body where roughly half of students meet state benchmarks in core subjects; a parent may want to look into how the school works with students who are below that threshold and what academic supports are available.
The district, meanwhile, is expanding its Advanced Placement and dual credit course access at the high school level, supported by a state grant. That expansion does not directly affect the middle school, but it signals a district-level commitment to offering college-level coursework for older students. The district has not pursued any recent construction or operating referenda, according to publicly reported state records.
The comparison tool meant to place Crawford County Middle School against other districts in Crawford County could not be applied, because this is the only district in the county. That means there is no neighboring district with which to compare its proficiency rates, attendance, or graduation metrics. For families weighing options, the frame of reference is limited to state averages or other schools in the southwestern Indiana region, areas a parent would need to research on their own.
What the data does not show is also worth noting. The school environment and access section lacks information on discipline incidents, course access, staffing levels, and chronic absenteeism. A parent considering Crawford County Middle School may want to ask about class sizes, teacher retention, and how the school handles behavioral issues. No information about after-school programs, electives, or arts offerings was available in the provided data.
For families already living in the area or moving to Crawford County, the middle school is the sole public option for grades six through eight. It is a standard, non-charter, non-magnet public school. The town itself offers limited commercial amenities, and the rural setting means that driving is the primary means of getting around. The school sits on a campus away from the downtown, and the town does not have its own high school; students in the district attend the consolidated Crawford County High School outside of town.
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