The top reported proficiency rate is 22% in Social studies. The lowest is 10% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Deer Run Elementary
Deer Run Elementary is a regular public school serving kindergarten through fifth grade in the MSD Pike Township district on the west side of Indianapolis. It is a mid-sized elementary school for its grade band, and its student body is predominantly Black and Hispanic. A substantial share of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school in a high-poverty context. The school is not a charter or magnet school; it operates as a traditional neighborhood elementary school under the district’s governance.
State testing results from the ILEARN assessments show that proficiency rates in math, English language arts, science, and social studies are well below what most families would consider high. Across all tested subjects, about one in six students scored at the proficient level or above. This is a soft spot that a parent should examine further with the school. At the same time, when compared with other elementary schools across Marion County districts, Deer Run’s overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint of the county distribution. That means that while the raw rates are low, many other schools in the county face similar challenges, and Deer Run is not an outlier on the low end. A parent looking at test results alone should understand that this is a school where academic achievement is a central area of focus, not one where high proficiency is the norm.
The school’s enrollment is balanced across grades, with a slight dip in fifth grade. Race and ethnicity data show that about three-fifths of students are Black, nearly a third are Hispanic, and a very small share are white. The data do not include the share of students receiving special education services or classified as English learners, which are common gaps when a state or district does not report them at the school level. Without those numbers, it is harder to assess the full range of student supports in place. A parent with a child who has an individualized education plan or is learning English may want to ask the school directly about the programs and staffing available.
The housing context offers some perspective on the community. Home values in the surrounding zip code are below the statewide median and well below the national figure. Rents are similarly moderate. The national median household income and a low unemployment rate suggest that the broader Indianapolis economy is stable, but the school’s high poverty rate indicates that many families in the attendance zone face economic strain. No recent district-level changes or strategic priorities were found in publicly reported materials, so it is unclear whether the district is pursuing specific turnaround or improvement initiatives at this school.
Some data fields are simply not available. There is no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course access, and no graduation rate because the school does not serve high school grades. These gaps limit a full picture of the school environment. A parent considering Deer Run may want to visit, ask about class sizes, teacher stability, and how the school supports students who are below grade level. The overall picture is of a school in a high-poverty setting where academic performance is behind state averages but not unusually low for its county peer group. Whether that fits a family depends on their priorities for student support, peer dynamics, and the kind of academic pathway they are seeking.
See more original research from School Decision →