The top reported proficiency rate is 34% in Science. The lowest is 25% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on North Vermillion Elementary School
North Vermillion Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade in Cayuga, a small rural town in western Indiana near the confluence of the Vermillion and Wabash rivers. It is a regular public school within the North Vermillion Community School Corporation and is one of two districts in Vermillion County. The school occupies a campus outside the compact town core, which has a modest commercial strip along Patterson Street and a town hall with limited hours, reflecting its small-scale municipal operations.
The student body is predominantly white, with a much smaller Hispanic presence and a handful of multiracial students. More than half of the students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a share that signals a school community with considerable economic need. Enrollment by grade runs from kindergarten through sixth grade, with the largest numbers in fifth and sixth grades, and the school does not serve preschool onsite, as the pre-kindergarten count is reported as zero. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the materials reviewed.
On the state’s ILEARN assessments, which measure proficiency in math, English language arts, science, and social studies, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades sits above the midpoint relative to the other district in Vermillion County. That comparative position is a modest strength. In absolute terms, roughly one in three students scored proficient or above in math, and just over one in four did so in English language arts. Science results were a bit stronger, with about one in three students proficient, while social studies, tested only at fifth grade, showed about one in four proficient. Participation was complete for math and English language arts, though rates for science and social studies were not reported. Families looking at these results will want to ask the school how it supports students who are not yet at the proficiency bar, especially in reading and math, and what interventions or enrichment are in place.
The school’s setting in Cayuga is a quiet, low-density town with a declining population over the past decade, a trajectory common in small rural Midwestern communities. Major employers in the area include a coal-fired power plant and a brick manufacturer, giving the local economy an industrial anchor. Housing values in the broader area are modest, and the town’s poverty rate is elevated. No major new housing developments or growth projects were noted in the research. The district itself reported no recent parent-relevant changes such as curriculum shifts, referenda, or property tax changes in the available public record.
Because North Vermillion Elementary is a PK-6 school, it does not produce a graduation rate or offer the kind of course pathways typical of high schools. No information on program offerings such as art, music, or extracurriculars was provided. A parent considering this school should also follow up on whether it holds Title I status, as that data was missing. The school’s size is moderate for an elementary, and its peer environment is shaped by a largely white student body and a high level of economic diversity. For a family that values a small rural school with a community anchored in industry and agriculture, and wants to see how the school addresses academic gaps that show up in the state results, a conversation with the principal about how they are working to raise literacy and math proficiency would be a sensible next step.
See more original research from School Decision →