The top reported proficiency rate is 64% in Science. The lowest is 36% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on Van Duyn Elementary School
Van Duyn Elementary School is a regular public elementary school in the South Vermillion Community School Corporation, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. It is one of three elementary schools in the district and sits in the small city of Clinton, Indiana, a community with a historic downtown, Italian immigrant heritage, and a mix of industrial and healthcare employers. The school draws from the surrounding residential neighborhoods and the nearby town of Fairview Park.
Academically, Van Duyn students take Indiana’s ILEARN assessments in grades three through five. In the most recent testing year, math proficiency stood at a level that indicates most students met the state’s bar, while English language arts proficiency was lower, with fewer than half of students reaching that mark. Science results, which come from a single tested grade, were notably stronger, showing a solid majority of students proficient. Social studies results from an earlier year were the weakest area, though that test is only given at fifth grade. Taking all tested subjects together, Van Duyn’s overall proficiency index places it well above the average of other districts in Vermillion County, a meaningful point given that the county has only two school districts.
The student body is overwhelmingly white, and more than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic mix of the community. Data on students with disabilities and English learners were not available in the data we reviewed, so a parent considering Van Duyn may want to ask the school directly about the availability and size of those programs.
The housing market around the school is affordable relative to the state as a whole. Home values in Clinton’s zip code run well below the Indiana median, and monthly mortgage costs are modest. The city itself is stable; population has not grown quickly, and the local economy includes employers such as Elanco and White Construction along with healthcare through Union Hospital. The annual Little Italy Festival is a cultural anchor, and the Vermillion Rise Mega Park points to some industrial development activity.
The district that runs Van Duyn has made several recent moves that affect families here. In 2023, voters renewed a general fund referendum, locking in a property tax rate that sustains operating budgets through 2030. The district also expanded its preschool program to all four of its school buildings, offering free half-day preschool to eligible children, which directly connects to Van Duyn’s pre-kindergarten program. For older children who will eventually move to South Vermillion High School, the district is launching new career and technical education pathways in advanced manufacturing, welding, and healthcare sciences with dual-credit options, and a new athletic complex is under construction at the high school.
What all of this means for a family is a small, reasonably performing elementary school in a low-cost, slow-growing small town. The academic picture is mixed: math and science are relative strengths, while reading and social studies lag. The countywide comparison suggests Van Duyn is performing above the local norm, which is a positive signal. The missing data on special education and English learner populations is a gap that parents should explore further. For those who value a tight-knit school with a distinct community identity and affordable housing, Van Duyn fits that profile, but the academic soft spots in literacy warrant attention.
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