Summary:
Tri Central Middle-High School in Sharpsville, IN is the single high school serving Tri-Central Community Schools, enrolling 389 students across grades 6–12, which makes it both the district's only high school and its middle school for grades 6–8. Because it is the only school in the district, there are no peer schools to compare it against; instead, its performance is best measured against the district and the state. The district itself ranks 196 of 374 schools, in the 48th percentile with 2 stars, and the school's broader context includes a 44.47% free/reduced lunch rate, a 12.5 student-teacher ratio, and $12,892 in per-student spending in 2023–2024.
The strongest parts of the profile are completion and attendance. The graduation rate is 96.6%, which is 6.9 percentage points above the state's 89.7%, and chronic absenteeism is 14.9%, below the state's 16.7%. Academically, 7th grade ELA is a clear bright spot at 52.38% proficient, well above the state's 41.7%. Math for all grades also improved year over year, rising from 17.96% to 21.3%, and ELA for all grades climbed from 26.35% to 36.69%.
Those gains are offset by serious weaknesses, most notably 8th grade. Only 3.92% of 8th graders were proficient in math versus 34.2% statewide, and 8th grade ELA was 21.57% against the state's 44%. High-school math swung hard: SAT Math fell from 27.59% proficient (above the state's 25.4%) to 15.91% (below the state's 25.6%). Science for all grades dropped from 37.5% to 32.73%, and Biology End of Course fell from 50% to 41.67%. The school's accountability rating fell from 4 stars and 122 of 429 schools in 2024–2025 to 2 stars and 214 of 415 in 2025–2026. Parents should note the standout 7th grade ELA results and the urgent need for support in middle-school math, especially grade 8, and high-school math readiness.
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