The top reported proficiency rate is 39% in Science. The lowest is 12% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Sand Creek Elementary School
Sand Creek Elementary is a regular public school serving preschool through sixth grade in North Vernon, Indiana, and is part of the Jennings County School Corporation. The school sits in a small city in Jennings County, a place with a historic downtown core and a modest-income housing market. Home values in the area run below state and national benchmarks, consistent with a community where owner-occupied housing is common but the median income is not high. The town’s population has seen a slight decline in recent years, and the local economy draws on healthcare, retail, and logistics sectors.
The student body at Sand Creek is predominantly white, with a Hispanic population that makes up a notable share of the enrollment. Other racial and ethnic groups are present only in very small numbers. A large majority of students come from households with income low enough to qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which places the school in a high-poverty context. Because Sand Creek does not serve the upper grades, there is no high school graduation rate for this school, nor would state testing data apply to the preschool and kindergarten grades that are part of its program.
On the state assessments that Indiana administers to students in grades three through eight, Sand Creek Elementary’s results show a mixed picture. In mathematics, more than a third of tested students scored at the proficient or above level. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was lower, with just under a third of students reaching that benchmark. In science, where the assessment is given to a subset of grades, the share of students scoring proficient was somewhat higher, approaching two-fifths. Social studies, tested only at fifth grade, produced a markedly lower result, with roughly one in eight students scoring proficient. Across all subjects, the proficiency rates are on the lower side, and a parent considering the school may want to discuss with the school how it addresses academic support in reading and math, particularly given that a high share of students face economic disadvantage.
The school’s staff-to-student ratios and specific course offerings were not available in the data, and no information on discipline rates or chronic absenteeism was provided. Likewise, the district brief did not identify any recent changes such as new building projects, curriculum shifts, or referendums that would materially affect a family’s experience. This means a parent evaluating the school will need to seek out information on class sizes, enrichment offerings, and school climate directly from the school or district.
Sand Creek is the only district within Jennings County, so there is no set of neighboring county districts to compare it against on measures like proficiency or attendance. The school operates as a neighborhood elementary serving its attendance zone, and as the only elementary-level entity in its county from the data available, families in the area are looking at this school as the local option rather than choosing among multiple elementary schools within the same district.
For a family in North Vernon, Sand Creek Elementary is the local public elementary school for a community with a modest economic profile. The academic results on state tests suggest that while some students are meeting proficiency standards, many are not, and the high rate of economic disadvantage is an important context for those numbers. Families who place a high priority on strong test scores in the elementary years may want to ask about intervention programs and how the school differentiates instruction. For those who are comfortable with a school that reflects the demographics and income levels of the broader community and who value a small-city setting with a historic downtown, Sand Creek Elementary provides the standard public school pathway for this part of Jennings County.
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