Frank H Wheeler Elementary Sch 4, Speedway IN

Original Research by School Decision on Frank H Wheeler Elementary Sch 4

Frank H Wheeler Elementary Sch 4 serves kindergarten through sixth grade as a regular public school in the School Town of Speedway, a small district within Marion County. Speedway itself is a town enclaved by Indianapolis, laid out as a planned residential suburb for workers at nearby industrial plants. It blends period-revival homes and bungalows in a National Register-listed historic district with a commercial Main Street, and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway defines much of the town’s identity and economy. The school is one of several campuses distributed across the community rather than gathered on a single centralized site.

The student body is diverse, with Black, Hispanic, and White students each making up a substantial share, and Asian and multiracial students present in smaller numbers. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a community where economic need is widespread. The school’s size is moderate for a K-6 building, with enrollment balanced across the elementary grades and a slightly smaller sixth-grade class.

Academically, the school’s performance on the state’s ILEARN assessments presents a clear picture. In mathematics, a strong majority of students scored at the proficient level or above. In English language arts, the proficiency rate was lower, with roughly half of students reaching that bar. Science proficiency, tested in a narrower grade range, was similar to math. Social studies, tested only at the fifth-grade level, showed a lower proficiency rate. Taken together, the school’s overall proficiency across tested subjects places it in the top quartile among the districts in Marion County. That is a strong position within a competitive county, driven primarily by the math and science results. The English language arts figure is more modest and a parent may want to ask the school how they address literacy and reading comprehension.

Data on chronic absenteeism, disciplinary incidents, staffing ratios, and course access was not available in the source material. The school’s status regarding Title I funding was also not reported. These are common gaps at the school level, but a parent may wish to inquire directly about class sizes, support services, and how the school tracks attendance.

Housing values in the zip code are below the Indiana state median and well below the national median, making Speedway an affordable option relative to the broader Indianapolis market. Rents also reflect a lower cost compared to state and national benchmarks. The housing stock includes the historic district’s early-20th-century homes as well as later residential development. Population has grown over recent decades, and the town has pursued redevelopment projects, including a streetscape investment on Main Street and private-sector investments from racing-industry firms. The local unemployment rate has been near the national average.

For a parent considering this school, the picture is one of a diverse, economically mixed elementary school in a small-town setting within a major metropolitan area. The math and science results are a clear strength, while literacy is an area where parents may want to understand support structures. The school sits within a district that has not publicly highlighted recent major changes, so the experience for a new family is likely to be shaped more by the school’s day-to-day operations and the town’s stable, racing-rooted character than by a reform agenda.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grades 3-870%

School 70% · District 61% · ▲ 9 pts above district

▲ 30 pts above state median · ▲ 48 pts above county median

English language arts

Grades 3-849%

School 49% · District 55% · ▼ 6 pts below district

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 28 pts above county median

Science

Grades 3-856%

School 56% · District 57% · ▼ 1 pts below district

▲ 16 pts above state median · ▲ 36 pts above county median

Social studies

Grade 548%

School 48% · District 50% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 15 pts above state median · ▲ 30 pts above county median

This schoolSchool Town of Speedway, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 3Lower-income27%Higher-income68%42 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income58%Higher-income71%12 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income35%Higher-income50%15 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income42%Higher-income69%27 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 3Lower-income65%Higher-income90%24 pp gap

Grade 4Lower-income79%Higher-income77%3 pp gap

Grade 5Lower-income54%Higher-income64%10 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income64%Higher-income77%13 pp gap