The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in Math. The lowest is 58% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Westchester Intermediate School
Westchester Intermediate School serves fifth and sixth graders in the Duneland School Corporation, a district that covers Chesterton and the surrounding communities in Porter County. Chesterton is a town of modest size, known regionally for its art galleries, antique shops, and annual festivals, and it functions as both a commuter-adjacent town and a gateway to Indiana Dunes State Park and National Park just north of town. The town blends a traditional downtown along Broadway with residential neighborhoods, and the Prairie-Duneland hiking and biking trail connects Chesterton to Porter and the Dunes. The school sits on its own campus, not downtown, one of several intermediate schools in a district that feeds into Chesterton High School.
Westchester Intermediate is a regular public school with no charter or magnet status. The student body is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population, a smaller share of Black students, and very small Asian, multiracial, and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander groups. About a third of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school serves only two grade levels, so there is no graduation rate to report. The school did not provide data on special education enrollment or English learner populations in the available records, so a parent may wish to ask the school directly about those supports.
On state assessments, Westchester Intermediate posted proficiency rates that sit in the top quarter of Porter County’s district schools, when compared across all tested subjects and grades. In math, a substantial majority of students scored proficient or above. In English language arts, a solid majority did as well. Science proficiency was roughly comparable, and social studies, tested only in fifth grade, showed a modest majority reaching the proficient mark. Participation rates on the math and ELA tests were very high. These results suggest a school where most students are meeting state standards, with math standing out as a particular strength.
The housing market in the school’s zip code shows home values running above the Indiana state benchmark and close to the national benchmark, which reflects Chesterton’s appeal as a place people want to live, including its proximity to Chicago about 50 miles away. Rents are moderate relative to the median household income. The area has grown steadily in population, and the town describes itself as gaining attention as a place to live. The district recently closed Chesterton Middle School in 2024, redistributing those students to Liberty and Westchester middle schools, which altered feeder patterns for families. Voters also approved an operating referendum in 2025 that funds teacher salaries, academic programs, and school safety, replacing an expiring one, which gives the district a stable financial outlook through the next several years.
For a family considering Westchester Intermediate, the picture is one of a focused intermediate school that serves its two grades well. The academic results are strong in math and solid across other subjects, and the school sits in a district and town that are stable and growing. The student body is not highly diverse, the school is not a magnet or choice program, and there is no data on discipline, chronic absenteeism, or staffing available in these records for a family to evaluate. The housing market is not inexpensive for the region, but the town offers a blend of small-town character, access to outdoor recreation, and commuter rail to Chicago. The district’s recent reorganization and financial referendum suggest a community that is actively managing its schools rather than letting them drift.
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