The top reported proficiency rate is 70% in Math. The lowest is 26% in Social studies.
Original Research by School Decision on John Simatovich Elementary School
John Simatovich Elementary School is a regular public elementary school in Valparaiso, Indiana, serving kindergarten through fifth grade within Union Township School Corp. The school sits in a community that blends residential neighborhoods with the presence of Valparaiso University and local government functions as the Porter County seat. The district itself has seen no major recent changes reported in publicly available sources, so the school’s operations appear to be on a steady footing.
On state assessments via ILEARN, Simatovich shows a mixed picture. Math proficiency is a clear strength, with a solid majority of students meeting the bar. English language arts proficiency is notably lower, close to the halfway mark, which is a soft spot a parent may want to explore further with the school to understand how literacy instruction is targeted. Science performance, tested only in certain grades, is stronger and aligns more closely with math. Social studies, tested in fifth grade, falls well below the other subjects, a gap that would benefit from direct inquiry. The school’s overall proficiency composite across tested subjects sits just below the midpoint relative to other districts in Porter County, placing it in the middle range of the county’s public elementary options.
Enrollment is moderate for an elementary school, with roughly comparable class sizes across grades. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a moderate level of economic diversity. The student body is predominantly white, with a notable Hispanic presence and small numbers of students from other racial and ethnic backgrounds. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, so a parent should ask the school directly about how those populations are served.
The housing market around the school reflects a higher-cost area. Home values in the zip code are well above the statewide median, and rents are similarly elevated, though the rent-to-income ratio suggests that renting may be a stretch for some households. Valparaiso offers a college-town atmosphere with a historic downtown, a university campus adjacent to the civic core, and good highway access for commuting. The local economy mixes higher education, government, and manufacturing, and the area has seen growth. For families, this means the school draws from a community with above-average incomes for the state, while the school’s own free-lunch rate indicates that not all households in its attendance zone match that profile.
No data was available on course access, staffing ratios, discipline, or attendance, so those aspects are not part of this account. As an elementary school, there is no graduation rate to report.
Overall, John Simatovich Elementary offers a regular public school experience in a growing college town. Its math results are a clear positive, while ELA and social studies outcomes are softer and worth investigating. The school sits in the middle of the pack academically among Porter County’s districts, in a community with solid economic anchors and a notably higher housing market. Families considering this school may want to ask about reading and social studies support and about how the school serves a student body that is economically mixed despite the affluence of the surrounding town.
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