The top reported proficiency rate is 17% in Social studies. The lowest is 14% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Morton Elementary School
Morton Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through sixth grade in Hammond, Indiana, as part of the School City of Hammond district. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. It sits in a Rust Belt city that borders Chicago directly along Lake Michigan, a place shaped by its industrial past but with a more diversified economy than some neighboring cities. Hammond has a traditional downtown core, historic residential districts, and a built environment that includes rail yards, industrial sites, and wide arterial roads. The city has seen a long population decline from its mid-century peak, though the Hammond Redevelopment Commission has pursued projects such as a sports complex on a former school site. The South Shore Line commuter rail connects the city to Chicago.
Morton Elementary enrolls a student body that is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with smaller shares of white students and students of two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with significant economic need. The school runs from prekindergarten through sixth grade, so it does not have a graduation rate to report.
On the Indiana ILEARN assessments, proficiency rates across tested subjects are low. In math, about one in seven students scored at the proficient or above level. In English language arts, the rate was similar. Science proficiency was also in that range, and social studies, tested only in fifth grade, was slightly higher but still low. The school's overall proficiency index, which averages results across all tested subjects and grades, places Morton below the midpoint among districts in Lake County. The data does not include participation rates, so it is not possible to say how many students were absent from testing, but the tested counts are reported and are substantial.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to consider. Chronic absenteeism data was not available. Information on special education and English learner populations was also missing from the data provided, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about the share of students receiving those services and how the school supports them.
Housing in the area around the school is more affordable than the state and national benchmarks. The typical home value in the zip code is below the Indiana median, and rents are also below the national average. For a family considering a move to the neighborhood, the cost of housing is a relative advantage compared to many other parts of the state and country.
The school is a regular public school, not a charter, and its Title I status was not reported. No information was available on program offerings such as gifted education, arts, or career pathways. The district brief turned up no recent major changes or initiatives that would affect a family's decision. A parent looking for enrichment programs, after-school activities, or specialized services may want to contact the school directly to learn what is available.
Morton Elementary is a neighborhood school in a city that has experienced long-term population decline but retains industrial and civic anchors, including a university campus, a casino, and commuter rail access to Chicago. The school's academic results on state assessments are low, and its proficiency index sits below the midpoint of Lake County districts. For a family weighing options, the school offers a full prekindergarten-through-sixth-grade program in a community with relatively affordable housing, but the academic performance numbers are a soft spot that warrants a conversation with the school about instruction, intervention, and what supports are in place for students who are not yet meeting grade-level benchmarks.
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