The top reported proficiency rate is 54% in Science. The lowest is 35% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Lester B Sommer Elementary School
Lester B Sommer Elementary School serves students from prekindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school in the North Montgomery Community School Corporation, located on the western edge of Crawfordsville, Indiana. The school sits in a county seat with a mix of manufacturing, education, and historic character—home to Wabash College, a private liberal arts men’s college, and Ivy Tech Community College, as well as major industrial employers such as Nucor Steel and Lakeside Book Company. The area’s population has grown modestly in recent years, and home values have risen, though they remain a bit below the Indiana statewide benchmark. Rents in the school’s zip code have also increased, reflecting broader housing market trends. For a family considering this area, the housing costs are moderate relative to national averages, and the local economy has a stable industrial and educational base.
Academically, Sommer Elementary’s state assessment results for the 2024-25 school year place the school in a mixed position. On the Indiana ILEARN tests, roughly half of students in grades three through five met proficiency in mathematics, while just under half did so in English language arts. In science, about half of the students tested at grade level, and in social studies, which is assessed only in fifth grade, a smaller share reached proficiency. When compared with other schools in Montgomery County’s three districts, Sommer Elementary’s overall proficiency across tested subjects falls below the midpoint of the group. A parent may want to follow up with the school for a deeper understanding of how instruction addresses the gaps in ELA and social studies, particularly because those results are softer than the math and science figures.
The student body is predominantly white, with a small share of Hispanic students and a very small share of American Indian or Alaska Native students. A substantial portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a community with moderate economic need. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not reported in the available sources, so a parent looking for information on those supports would need to contact the school directly. The school’s Title I status was also not listed, which means the federal program’s presence or absence is unclear from the data on hand.
No information on course access, staffing ratios, discipline rates, or chronic absenteeism was provided for Sommer Elementary, so a family interested in those aspects of school climate should seek them from the school or district. Because the school serves only elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to evaluate, and state testing is limited to grades three through five, which is standard for Indiana.
At the district level, voters in North Montgomery Community School Corporation approved an operating referendum renewal in May 2023. That measure continues a dedicated property tax levy that supports teacher salaries, classroom resources, and student programs. For a homeowner in the district, this means a specific tax line item tied directly to school funding remains in place, and the renewal signals community support for maintaining instructional spending.
For a parent evaluating this school, the core academic picture is one of uneven performance relative to other elementary schools in the county, with math and science closer to typical levels and ELA and social studies below them. The school is set in a small city with a strong industrial and college presence, a modestly growing population, and housing that is more affordable than the state average. The district has a recent track record of renewing local funding for schoolsows. The lack of key data on special education, discipline, and chronic absenteeism means that a fuller picture will depend on direct conversations with the school. Families who value a stable, middle-income community with a mix of manufacturing and higher education may find this a reasonable option, but those with specific academic or support needs should look closely at the available results and ask targeted questions.
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