The top reported proficiency rate is 75% in Science. The lowest is 58% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Luce Elementary School
Luce Elementary School is a regular public school within the South Spencer County School Corporation, serving kindergarten through sixth grade from a location near the town of Richland in Spencer County, Indiana. Its enrollment is small, and the student body is overwhelmingly white, with a very small share of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, which gives the school modest economic diversity relative to its size.
State test results from Indiana’s ILEARN assessment provide a picture of academic performance. In math, well over half of students met or exceeded the state’s proficiency standard. In English language arts, roughly three out of five students scored at that level. Science proficiency was higher, with about three-quarters of tested students reaching the bar. Social studies, tested only in fifth grade, produced a result similar to English language arts. When the school’s overall proficiency across all tested subjects is compared with other districts in Spencer County, it sits at the top of a small field; the county has only two districts, and Luce’s performance was higher than the other district’s. The school’s participation rates on these tests were very high, so the results reflect nearly all enrolled students.
Richland, where the school is situated, is a small rural town that incorporated in the 2000s and has grown modestly since then. Its historic Main Street corridor is the civic center, but the town has limited commercial activity and no public transit. Most employed residents commute to Evansville, a short drive west, or to Owensboro, Kentucky. Housing values in the area sit below both the national and Indiana state medians, and the cost of living is low. A state-funded Main Street revitalization project is underway, focused on replacing blighted properties with mixed-use buildings that include a medical practice and space for child care and small businesses. The South Spencer County School Corporation did not report any recent major changes such as referendum campaigns, curriculum overhauls, or new construction.
Several areas lack public data. Information on special education identification rates, English learner services, staffing ratios, discipline, attendance, and chronic absenteeism was not available. The school’s Title I status is also unreported. A parent looking into those aspects would need to follow up directly with the school or district. The enrollment figures show zero students in sixth grade, which may indicate a current grade configuration that stops at fifth, though the official listing says kindergarten through sixth; families should confirm the actual grade span.
Overall, Luce Elementary is a small, rural school with academic results that compare favorably within its county. The community is quiet and affordable, and the school serves a largely homogeneous student body with some economic need. Families who value a small setting and a strong performance record, especially in science and math, may find it a natural fit, but it is worth exploring student support resources and the exact grade structure before making a decision.
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