The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in Math. The lowest is 62% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Nancy Hanks Elementary School
Nancy Hanks Elementary School is a small regular public school serving pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in Ferdinand, Indiana, within the North Spencer County School Corporation. The school sits in a predominantly rural area of Spencer County, and the town of Ferdinand itself is a compact, residential community with a mix of agriculture and light industry.
Academic performance is the school’s clear strength. On the state’s ILEARN assessments, a solid majority of students met or exceeded proficiency in math, and a strong majority did so in science. In English language arts and social studies, the share proficient was still above the midpoint but somewhat lower than math. When compared with other districts in Spencer County, Nancy Hanks’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it in the top quartile. That is a notable achievement given that the county has only two districts; still, the school’s results are well above the county median. The school’s own results show particular strength in mathematics and science.
The student body is small and demographically homogeneous, with nearly all students identifying as white. About a quarter of students come from families with enough economic need to qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that suggests a generally middle-income community rather than one of concentrated poverty. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source records, so a parent wanting to understand those supports should ask the school directly.
The community that feeds into the school, the Ferdinand area, is a small town that has seen a slight population decline in recent years, with an aging demographic profile. Housing values have appreciated at a notably faster clip than the state average, though they remain lower than the national figure. This pattern points to a stable but not booming local real estate market. The town’s economy is anchored by health care and education, with the Monastery of Immaculate Conception and Ferdinand State Forest providing institutional and recreational anchors. There is no public transit system, and most families are car-dependent.
The school itself offers a full slate of elementary grades with a pre-kindergarten program. No information was available on course access, staffing ratios, or after-school programming. The district, North Spencer County School Corporation, has not recently undergone any major publicly reported changes, so the school’s environment appears consistent.
For a family seeking a small, rural elementary school with strong academic results, especially in math and science, Nancy Hanks is a noteworthy option. The peer group is likely to be fairly uniform in background, and the community is tight-knit and quiet. A parent should look into special education and English learner services directly, as those details were not provided in the public data. The school’s performance history is limited to a single year’s snapshot, so longer-term trends are not available to judge. Overall, the school’s profile fits families who value solid state test scores in a low-key, predominantly white, rural setting with moderate housing costs relative to the nation.
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