The top reported proficiency rate is 76% in Science. The lowest is 42% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Mary Frank Harris Elementary Sch
Mary Frank Harris Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation, located in the suburban community of Granger, Indiana. As a regular public elementary school, it primarily feeds into Discovery Middle School and then Penn High School, both part of the same district.
The school’s academic results place it among the strongest in St. Joseph County. On Indiana’s ILEARN assessments, a substantial majority of students scored proficient or above in math, and roughly two-thirds did so in English language arts. Science results, tested in fourth grade, show most students meeting the state’s proficiency bar. In fifth-grade social studies, however, fewer than half of students reached that same level. That subject is tested at a single grade, so the result may reflect the challenge of the content or a narrower instructional focus; a parent interested in social studies instruction may wish to ask the school how it approaches that area across the elementary years. Participation in testing was high, which strengthens confidence in the reported outcomes.
When compared with other districts across St. Joseph County, Mary Frank Harris’s overall proficiency index sits in the top quartile. That means the school’s combined performance across tested subjects and grades exceeds the typical district-level result in the county. The measure is an average across subjects, and the school’s math and science scores contribute strongly to that position.
The student body is predominantly white, with smaller groups of students who are Hispanic, Black, Asian, or of two or more races. A relatively modest share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a lower-poverty population than many schools in the county. The school website or district office would be the best source for information on the number of students with individualized education plans or English learner status, as those figures were not available in this data set.
Granger is a residential census-designated place in the South Bend–Mishawaka metropolitan area, characterized by single-family homes on larger lots and a car-dependent layout. There is no traditional downtown; the school sits on a campus within a neighborhood setting, and most daily errands require driving. The Penn-Harris-Madison district draws from Granger and surrounding areas, and the school system is often cited locally for its strong reputation. Housing in the area has appreciated in value, and rents have risen as well, reflecting a tight market and sustained demand. The unemployment rate in St. Joseph County has been steady at a modest level.
No recent district-level changes such as referendums, boundary shifts, or curriculum updates were found in publicly available sources, so the operating context appears to have been stable in the recent period.
Mary Frank Harris Elementary is a high-performing school in an affluent suburban district, with test results that rank among the best in the county. Its academic strength is clear in math and science, while English language arts is also solid. The lower social studies result is a point a family might explore further, but overall the school offers a strong foundation for elementary-age students, particularly those who come from a middle- to upper-income household context. The community is residential and car-oriented, with limited walkability and no downtown, which suits families who prioritize a quiet suburban setting over urban amenities.
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