The top reported proficiency rate is 28% in Science. The lowest is 3% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Sycamore Elementary School
Sycamore Elementary School is a regular public elementary school in Kokomo, Indiana, serving students from prekindergarten through fifth grade. It is part of the Kokomo School Corporation, a district that serves the city and its surrounding area. Kokomo itself is a mid-sized industrial city, with a strong manufacturing base anchored by automotive employers such as Stellantis, as well as healthcare and retail sectors. The city’s residential neighborhoods are largely auto-oriented, and its downtown functions as a civic and government center. Housing values and rents in the area fall below state and national benchmarks, and the community has a mix of working-class and middle-class households.
Sycamore’s enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving its grade band. A substantial share of students come from low-income households, as measured by eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch. The student body is racially and ethnically diverse, with White students being the largest group, followed by Black students, students identifying as two or more races, and smaller shares of Hispanic and Asian students. The school does not serve secondary grades, so there is no graduation rate to report.
State testing results from Indiana’s ILEARN assessment place Sycamore’s overall academic performance below most schools in its county. The school’s proficiency index, which averages results across tested subjects and grades, falls in the bottom quartile relative to other districts in Howard County. In both math and English language arts, the share of students scoring at proficient levels is modest. Science results, tested in fourth grade, are somewhat higher but still below typical levels across the county. Social studies, tested only in fifth grade, shows a very small share of students reaching proficiency—an area where parents may want to seek more information about the school’s curriculum and instructional support.
Data on special populations, such as students with disabilities and English learners, was not reported in the available records, so it is not possible to assess how the school serves those groups. Likewise, information on discipline, attendance, or chronic absenteeism was not available. The school does not appear to have a magnet or charter designation, and its Title I status was not provided.
Sycamore Elementary is best understood as a school serving a high-poverty community, with academic results that reflect the broader challenges many similar schools face. The district has not recently undergone major changes such as referendums or closures that would shift the school’s context. For a parent evaluating this school, the core decision factors are likely to center on the academic support provided to students who are below grade level, the school’s approach to closing achievement gaps, and the resources available for early literacy and math. The school’s location in an established Kokomo neighborhood, with modest housing costs and a stable population, may appeal to families looking for an affordable place to live within a straightforward, regular public school setting.
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