The top reported proficiency rate is 46% in English language arts. The lowest is 18% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Marion Intermediate
Marion Intermediate serves students in grades three through five and is part of the Marion 10 school district. It is a regular public school located in the city of Marion, the county seat of Marion County. The town itself is a small historic community centered on a courthouse square that is among the largest in the state, with a stretch of nineteenth-century buildings and a two-mile Rails-to-Trails path winding through town. Employers include a Coca-Cola distribution plant and several industrial and service firms, but the overall economic base is modest. Housing in the area is priced well below the state median, and home values have recently declined, making the market relatively affordable.
The school enrolls roughly four hundred students. The student body is predominantly Black, with a smaller share of white students and a handful of children who are Hispanic, of two or more races, or Asian. Every student at Marion Intermediate qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating that the community served is one of very low household income.
State testing results from the most recent school year provide a single-year snapshot of academic performance. In English language arts, a share of students scored at the proficient level or above, and this share was fairly consistent across grades three, four, and five. In mathematics, the share of students reaching proficiency was notably lower, with results varying by grade but overall well below the ELA figures. Science, tested only in fourth grade, showed a relatively small proportion of students meeting the proficiency bar. The state changed the cut scores for the ELA assessment and for science in the same year, so trend comparisons with prior years are not reliable, and this is essentially a baseline year. Social studies data from several years ago, from a different assessment and a different set of proficiency standards, cannot be compared with the current results.
Because Marion Intermediate only serves elementary grades, there is no graduation rate to report, and the school is not subject to high school accountability metrics. No chronic absenteeism data were available, and information about discipline, staffing, and course access was not included in the available records. The school does not appear to have any special designation such as magnet or charter status; it operates as a traditional neighborhood intermediate school.
The district itself, Marion 10, did not have any recent notable changes publicly reported, and the neighbor comparison across county districts could not be applied because Marion County has only one school district, so there is no local benchmark to place this school against.
For a family considering Marion Intermediate, the picture is one of a small-town elementary school serving an economically disadvantaged population. Academic performance in English language arts is stronger than in math and science, but overall, a significant majority of students are not yet scoring at the proficient level in any subject. A parent may want to ask the school about specific supports for math and science instruction, as well as any interventions or enrichment programs available. The setting offers a quiet, historically rooted community with limited housing costs and a compact downtown. The school’s size is manageable, and its entire student population qualifies for meal assistance, so the need for wraparound services is likely high. There is no publicly available information about gifted programs, special education services, or English learner supports, so those are details worth pursuing directly with the school.
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