The top reported proficiency rate is 20% in Math. The lowest is 3% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Longfellow Elementary School
Longfellow Elementary School is a regular public elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Muncie, Indiana, part of the Muncie Community Schools district. It is a neighborhood school in a city that blends industrial heritage, a large university presence, and residential areas shaped by decades of population decline.
The school enrolls a student body that is diverse in race and economic background. A substantial share of students come from low-income households, as reflected in the free-or-reduced-price lunch qualification rate. Racially, the largest group is Black, followed by white students, with a sizable proportion identifying as two or more races, and a small Hispanic population. Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school serving this grade span.
Academically, Longfellow's state testing results on the ILEARN assessments show proficiency rates that are below the midpoint when compared with other schools in districts across Delaware County, placing the school in the bottom quarter on an overall proficiency index. In math, about one in five students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the figure was lower, roughly one in eight. Science proficiency, tested at a single grade level, was in a similar range. Social studies, also tested at a single grade, showed a very low proficiency rate; a parent may wish to ask the school about its approach in that subject area. Participation rates in the tests were high, so the results reflect nearly all enrolled students.
The school does not serve high school grades, so there is no graduation rate to report. Data on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, and special education or English learner populations were not available in the source materials, so a full picture of school climate and student support services is not possible from this information alone.
Housing in the surrounding area is notably affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. Home values are well below the Indiana average, and rents are modest. A typical household in the area would find both buying and renting accessible, with estimated mortgage payments and rents both representing a relatively small share of median income. This affordability reflects the broader economic context of Muncie, a city that has seen sustained population contraction following the loss of major manufacturing employment but remains anchored by Ball State University and a core of industrial employers.
Muncie Community Schools, the district, made a significant investment in teacher salaries in 2022, described as the largest increase in district history, reversing a period of financial distress. This move likely strengthens the district's ability to retain and attract teaching staff, which could affect classroom stability at Longfellow over time. No other recent district-level changes were reported in the data.
Longfellow Elementary serves a community with significant economic need and offers a setting where housing costs are low. Its academic performance on state assessments is well below district and county averages, a pattern that families looking at the school should explore directly with school leadership to understand current improvement efforts and available supports. The school lacks data in several areas that matter for a full picture—attendance patterns, discipline practices, and specialized program offerings were not available in the reviewed materials. Families may want to visit, talk to teachers and other parents, and ask about reading and math intervention strategies, how the school supports students with disabilities and English learners, and what enrichment opportunities exist given that the school serves only through fifth grade.
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