Best Public Schools in Waterloo, IN

The city of Waterloo, Indiana is home to three schools serving students from elementary through high school: DeKalb High School, DeKalb Middle School, and Waterloo Elementary School. These schools are part of the DeKalb County Ctl United School District.

Among the three schools, DeKalb High School stands out with a 4-star rating and a statewide ranking of 81st out of 431 Indiana high schools. The school boasts a relatively high 4-year graduation rate of 88.4% and strong performance on standardized tests, with 54.51% proficiency in SAT/Evidence-based Reading and Writing. In contrast, Waterloo Elementary School struggles, with only 20.22% proficiency in ILEARN/English Language Arts and 42.7% in ILEARN/Math for all grades.

The data also reveals a concerning trend of high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 17.8% across all three schools. Additionally, Waterloo Elementary School has the highest free/reduced lunch rate at 72.32%, suggesting a lower socioeconomic status of the student population, which may be a contributing factor to the school's lower academic performance. Despite the higher spending per student at Waterloo Elementary School, the disparities in performance and resources across the district highlight the need for targeted interventions and support to ensure equitable educational opportunities for all students in Waterloo, Indiana.