The top reported proficiency rate is 40% in Math. The lowest is 26% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on William Mckinley School 39
William McKinley School 39 is a regular public school within the Indianapolis Public Schools district, serving students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade. Located in Indianapolis, the school is part of a large urban district that has undergone notable structural changes in recent years. IPS operates a zone-based enrollment system with a centralized application called Enroll Indy, which means McKinley families are not locked into a single neighborhood assignment and can instead apply to any IPS school, including magnet programs and Innovation Network schools run by independent partners. The district has seen a long-term decline in enrollment, a shift that affects funding and program planning across the system.
The student body at McKinley is diverse and draws from the surrounding community. White students make up the largest share, followed by Hispanic students and Black students, with a smaller share of students who identify as two or more races. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a proxy that indicates the school serves a community with moderate to low household incomes. The school is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet, and its grade band covers early childhood through the final year of elementary, meaning students must transition to a different school for middle and high school.
On the 2024-25 Indiana ILEARN assessments, McKinley's performance was mixed and sits well below state averages, though the school's composite proficiency index places it in the top quartile among the very many districts in Marion County—a reminder that many schools in this county face even steeper challenges. In math, roughly two out of every five students tested scored at or above the proficient level. In English language arts, about one in four students reached that same bar. Science results were similar, with slightly more than one in three students demonstrating proficiency, while social studies saw just over one in four students meet the standard. These numbers point to a school where a majority of students are not yet on grade level in core subjects, and a parent considering McKinley may want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are below benchmark and what academic interventions or enrichment are in place.
Because the school serves only through sixth grade, it has no graduation rate to report. Data for special education and English learner populations were not available in this profile, a gap that families should keep in mind. If a child receives special education services or is an English learner, it would be wise to ask the school directly about available supports and staffing ratios.
The housing context around the school reflects a relatively affordable part of the Indianapolis metro area. Home values in the area’s ZIP code are well below the state median and notably below the national median, making entry into the neighborhood more accessible than many parts of the state. Rents have been rising at a moderate pace, while home values have held roughly steady. The broader economic picture includes a national mortgage rate that has fluctuated near the mid-six percent range and an unemployment rate that has stayed around four and a half percent.
For a family weighing McKinley, the core picture is of a school inside a large urban district with genuine choice mechanisms and a student body that is economically and racially mixed. Academic proficiency on state tests is low in absolute terms, but the school performs comparatively well against a county with many struggling schools. The most pressing open questions for a prospective family are about academic support for below-grade-level students, the availability of programs like dual language or STEM through the district’s broader enrollment system, and what the middle school options look like once a child finishes sixth grade.
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