Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Decatur Middle School

Public Grades 7-8

386^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 480 Indiana Middle Schools

Better than 20% of Indiana middle schools

Summary

Decatur Middle School is a public middle school in Indianapolis, Indiana, serving 985 students in grades 7-8. The school is part of the MSD Decatur Township school district, which is ranked 275 out of 380 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Decatur Middle School faces significant challenges, with academic performance that is significantly below state and district averages. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 22.06% of students were proficient or better in ILEARN/English Language Arts, compared to 25.58% for the district and 37.9% and 42.7% for the state in 7th and 8th grade, respectively. In ILEARN/Math, only 12.89% of Decatur Middle School students were proficient or better, compared to 22.53% for the district. The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 17.8% to 30.4% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, Decatur Middle School has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 59.8% to 81.32% over the past few years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Compared to nearby middle schools, such as Paul Hadley Middle School, Southport Middle School, Plainfield Community Middle School, and Center Grove Middle School North, Decatur Middle School's performance is significantly lower, with higher academic proficiency rates, lower chronic absenteeism, and lower percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch. Despite the relatively high spending per student at Decatur Middle School, ranging from $8,700 to $11,760 over the past few years, the school has not shown significant improvement in its academic performance or state ranking over the past several years, suggesting the need for a re-evaluation of instructional strategies and resource allocation.

1,000

Students ?

15.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,760

Per pupil spending ?

59.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5108 S High School Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46221

(317) 856-5274

District: MSD Decatur Township

Students who attend Decatur Middle School usually attend:

High:

Decatur Central High School

Feeder schools for Decatur Middle School:

Elementary:	Blue Academy
	Gold Academy
	Lynwood Elementary
	Stephen Decatur Elementary School
	More...
	Valley Mills Elementary School
	West Newton Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

46.6%

African American:

29.8%

Hispanic:

16.5%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Decatur Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 37th percentile in 2015 → 20th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Indiana average (19% vs 46% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (20th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (24% vs 17% Indiana)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school19%

District avg24%

Indiana avg46%

386^th of 480

Indiana public middle schools ?

Bottom 20%▼ down 17 pts since 2015

From bottom 37% (2015) to bottom 20% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

275^th of 380MSD Decatur Township among Indiana districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2025	18.7	386 of 480	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.6	391 of 491	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.3	370 of 489	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	26.2	365 of 490	25.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	19.8	383 of 483	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	10.1	430 of 470	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	21.8	393 of 473	16.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	26.7	380 of 472	19.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	42.8	330 of 494	33.2%	★★☆☆☆
2015	45.7	306 of 485	36.9%	★★☆☆☆
2014	35.1	362 of 470	23.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	39.8	319 of 444	28.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	28.8	375 of 447	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	34.0	361 of 451	20.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	33.9	338 of 428	21.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	29.3	344 of 423	18.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	37.9	298 of 392	24.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	32.3	320 of 382	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	29.2	319 of 375	14.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	36.9	290 of 370	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	31.0	177 of 222	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2024-2025) ?

Biology89%+43 vs state

English Language Arts22%

Math13%

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate Decatur Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, August 6, 2011

I am a parent of two Decatur students. My children both attended Valley Mills Elementary (which I was pleased with for the most part); however, this review is for the Middle School. First, What's the point in having an intercom/automatic door lock/security system if you are going to allow every Tom, Dick & Harry to enter? Second, inappropriate comments have been made on occasion by a teacher towards young females which speaks volumes towards the maturity level of the teachers here as well as the screening by administration. Thirdly, there is a general "uncaring" attitude amongst teachers and this stems from the TOP. Fourth, this school for whatever reason does EVERYTHING different than other schools as far as standard operating procedures go. They have a ridiculous rule or procedure for every aspect of your child's education. Lastly, the office staff at this school is unbelivably unprofessional and rude. 4 years of my life I have to deal with this incompetent school and I am counting the days until my children reach the high school level. I couldn't resist the opportunity to vent about this sorry excuse for a school. Close Quote

Schools Near Decatur Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2025)				ILEARN Math (2025)				ILEARN Science (2025)		ILEARN Biology (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Science 6th Grade	ILEARN Science All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Decatur Middle School	Public	7-8	5108 S High School Rd	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	MSD Decatur Township	No	No	No	No	(317) 856-5274	1,000	64	15.6	59.7%	466 (46.6%)	298 (29.8%)	165 (16.5%)	3 (0.3%)	5 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	63 (6.3%)	18.7	386^th of 480 public middle schools	19.6%		19.6	391^st of 491 public middle schools	20.4%	5		21.4	22.7	22.1		14.4	11.4	12.9			88.7	$11,760	$1,130	$10,630
Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center	Public	7-8	2805 S Lynhurst	Indianapolis	46241	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 988-8100	1,135	75	15.1	77.6%	270 (23.8%)	283 (24.9%)	500 (44.1%)	9 (0.8%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	68 (6.0%)	16.9	398^th of 480 public middle schools	17.1%		19.9	388^th of 491 public middle schools	21.0%	10		16.1	21.5	18.7		15.2	12.8	14.0			77.8	$14,082	$1,185	$12,898
William Penn Middle School - a STEM School	Public	6-8	1720 W Wilkins St	Indianapolis	46221	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4249	367	36	10.1	65.4%	94 (25.6%)	85 (23.2%)	156 (42.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (8.4%)	7.8	979^th of 1005 public middle schools	2.6%		17.5	403^rd of 491 public middle schools	17.9%	576	10.7	10.6	17.5	12.6	8.3	7.3	6.2	7.3	5.0	5.0	31.8	$20,963	$3,579	$17,384
Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center	Public	7-8	7320 W 10th St	Indianapolis	46214	Marion County	MSD Wayne Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 988-8800	1,143	65	17.6	66.5%	164 (14.3%)	600 (52.5%)	306 (26.8%)	6 (0.5%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	64 (5.6%)	17.3	395^th of 480 public middle schools	17.7%		20.8	383^rd of 491 public middle schools	22.0%	12		22.5	22.5	22.5		13.2	6.9	10.0			57.6	$12,651	$1,092	$11,559
Center Grove Middle School North	Public	6-8	202 N Morgantown Rd	Greenwood	46142	Johnson County	Center Grove Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(317) 885-8800	1,080	58	18.7	33.8%	817 (75.6%)	46 (4.3%)	61 (5.6%)	97 (9.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	58 (5.4%)	90	37^th of 480 public middle schools	92.3%		89.1	43^rd of 491 public middle schools	91.2%	6	50.1	60.0	56.6	55.4	64.6	63.0	49.4	59.0	59.0	59.0	100.0	$9,314	$402	$8,912
Perry Meridian Middle School	Public	7-8	202 W Meridian School Rd	Indianapolis	46217	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 789-4100	1,278	79	16.2	65.3%	455 (35.6%)	157 (12.3%)	153 (12.0%)	450 (35.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (4.9%)	74.6	110^th of 480 public middle schools	77.1%		76.4	103^rd of 491 public middle schools	79.0%	7		41.6	52.3	46.8		38.4	44.9	41.6				$12,264	$1,527	$10,738
Perry Meridian 6th Grade Academy	Public	6	202 W Meridian School Rd	Indianapolis	46217	Marion County	Perry Township Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 789-1300	617	36	17.0	67.3%	195 (31.6%)	66 (10.7%)	96 (15.6%)	226 (36.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	32 (5.2%)								(n/a)	41.4			41.4	35.6			35.6	36.6	36.6		$11,427	$838	$10,588
Plainfield Community Middle School	Public	6-8	709 Stafford Rd	Plainfield	46168	Hendricks County	Plainfield Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(317) 838-3966	1,378	74	18.5	36.9%	1,008 (73.1%)	148 (10.7%)	109 (7.9%)	49 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	64 (4.6%)	88.1	43^rd of 480 public middle schools	91.0%		92.3	32^nd of 491 public middle schools	93.5%	11	53.0	55.6	55.2	54.6	62.7	53.7	52.6	56.3	52.4	52.4	99.1	$9,740	$226	$9,514
Speedway Junior High School	Public	7-8	5151 W 14th St	Speedway	46224	Marion County	School Town of Speedway	No	No	No	No	(317) 244-3359	264	19	14.1	64.0%	118 (44.7%)	73 (27.7%)	50 (18.9%)	10 (3.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	12 (4.5%)	86.2	51^st of 480 public middle schools	89.4%		80.8	75^th of 491 public middle schools	84.7%	24		49.2	55.9	52.7		47.5	52.9	50.4				$12,713	$561	$12,152
Paul Hadley Middle School	Public	7-8	200 W Carlisle St	Mooresville	46158	Morgan County	Mooresville Con School Corp	No	No	No	No	(317) 831-9208	668	37	18.1	45.1%	586 (87.7%)	22 (3.3%)	29 (4.3%)	6 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	21 (3.1%)	67.8	137^th of 480 public middle schools	71.5%		61.7	176^th of 491 public middle schools	64.2%	39		45.5	39.8	42.7		44.8	33.4	39.2			86.5	$10,752	$635	$10,117

Frequently Asked Questions about Decatur Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Decatur Middle School?

Students at Decatur Middle School are 47% White, 30% African American, 17% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Decatur Middle School in?

MSD Decatur Township

How many students attend Decatur Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,000 students attended Decatur Middle School.

What high school do graduates of Decatur Middle School attend?

Students who attend Decatur Middle School usually go on to attend Decatur Central High School

Is Decatur Middle School a good school?

Decatur Middle School ranks in the bottom 19.6% of Indiana middle schools.

Rate Decatur Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

INIndiana Middle School Rankings

INIndiana District Rankings

Schools in Indianapolis, IN

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Decatur Middle School!

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.