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Louis B Russell Junior School 48

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-6

901^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,005 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 10% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Louis B Russell Junior School 48 is a public charter elementary school serving grades K-6 in Indianapolis, Indiana, with a student population of 270. The school is part of the Phalen Leadership Academy district, which is ranked 341 out of 380 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Despite the school's relatively high spending per student, ranging from $14,831 to $23,612 in recent years, its academic performance is very low compared to state averages. In the 2024-2025 school year, only 14.04% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, and 20.18% were proficient or better in Math, across all grades. The school's chronic absenteeism rates have also been very high, ranging from 62.4% to 64.9% in recent years, which is significantly higher than the state average. Additionally, the school has a very high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 80.74% to 84% in recent years, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When compared to nearby schools, such as George Washington Carver School 87 and Center for Inquiry School 27, both within a 2-mile radius, Louis B Russell Junior School 48 performs significantly worse on academic measures. However, one notable exception is Herron Preparatory Academy, which is located just 0.65 miles from Louis B Russell Junior School 48 and has significantly higher academic performance, with proficiency rates around 50% or higher in core subjects and a much lower chronic absenteeism rate of 17.8%.

274

Students ?

11.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$23,612

Per pupil spending ?

79.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3445 N Central
Indianapolis, IN 46205

(317) 226-4248

District: Phalen Leadership Academy at Louis B Russell School 48

Racial breakdown:

African American:

77.4%

Hispanic:

12.8%

Two or more races:

8.0%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Louis B Russell Junior School 48 to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 3rd percentile in 2021 → 10th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2021

✓Small classes — about 12 students per teacher

Worth a look

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

!In the lower quartile statewide (10th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (65% vs 17% Indiana)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school15%

District avg15%

Indiana avg38%

901^st of 1,005

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Bottom 10%▲ up 8 pts since 2021

From bottom 3% (2021) to bottom 10% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

341^st of 380Phalen Leadership Academy at Louis B Russell School 48 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	11.6	901 of 1005	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	12.2	906 of 1011	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.5	908 of 1016	10.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	7.2	967 of 1020	5.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	5.3	989 of 1016	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2024-2025) ?

Math20%

English Language Arts14%

Science12%

Social Studies0%-38 vs state

★

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Schools Near Louis B Russell Junior School 48

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 All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th 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
Louis B Russell Junior School 48	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	3445 N Central	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Phalen Leadership Academy at Louis B Russell School 48	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4248	274	23	11.9	79.2%	4 (1.5%)	212 (77.4%)	35 (12.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (8.0%)	11.6	901^st of 1005 public elementary schools	10.3%		12.2	906^th of 1011 public elementary schools	10.4%	5	13.9	3.2	13.6	28.0	14.0	22.2	19.4	22.7	16.0	20.2	6.5	20.0	12.5	0.0	$23,612	$6,251	$17,361
William Bell School 60 - a Butler Lab Reggio Emilia School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	3330 N Pennsylvania	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(317) 226-4369	381	37	10.4	56.4%	95 (24.9%)	202 (53.0%)	50 (13.1%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.9%)	17.3	841^st of 1005 public elementary schools	16.3%		21.2	801^st of 1011 public elementary schools	20.8%	40	14.7	21.0	28.6		21.2	22.1	21.0	28.6		23.8	21.0		21.0	14.3	$17,115	$3,120	$13,995
Herron Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	3100 N. Meridian	Indianapolis	46208	Marion County	Herron Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	No	(317) 231-0010	428	47	9.1	36.4%	194 (45.3%)	140 (32.7%)	47 (11.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	44 (10.3%)	69.7	292^nd of 1005 public elementary schools	70.9%		69.6	303^rd of 1011 public elementary schools	70.0%	11	51.4	46.9	32.7	62.0	48.7	71.6	67.4	42.9	36.0	56.3	63.3	40.0	51.5	32.7	$12,676	$1,438	$11,238
James Whitcomb Riley School 43	Public	PK, KG-5	150 W 40th St	Indianapolis	46208	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4243	240	28	8.7	72.5%	11 (4.6%)	178 (74.2%)	21 (8.8%)	4 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (10.8%)	3.5	1001^st of 1005 public elementary schools	0.4%		4.8	1000^th of 1011 public elementary schools	1.1%	1	0.0	5.3	9.7		5.3	8.0	0.0	6.3		4.2	5.1		5.1	3.1	$20,942	$3,330	$17,611
KIPP Indy Unite Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	1740 E 30th St	Indianapolis	46218	Marion County	KIPP Indy Unite Elementary	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 547-5477	721	34	21.2	98.5%	15 (2.1%)	523 (72.5%)	158 (21.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.2%)	8.1	951^st of 1005 public elementary schools	5.4%		10.3	930^th of 1011 public elementary schools	8.0%	21	10.4	13.0	10.3		11.1	13.3	20.0	23.1		18.5	6.1		6.1	0.9	$15,656	$4,123	$11,532
Mary Nicholson School 70 Center for Inquiry	Public	K-5	510 East 46th Street	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4270	351	25	14.3	21.7%	229 (65.2%)	53 (15.1%)	35 (10.0%)	7 (2.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	25 (7.1%)	81.4	167^th of 1005 public elementary schools	83.4%		70.3	296^th of 1011 public elementary schools	70.7%	129	69.4	55.4	50.0		57.9	73.5	60.7	57.4		63.5	55.4		55.4	46.3	$17,855	$3,032	$14,823
George Washington Carver School 87 - a Montessori School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	2411 Indpls Ave	Indianapolis	46208	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(317) 226-4287	246	24	10.2	45.1%	42 (17.1%)	87 (35.4%)	89 (36.2%)	4 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (9.8%)	26.2	765^th of 1005 public elementary schools	23.9%		45.1	578^th of 1011 public elementary schools	42.8%	187	33.3	18.9	29.3		27.2	31.4	29.7	29.3		30.1	21.6		21.6	24.4	$17,999	$3,350	$14,650
Charity Dye School 27 Center for Inquiry	Public	PK, KG-5	545 E 19th St	Indianapolis	46202	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4227	348	33	10.4	44.3%	100 (28.7%)	140 (40.2%)	75 (21.6%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (7.8%)	26.2	764^th of 1005 public elementary schools	24.0%		28.5	744^th of 1011 public elementary schools	26.4%	20	23.5	20.0	32.6		25.9	26.5	31.4	30.2		29.5	25.7		25.7	25.6	$19,356	$3,288	$16,068
Tindley Genesis Academy	Public, Charter	K-6	4020 Meadows Pkwy	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Tindley Genesis Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 545-1745	368	24	15.3	87.2%	1 (0.3%)	311 (84.5%)	40 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.1%)	8.4	947^th of 1005 public elementary schools	5.8%		8.5	949^th of 1011 public elementary schools	6.1%	2	22.0	3.3	11.1	16.7	13.1	22.0	5.0	8.3	16.7	13.1	1.7	13.9	6.3	8.3	$10,831	$4,264	$6,568
Liberty Grove Schools	Public, Charter	K-6	1002 W. 25th Street	Indianapolis	46208	Marion County	Liberty Grove Schools	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(317) 226-3807	227	16	12.6	100.0%	3 (1.3%)	157 (69.2%)	50 (22.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (7.5%)	6.6	966^th of 1005 public elementary schools	3.9%		5.2	996^th of 1011 public elementary schools	1.5%	30	14.3	9.1	9.1	16.1	12.1	11.4	0.0	6.1	16.1	8.3	12.1	6.5	9.4	3.0	$18,720	$1,164	$17,557

Frequently Asked Questions about Louis B Russell Junior School 48

Is Louis B Russell Junior School 48 a good school?

Louis B Russell Junior School 48 ranks in the bottom 10.3% of Indiana elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Louis B Russell Junior School 48?

Students at Louis B Russell Junior School 48 are 77% African American, 13% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 1% White.

What district is Louis B Russell Junior School 48 in?

Phalen Leadership Academy at Louis B Russell School 48

How many students attend Louis B Russell Junior School 48?

In the 2024-25 school year, 274 students attended Louis B Russell Junior School 48.

Rate Louis B Russell Junior School 48!

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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.