The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in Social studies. The lowest is 61% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Liberty Intermediate School
Liberty Intermediate School serves fifth and sixth graders in the Duneland School Corporation, a regular public school that feeds into Liberty Middle School and eventually Chesterton High School. It sits in Chesterton, a town that blends residential neighborhoods with a commercial downtown and significant tourism drawn by the Indiana Dunes. Chesterton is part of the Duneland area along with Burns Harbor and Porter, and its location about 50 miles southeast of Chicago gives it a commuter-adjacent character.
The school is one of two intermediate schools in the district, the other being Westchester Intermediate. The district recently closed Chesterton Middle School in 2024, redistributing those students to Liberty and Westchester middle schools, a reorganization that has reshaped feeder patterns for families. Voters approved an operating referendum in May 2025 that funds teacher salaries, academic programs, and school safety, replacing a prior referendum that was expiring.
Liberty Intermediate’s enrollment is roughly what you would expect for a school serving two grades in a mid-sized district, with a fairly even split between fifth and sixth graders. The student body is majority white, with a notable Hispanic share. A modest portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a relatively low-poverty context overall. Data on special education and English learner populations was not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports and programs.
The school’s academic landscape comes through clearly in state assessment results. On the ILEARN tests, Liberty Intermediate posts proficiency rates that place it above the midpoint among districts in Porter County. In fact, its overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits in the top quartile relative to other districts in that county. In math, a majority of students scored proficient or above, and the English language arts results are similarly strong. Science results, which are for fifth graders on the ILEARN science test, show a clear majority of students meeting the bar. Social studies, tested only in fifth grade, also shows a strong majority proficient. These numbers describe a school where typical academic performance is solid and well above average for the region.
Because Liberty Intermediate covers only two grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was not available. The school has no charter or magnet status, and Title I status was not listed. Program offerings, such as advanced coursework or special electives, were not detailed in the available data, so families interested in those specifics should contact the school.
The community context matters here. Housing values in the area are elevated relative to the state average, and the town’s median income reflects that. Chesterton has a traditional downtown and a network of trails, including the Prairie-Duneland trail that connects to neighboring communities and Indiana Dunes National Park. The town is growing steadily and positions itself as a desirable place to live, drawing both commuters and new residents. The Duneland School Corporation is a significant local employer, alongside the South Shore Line commuter rail headquarters and tourism-related businesses.
For parents considering Liberty Intermediate, the picture is one of a straightforward academic pathway in a well-performing school within a district that has recently reconfigured its middle school structure. The school serves a transitional stage between elementary and middle school, and its assessment results suggest children generally leave fifth and sixth grade meeting state expectations at rates that are among the strongest in Porter County. The town itself offers a stable, growing environment with access to Chicago and the Dunes, though housing costs reflect that desirability. If a family values strong core academic performance in a traditional public school setting with a relatively homogeneous student body, Liberty Intermediate fits that profile.
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