The top reported proficiency rate is 21% in Math. The lowest is 8% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade in Hammond, Indiana, and is part of the School City of Hammond district. It is a regular public school, neither a charter nor a magnet. The school sits in a Rust Belt city that borders Chicago directly on Lake Michigan, a place with a deep industrial past whose economy has shifted toward light manufacturing, warehousing, healthcare, hospitality, and food service. Hammond has a traditional downtown core along Hohman Avenue, but much of the city is shaped by rail yards, expressways, and industrial corridors. Residential historic districts with older grid-based streets and sidewalks exist, yet the city is largely auto-oriented outside those pockets. Population peaked decades ago and has been declining steadily, though more slowly than some neighboring cities.
The student body is composed predominantly of Hispanic and Black students, with a smaller share of white students and a small number of multiracial and American Indian students. Just over half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. Enrollment is spread across the elementary grades with roughly similar class sizes, and the school runs as a regular day school. Data on students with individualized education programs and English learners were not available, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those services.
State test results from the ILEARN assessments across math, English language arts, science, and social studies show that proficiency rates are low. In math and science, about one in five students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, that figure is closer to one in seven. Social studies, tested only at grade five, has an even lower share of students reaching proficiency. Participation in the tested grades was high. When placed against other school districts in Lake County, the school’s overall proficiency index falls below the midpoint of the county. Because this is an elementary school, there is no graduation rate or chronic absenteeism data to report. The available numbers point to a school where a majority of students are not yet meeting state academic benchmarks, and a family considering the school may want to discuss academic supports and interventions with the school staff.
No information about specific programs, such as specialized academies, magnet offerings, or after-school enrichment, was available in the data. The school’s curriculum is that of a standard elementary program within its district.
Housing in the area is relatively modest compared to state and national benchmarks, reflecting Hammond’s older housing stock and long-term population decline. The median home value and typical rents are below the averages for Indiana and the country, making the neighborhood more affordable than many parts of the region. The city is connected to Chicago by the South Shore Line commuter rail, with stops at Hammond Gateway and South Hammond stations, which may matter for families commuting to jobs or cultural destinations.
The School City of Hammond district operates schools throughout the city’s neighborhoods. Publicly reported information on recent district changes or strategic priorities was sparse, so nothing about new initiatives or shifts in approach can be described here.
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School is a regular neighborhood school in a city with a layered industrial and civic history, serving an economically diverse but predominantly low-income student population. Its academic results are below the county average, and a family weighing this option would want to learn what supports the school offers for students who are not yet proficient and what enrichment or intervention programs are in place. For a family that values an urban setting with relatively affordable housing and access to Chicago transit, this school sits in that context. But the test data suggests that for many students, the school has ground to cover in bringing achievement up to state expectations.
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