The top reported proficiency rate is 19% in Math. The lowest is 10% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Bon Air Elementary School
Bon Air Elementary School is an early-primary school serving children from pre-kindergarten through second grade in Kokomo, Indiana. It is a regular public school within the Kokomo School Corporation, set in a mid-sized industrial city that is the county seat of Howard County. Because the school only teaches the youngest grades, many of the metrics typically used to evaluate a school do not apply or come with important caveats.
State assessment results are available from the 2020-21 school year, but they carry an unusual mismatch. The tests reported are for grades three through eight, and Bon Air does not serve those grade levels. The data shows a small number of students tested in each subject, and the proficiency rates are low across math, English language arts, science, and social studies. Given the grade-band mismatch, a parent should ask the school how these test results relate to its actual students, because the figures likely reflect a different cohort or a testing administration that does not represent the school's typical early-elementary program. The school's overall proficiency index, as calculated from these scores, places it in the bottom quartile among districts in Howard County, but that comparison should be weighed against the fact that it is not a full K-5 or K-8 building. State testing data for kindergarten through second grade is not administered in Indiana, so no direct measure of academic performance for Bon Air's core grade band exists in this dataset.
The school enrolls around 260 students. The student body is racially and economically diverse, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. White students form the largest group, followed by Black students, those identifying as two or more races, and Hispanic students. Information on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the data provided. Because the school covers only the earliest grades, class sizes and teacher-student ratios could not be assessed from the information at hand.
Bon Air is located in a residential area of Kokomo. The city itself has a stable population and an economy grounded in manufacturing, notably automotive plants and healthcare. Home values in the surrounding ZIP code are modest relative to state and national benchmarks, and rents are similarly moderate, making the area accessible for many households. The housing market has seen some appreciation in recent years, consistent with broader trends. The school's neighborhood is auto-oriented, typical of a mid-sized Midwestern city, with walking and biking infrastructure that is still developing.
The Kokomo School Corporation, the parent district, did not have any recent parent-relevant changes such as bond measures, curriculum shifts, or school closures that the research could identify. For a family new to the area, this means no major district-level disruptions to account for in the near term.
What Bon Air offers is a focused early-elementary setting. Children are in a school dedicated to pre-kindergarten through second grade, which can allow for age-appropriate facilities and instructional approaches. The absence of older students on the same campus may matter to families who prefer a sheltered environment for their youngest children. On the other hand, the school's academic performance for the grades it actually teaches is not captured by state tests, so families evaluating the quality of instruction will need to seek other information: classroom visit, teacher qualifications, curriculum descriptions, and input from current parents.
The peer environment reflects the broader community's demographics. A high proportion of families qualify for income-based meal assistance, suggesting that the school likely receives Title I funding, though the data did not confirm that status. This often brings additional resources and support services, but the specific programs available at Bon Air were not detailed here.
A parent considering this school will want to follow up directly with the principal or district office about curriculum, early literacy approaches, class sizes, and how the school supports students from different backgrounds. The state test data that exists does not align with the school's grade band, so it should not be used to draw conclusions about the quality of teaching in its primary classrooms. For a clearer picture, the school itself is the best source.
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