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Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

921^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,005 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 8% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Carl Wilde School 79 is an elementary school in Indianapolis, Indiana, serving 547 students in grades PK-6. It is part of the Indianapolis Public Schools district, which is ranked 300 out of 380 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, Carl Wilde School 79 has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Indiana elementary schools over the past decade, with a ranking between 890-973 out of over 1,000 schools.

The school faces significant challenges, with extremely low test scores, high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 13.9% to 35.4%, and a high-poverty student population, with 61.61% to 76.25% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 13.58% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and the math proficiency rate was just 18.85%, well below the district averages. Despite increased per-student spending, from $13,363 in 2020-2021 to $18,069 in 2023-2024, the school has not shown any meaningful improvement in its academic performance over the past decade.

In contrast, nearby schools in the School Town of Speedway district, such as Arthur C. Newby Elementary School 2 and Frank H. Wheeler Elementary School 4, have significantly higher test scores and lower poverty rates, despite serving similar student populations. This suggests that the challenges facing Carl Wilde School 79 may be more complex than just funding or class size, and a more comprehensive approach may be needed to address the root causes of the school's struggles and improve student outcomes.

472

Students ?

13.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$18,069

Per pupil spending ?

58.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5002 W 34th St
Indianapolis, IN 46224

(317) 226-4279

District: Indianapolis Public Schools

Students who attend Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School usually attend:

Middle:	Northwest Middle School - an IB World School
High:	Arsenal Technical High School
	Crispus Attucks High School
	George Washington High School
	Purdue Polytechnic High School Ind
	More...
	Shortridge High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

73.1%

African American:

17.6%

White:

5.3%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 27th percentile in 2015 → 8th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Indiana average (15% vs 38% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (8th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 19 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school15%

District avg21%

Indiana avg38%

921^st of 1,005

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Bottom 8%▼ down 19 pts since 2015

From bottom 27% (2015) to bottom 8% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

20^th of 34Elementary Schools in the Indianapolis Public Schools

300^th of 380Indianapolis Public Schools 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	9.8	921 of 1005	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.7	956 of 1011	5.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	6.6	973 of 1016	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	8.8	934 of 1020	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	8.0	940 of 1016	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	8.6	953 of 1031	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	11.3	925 of 1027	9.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	18.1	890 of 1033	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	19.2	899 of 1046	14.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	35.1	760 of 1040	26.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	32.2	826 of 1036	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	31.6	836 of 1035	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	33.8	780 of 1015	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	38.9	750 of 1025	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	28.6	815 of 1009	19.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	37.4	725 of 1003	27.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	48.0	621 of 996	37.7%	★★☆☆☆
2007	29.0	790 of 985	19.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	20.6	841 of 961	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	40.9	661 of 959	31.1%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2024-2025) ?

Math19%

Science17%

English Language Arts14%

Social Studies6%-33 vs state

★

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Schools Near Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry 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 Social Studies (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 3rd Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	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 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Science 4th Grade	ILEARN Science 6th Grade	ILEARN Science All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School	Public	PK, KG-5	5002 W 34th St	Indianapolis	46224	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4279	472	36	13.2	58.1%	25 (5.3%)	83 (17.6%)	345 (73.1%)	14 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.1%)	9.8	921^st of 1005 public elementary schools	8.4%		7.7	956^th of 1011 public elementary schools	5.4%	35	19.7	7.1	14.8				13.6	22.2	20.2	14.8				18.9	16.7		16.7	5.8	$18,069	$3,605	$14,464
IN Math & Science Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	4575 W 38th St	Indianapolis	46254	Marion County	IN Math & Science Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 298-0025	554	41	13.5	72.0%	9 (1.6%)	388 (70.0%)	150 (27.1%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.9%)	72.4	262^nd of 1005 public elementary schools	73.9%		76.3	219^th of 1011 public elementary schools	78.3%	43	47.9	43.9	46.9	53.3	33.8	48.3	45.4	72.9	71.9	50.0	68.3	39.7	39.7	56.1	38.6	55.0	47.0	27.0	$13,699	$2,627	$11,072
Clarence Farrington School 61 - an Exploratory School	Public	PK, KG-5	4326 Patricia St	Indianapolis	46222	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4261	451	40	11.4	58.5%	24 (5.3%)	131 (29.0%)	276 (61.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (4.2%)	4.9	992^nd of 1005 public elementary schools	1.3%		6.4	977^th of 1011 public elementary schools	3.4%	15	1.6	9.1	8.8				6.1	12.5	13.6	7.0				10.9	11.4		11.4	3.5	$18,757	$3,575	$15,182
Meredith Nicholson School 96 - an Exploratory School	Public	PK, KG-5	3651 N Kiel Ave	Indianapolis	46224	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4296	391	32	12.2	56.3%	11 (2.8%)	48 (12.3%)	323 (82.6%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.8%)	16.8	845^th of 1005 public elementary schools	15.9%		10.7	923^rd of 1011 public elementary schools	8.7%	78	19.7	16.1	28.6				20.6	19.7	17.7	40.5				24.1	14.5		14.5	14.3	$18,739	$3,370	$15,369
Enlace Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	3725 Kiel Avenue	Indianapolis	46224	Marion County	Enlace Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 383-0607	686	51	13.4	81.8%	18 (2.6%)	108 (15.7%)	547 (79.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.5%)	16.6	846^th of 1005 public elementary schools	15.8%		6	989^th of 1011 public elementary schools	2.2%	143	14.7	18.7	12.2	24.3	11.1	27.4	18.1	26.7	21.3	8.2	36.5	15.3	24.3	22.1	13.5	26.5	19.7	6.8	$15,263	$3,603	$11,660
Frank H Wheeler Elementary School 4	Public	K-6	5700 Meadowood Dr	Speedway	46224	Marion County	School Town of Speedway	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 291-4274	311	23	13.6	65.9%	102 (32.8%)	89 (28.6%)	78 (25.1%)	21 (6.8%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.1%)	81.7	164^th of 1005 public elementary schools	83.7%		74	251^st of 1011 public elementary schools	75.2%	87	44.4	63.4	40.0	50.0			49.4	75.6	78.1	57.5	67.4			69.8	61.0	52.2	56.3	47.5	$12,144	$1,114	$11,030
Lew Wallace School 107 - an Exploratory School	Public	PK, KG-5	3307 Ashway Dr	Indianapolis	46224	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4107	440	34	13.1	59.5%	4 (0.9%)	185 (42.0%)	214 (48.6%)	25 (5.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.7%)	10.5	914^th of 1005 public elementary schools	9.1%		9.8	932^nd of 1011 public elementary schools	7.8%	18	12.7	7.3	10.7				10.4	21.1	36.4	17.9				24.7	7.3		7.3	5.5	$17,951	$3,533	$14,418
James A Allison Elementary School 3	Public	K-6	5240 W 22nd St	Speedway	46224	Marion County	School Town of Speedway	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 244-9836	249	18	14.0	68.7%	70 (28.1%)	81 (32.5%)	72 (28.9%)	15 (6.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.4%)	82.3	158^th of 1005 public elementary schools	84.3%		88.6	85^th of 1011 public elementary schools	91.6%	73	63.3	57.7	54.2	83.3			63.3	66.7	53.9	54.2	88.9			64.3	50.0	83.3	63.6	41.7	$13,392	$800	$12,592
Jonathan Jennings School 109 - an Exploratory School	Public	PK, KG-5	6150 Gateway Dr	Indianapolis	46254	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4109	275	23	11.9	57.5%	9 (3.3%)	74 (26.9%)	177 (64.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (5.1%)	8.9	937^th of 1005 public elementary schools	6.8%		13.5	892^nd of 1011 public elementary schools	11.8%	45	18.6	10.0	10.6				13.1	16.3	27.5	8.5				16.9	10.0		10.0	8.5	$18,898	$3,483	$15,415
Arthur C Newby Elementary School 2	Public	K-6	1849 N Whitcomb	Speedway	46224	Marion County	School Town of Speedway	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 241-0572	223	16	13.6	68.2%	75 (33.6%)	97 (43.5%)	34 (15.2%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (6.7%)	82.5	156^th of 1005 public elementary schools	84.5%		88.4	89^th of 1011 public elementary schools	91.2%	67	54.6	66.7	53.1	50.0			56.4	54.6	69.2	75.0	55.0			65.0	50.0	50.0	50.0	53.1	$13,657	$763	$12,895

Frequently Asked Questions about Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School

Is Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School a good school?

Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School ranks in the bottom 8.4% of Indiana elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School?

Students at Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School are 73% Hispanic, 18% African American, 5% White, 3% Asian, 1% Two or more races.

What district is Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School in?

Indianapolis Public Schools

What schools do graduates of Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School attend?

Students who attend Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Northwest Middle School - an IB World School
High : Arsenal Technical High School
High : Crispus Attucks High School
High : George Washington High School
High : Purdue Polytechnic High School Ind
High : Shortridge High School

How many students attend Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 472 students attended Carl Wilde School 79 Center For Inquiry - an Inquiry School.

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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.