The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Math. The lowest is 12% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Grissom Elementary School
Grissom Elementary School is a regular public school in Muncie Community Schools, serving prekindergarten through fifth grade. The school is located on the south side of Muncie, a Midwestern city shaped by its industrial heritage and the presence of Ball State University. Muncie has experienced a long-term population decline after the contraction of its manufacturing base, and it is now a post-industrial college town where the university is the largest employer. The district, Muncie Community Schools, implemented a major teacher salary increase in 2022, a publicly reported shift that followed a period of financial distress and is relevant to families considering the district’s stability.
Grissom is a mid-sized elementary school for its grade band. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a marker of the economic context many families bring. The student body is predominantly white, with a noticeable share of students who identify as two or more races and a smaller but present share of Black students. The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the provided records.
On Indiana’s ILEARN assessments, Grissom’s proficiency rates across tested subjects fall well below the midpoint when placed against other schools in Delaware County. In math, English language arts, science, and social studies, the share of students scoring proficient was low. The overall picture, based on a composite of those subjects, places Grissom in the bottom quartile relative to county peers. The school's participation rate on the math and ELA tests was high, which means the results reflect nearly all enrolled students in tested grades. A parent may want to ask the school about the specific supports in place for core academic instruction and how the school is working to raise these outcomes.
Housing in the immediate area is relatively affordable. Home values in the zip code are well below the state benchmark, and rents are moderate. The combination of lower housing costs and a higher share of families qualifying for subsidized lunch suggests a community where economic resources are constrained for many households.
Grissom is a neighborhood elementary school serving a population with significant economic need. Its academic results are a clear soft spot. The school’s value for a family will depend heavily on what supplementary academic supports, after-school programs, or individualized attention the school provides, as the core proficiency numbers indicate a student body that, on average, is performing below grade-level expectations. A family considering Grissom should inquire directly about the school’s intervention strategies, tutoring, and how it addresses the gap between current results and grade-level standards. The district’s recent investment in teacher pay may be a positive signal for staffing stability, but it has not yet been reflected in this school’s published assessment data. The school’s setting in a post-industrial city with a declining population means the broader community context is one of economic transition, not growth.
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