The top reported proficiency rate is 71% in Math. The lowest is 62% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ferdinand Elementary School
Ferdinand Elementary School is a regular public school within the Southeast Dubois County School Corporation, serving students from pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. Its enrollment is modest for an elementary school—it draws from the town and surrounding area. The student body is predominantly white, with a small Hispanic population and a handful of students from other racial backgrounds. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, but the rate is well below what is typical in many Indiana schools.
Academically, this school posts results that place it above the midpoint among the districts in Dubois County, and the proficiency index across tested subjects and grades lands in the top quartile within that county-wide comparison. On the state ILEARN assessments, a majority of students reached proficiency in math, a clear strength, and a solid majority did so in English language arts and science. The numbers show a school that is performing well for its elementary learners, with math standing out as particularly strong. Because the school ends at grade 4, there is no graduation rate to report—that metric simply does not apply here. Test participation was high, which adds confidence to the results.
The school environment and access data are thin. No information was available on chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, staffing ratios, or course offerings; for an early-elementary school serving only PK through 4, some of these gaps are unsurprising since many states do not report the same breadth of data for primary grades, but a parent may want to ask the school directly about class sizes, support services, and enrichment opportunities. Special-population counts for students with disabilities and English learners were also missing from the available data.
The community anchor for this school is the town of Ferdinand, a small, predominantly residential community in Dubois County with a mix of agriculture and some industrial presence. The town’s own website describes it as blending natural beauty, agriculture, and industrial development. Founded by German-speaking settlers, Ferdinand retains a strong cultural and religious character centered on the Monastery of Immaculate Conception, a Benedictine institution that sits on a hill overlooking the town. The town has a public library (a branch of the Jasper-Dubois County Public Library) and a state forest offering outdoor recreation, though there is no public transit system and street life is limited. The estimated median home value in the area is above the Indiana state average, and housing costs have appreciated in recent years, though the town’s population has seen a slight decline. The largest employment sectors are health care and educational services. No major new housing developments were identified in available sources.
The district itself—Southeast Dubois County School Corporation—appears to be operating without major recent changes that would affect families; a search for parent-relevant district developments turned up little of lasting impact.
For a family considering this school, the academic picture is encouraging: Ferdinand Elementary delivers strong proficiency rates in the core subjects, particularly math, and its performance stands out among schools in Dubois County. The setting is a small, stable rural town with a tight-knit feel, limited commercial bustle, and a moderate cost of housing. The student body is not highly diverse and the share of low-income students is modest. What is not visible from the available data are program details—things like whether the school offers full-day kindergarten, enrichment offerings, or special education supports—so those are worth exploring directly. For parents who prioritize solid academic foundations in an early-grades setting within a quiet, agrarian community, this school fits that profile comfortably.
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