The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Math. The lowest is 9% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Coolspring Elementary School
Coolspring Elementary School serves students from kindergarten through sixth grade as part of the Michigan City Area Schools district. The school is located on the western edge of Michigan City, a Lake Michigan city with a varied economic base that includes a casino, a hospital, a state prison, and tourism tied to the lakefront and Indiana Dunes National Park. The city has been working on downtown and north-end revitalization for years, and its economy mixes residential neighborhoods with commercial corridors and institutional employers. The school itself sits in a more outlying part of the city, away from the downtown core and lakefront.
The student body is diverse. White students make up the largest share, followed by a substantial Black student population, a smaller Hispanic group, and a modest number of students who identify as two or more races. Asian and Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander students are present in very small numbers. A significant majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with considerable economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source material, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those supports.
Coolspring Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through sixth grade. Because it does not serve high school grades, there is no graduation rate to report. The school is part of the Michigan City Area Schools district, which operates one high school, two middle schools, and several elementary schools across the city.
On state assessments, the school's results are below the midpoint when compared with other districts in LaPorte County. The overall proficiency index, which averages performance across tested subjects and grades, places Coolspring in the bottom quartile among the county's districts. In math, about a third of students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, just over a quarter of students reached that threshold. Science results were lower, with roughly a fifth of students scoring proficient or above. Social studies results, which are tested only in fifth grade, were the lowest area, with a small share of students reaching proficiency. These are the most recent results available from the state's ILEARN assessments. A parent considering the school may want to discuss with the school how it supports students who are below grade level and what academic interventions are in place.
The school serves kindergarten through sixth grade with a modest enrollment. Class sizes appear manageable, with each grade level having between roughly twenty and forty students. The school is a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet school. Information about Title I status, discipline rates, course access, and staffing ratios was not available in the source data, so a parent may want to ask the school directly about those areas.
Housing in the area around the school is moderately priced relative to national benchmarks. Home values in the zip code are below the national median, and rents are also below the national average. The estimated monthly mortgage payment on a typical home is somewhat higher than the typical rent, which is a common pattern in many markets. The area has seen home values rise modestly over the past year, and rents have increased at a faster pace.
The district itself did not have any major recent changes reported in the source material, such as a referendum, a curriculum overhaul, or a boundary shift. The school's academic profile is the main factor for a family to weigh. For a family who values a small elementary school in a community with a mix of economic backgrounds and who is comfortable with below-average test scores, Coolspring is a straightforward neighborhood option. A family focused on higher measured academic performance may want to explore other schools in the district or county.
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