The top reported proficiency rate is 11% in Social studies. The lowest is 7% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Monroe Elementary School
Monroe Elementary School serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade as a regular public school within the South Bend Community School Corporation. It sits in the southern part of South Bend, a mid-sized city that blends residential neighborhoods, a riverfront downtown, and the adjacent University of Notre Dame. The city has seen its population plateau in recent years, with a modest decline from the 2020 census base. Housing values in the area sit below national medians, and a substantial share of households earn incomes that put the city below the national median on that measure as well. The everyday texture of South Bend mixes college-town influence from Notre Dame, a working downtown with civic and cultural institutions, and blue-collar industrial areas on the periphery.
Monroe is a relatively large elementary school for its grade band, serving students from kindergarten through fifth grade. The student body is diverse. A little over two-fifths of students are Black, about a quarter are White, roughly one in seven is Hispanic, and a similar share identifies as two or more races. A very small number of students are American Indian or Alaska Native. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the school serves a population with significant economic need.
On state assessments, Monroe's proficiency rates are low across all tested subjects for the most recent year. In math, the share of students reaching proficiency was below one in ten. In English language arts, the rate was similarly low, with fewer than one in ten students meeting the bar. Science results were just above one in ten, and social studies results were in a similar range. Compared with other schools in St. Joseph County, Monroe's overall proficiency index places it in the bottom quartile. A parent looking at these results will see a school where the large majority of students are not reaching the state's proficiency benchmarks. Participation rates on the tests were very high, so the results reflect nearly all enrolled students rather than a self-selected group.
The school itself is a regular public school, not a charter or magnet. No specific program offerings were provided in the data, so there is no information on specialized tracks, enrichment, or extracurriculars at Monroe. The district operates a full-time virtual school for grades four through twelve, which could be an option for families seeking an alternative setting at the upper elementary level, though that program is not housed at Monroe.
There is no graduation rate for Monroe because it does not serve high school grades. Discipline data, staffing ratios, attendance rates, and chronic absenteeism figures were also not available in the data. A parent may want to ask the school directly about these topics, as they affect the daily environment. Information on special education and English learner populations was also missing from the record.
For families considering Monroe, the core picture is straightforward. The school serves a diverse, high-needs student population in a city with a modest cost of living and a stable if not growing population. Academic performance on state tests is low, and the school's proficiency standing relative to other elementary schools in the county places it among the lowest in the area. A parent choosing this school will want to understand what academic supports are in place, how the school addresses the gap between current achievement and grade-level expectations, and what enrichment opportunities exist outside the tested curriculum. The district's new virtual option may matter to families who find that a fully remote setting fits their child better, but for those attending in person, Monroe's data offers a clear starting point for those conversations.
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