The top reported proficiency rate is 41% in Social studies. The lowest is 8% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Lincoln Middle School
Lincoln Middle School is a regular public school in the MSD Pike Township district on the northwest side of Indianapolis. It serves grades six through eight and enrolls a large student body for a middle school. The student population is diverse, with Black students making up a large majority, Hispanic students constituting a substantial share, and a small number of white, multiracial, and Asian students. A significant proportion of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a generally lower-income community. The school is situated in an area of Indianapolis where the housing market is below the national benchmark, with rents that have seen a very slight recent decline.
On the most recent state assessments, which are the ILEARN tests, student proficiency rates were low across all subjects. Proficiency in English language arts was in the low double digits, while math proficiency was in the single digits. Science proficiency was similarly low, and the most recent social studies data available was from several years prior and used a different test, making it difficult to compare directly. These results place the school’s overall performance just above the midpoint among its county districts, a comparison set that spans the many districts within Marion County. This is a school where the test results are a clear soft spot, and a parent considering this school would want to discuss with the administration what academic interventions and supports are in place to raise these numbers. While a participation rate for testing was reported as very high, the low proficiency rates remain a serious point of inquiry.
No recent student discipline data, chronic absenteeism data, or staffing ratios were available, so a family should ask the school for information on school climate, teacher retention, and class sizes. The percentage of students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and the share of English learners were also not reported in the available data. A rising seventh or eighth grader at a middle school this size will encounter a range of peers, and for families whose priority is a strong record of grade-level academic attainment, this school’s test results would be a central topic of discussion.
The school is not a charter, nor was its magnet or Title I status reported. As a regular middle school, it is the standard pathway for students in this part of Pike Township before they move on to high school. The district itself has relatively few publicly reported recent parent-relevant changes, suggesting a period of relative stability, though this could also mean that active decisions are less visible to the public. The broader context of Indianapolis is a large, midwestern city with a mix of residential neighborhoods and commercial corridors. The immediate school location is on a major road, accessible by car, and the property values in the zip code reflect a more affordable entry point to the Indianapolis housing market. For a family living in the Pike Township attendance zone, Lincoln is the neighborhood middle school, and its enrollment size and student diversity will be familiar to anyone who knows the community. For a family new to the area, the low assessment scores are the clearest signal that the school faces significant academic challenges, and a deeper look at the school’s curriculum, intervention programs, and extracurricular offerings is essential to determine if it is the right fit for a child.
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