The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in English language arts. The lowest is 31% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Francis M Price Elementary School
Francis M Price Elementary School serves prekindergarten through fifth grade in Fort Wayne, Indiana, as a regular public school within Fort Wayne Community Schools, the city’s public school district. The school draws from a neighborhood west of downtown Fort Wayne, a city that is the cultural and economic center of northeastern Indiana, with a mix of industrial heritage, residential neighborhoods, and ongoing downtown revitalization. Fort Wayne is Indiana’s second-largest city and has seen notable investment in its riverfront, downtown, and neighborhood infrastructure in recent years, with a growing population and an active development pipeline.
Price Elementary enrolls a student body that is majority white, with a substantial Hispanic population and smaller shares of Black, multiracial, and Asian students. The student composition reflects the surrounding area’s demographics. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need. This is an elementary school only; it does not serve secondary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report.
State testing results are available for the most recent school year across math, English language arts, science, and social studies. In both math and ELA, the share of students scoring proficient or above was below the state average. Science proficiency, tested in a single grade, was at a similar level. Social studies proficiency, tested only at fifth grade, was in the same range. The school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects and grades placed it above the midpoint compared to other districts in Allen County, though several nearby districts posted higher results. Participation rates were high, meaning the results reflect nearly all enrolled students.
The district-level data shows that Fort Wayne Community Schools has recently restructured its high school program into three career-connected pathways — business and the arts, health sciences and human services, and manufacturing, engineering, technology and trades — that begin with the incoming high school class. This change is designed to link core academics to real-world career themes and includes a partnership with Junior Achievement’s 3DE program. Price Elementary does not directly offer these high school pathways, but families should be aware that their children will enter this structured secondary system when they reach high school age.
Housing in the area is more affordable than the national and state median. Home values and rents in the zip code served by the school are below both benchmarks, making this a relatively accessible part of the Fort Wayne housing market. The area remains largely car-dependent outside the downtown core, though downtown has a growing walkable district with parks, a minor league baseball stadium, cultural venues, and restaurants along the three rivers that meet in the city.
For a parent or resident considering Price Elementary, the picture is straightforward. This is a neighborhood elementary school serving a high-poverty population in a large urban district. Academic proficiency rates are lower than state averages, though the school’s performance sits in the middle tier among Allen County districts. Students in the district will eventually enter a high school system that has recently redesigned its curriculum toward career pathways, which may appeal to families who value applied, industry-connected learning. The school does not offer programs beyond the regular elementary curriculum, and data on special education and English learner populations was not available to review. A parent may want to ask the school directly about support services for students with disabilities and multilingual learners, as those details would clarify what additional resources are in place. The surrounding neighborhood offers affordable housing and access to a city that is investing heavily in its public amenities and downtown core, but families should expect a school environment where most students face economic challenges and where academic achievement is an area the school is working to improve.
See more original research from School Decision →