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

Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School

Public Grades 1-8

65^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,015 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 94% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School is a high-ability magnet elementary/middle school in Indianapolis, Indiana, serving 228 students in grades 1–8 as part of Indianapolis Public Schools.

Academically, the school is an outlier. In 2025–26 it ranked 65th of 1,015 Indiana elementary schools — the 94th percentile and a 5-star rating — even though its district ranks 316th of 374 statewide with a 1-star rating. All-grade proficiency was 60.15% in ELA, 75.94% in math, and 72.73% in science, far above the district's roughly 21% in each subject. Merle leads nearby schools in math and science, edging out Joseph J. Bingham School 84 (70.47% math, 69.09% science) and well ahead of Clearwater Elementary School, Mary Nicholson School 70, and Fox Hill Elementary School. Notably, compared with Fox Hill Elementary School, which serves a similar share of low-income students, Merle spends far more per student ($20,159 vs. $12,538) and has much smaller classes (10.8 students per teacher vs. 16.7).

Two cautions are worth watching. Chronic absenteeism jumped to 16.7% in 2024–25 from 8.5% the year before — still equal to the state average and about half the district rate, but a sharp change. ELA and science proficiency have also eased from earlier peaks (ELA fell from 77.32% in 2022–23 to 60.15%), and the school's rank has drifted from the top 1–5% to the top 6%, though it remains excellent. Grade-level highlights include 3rd-grade math at 91.67% and 5th-grade social studies at 77.36%, both well above state figures; 4th-grade ELA, at 52.27%, is the relatively weakest result but still beats the state's 42.2%.

228

Students ?

10.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$22,001

Per pupil spending ?

47.8%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

2424 Kessler Blvd E Dr
Indianapolis, IN 46220

(317) 226-4259

District: Indianapolis Public Schools

Racial breakdown:

African American:

39.0%

White:

31.1%

Hispanic:

18.9%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 100th percentile in 2016 → 94th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Indiana average (70% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 6% of Indiana elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Indianapolis Public Schools

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school70%

District avg21%

Indiana avg47%

65^th of 1,015

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Top 6%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From top 1% (2016) to top 6% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 36Elementary Schools in the Indianapolis Public Schools

316^th of 374Indianapolis 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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2026	90.3	65 of 1015	93.6%	★★★★★
2025	91.8	58 of 1005	94.2%	★★★★★
2024	95.6	23 of 1011	97.7%	★★★★★
2023	98.0	5 of 1016	99.5%	★★★★★
2022	98.3	4 of 1020	99.6%	★★★★★
2021	97.6	7 of 1016	99.3%	★★★★★
2019	95.8	10 of 1031	99.0%	★★★★★
2018	96.3	1 of 1027	99.9%	★★★★★
2017	95.7	4 of 1033	99.6%	★★★★★
2016	96.0	2 of 1046	99.8%	★★★★★
2015	97.3	1 of 1040	99.9%	★★★★★
2014	93.0	1 of 1036	99.9%	★★★★★
2013	92.8	1 of 1035	99.9%	★★★★★
2012	94.1	1 of 1015	99.9%	★★★★★
2011	93.5	1 of 1025	99.9%	★★★★★

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2024	98.0	4 of 491	99.2%	★★★★★
2023	99.0	2 of 489	99.6%	★★★★★
2022	99.3	1 of 490	99.8%	★★★★★
2021	98.5	2 of 483	99.6%	★★★★★
2019	98.1	2 of 470	99.6%	★★★★★
2018	96.5	3 of 473	99.4%	★★★★★
2017	96.9	2 of 472	99.6%	★★★★★
2016	96.8	1 of 494	99.8%	★★★★★
2015	98.6	1 of 485	99.8%	★★★★★
2014	94.6	1 of 470	99.8%	★★★★★
2013	95.1	1 of 444	99.8%	★★★★★
2012	95.6	1 of 447	99.8%	★★★★★
2011	95.2	1 of 451	99.8%	★★★★★

By subject vs Indiana (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies77%+30 vs state

Math76%

Science73%

English Language Arts60%

3.7

3 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

Rate Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability 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
Wednesday, March 3, 2021

My two children have loved being at this school. The teachers and administration are excellent and I have high expectations. I would recommend this school to parents who have engaged and smart kids who enjoy learning. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, December 16, 2019

This is such a wonderful school - we are so impressed! The curriculum is awesome and so interesting and inclusive! My son's teacher is always going the extra mile to create challenging and interesting lessons for the whole class to engage in. There are so many extra circular actives it's really hard to choose what to do. Also, the administration is fabulously wonderful. Everyone is friendly and helpful with great communication. Anything anything relevant is happening we get an email, a call, and a text alongside a weekly newsletter and a classroom newsletter. This school is the best! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Horrible school, only sounds good in theory. School is run by bullies. IPS ensures that students are not successful by mismanaging funding, policies, bullies, etc. the middle school is particularly awful. Most people who send their kids here regret it. The culture here is centered around narcissism. The lack of empathy is very difficult for normal kids to deal with. Close Quote

Schools Near Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School

Load more schools when map is moved

Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2026)					ILEARN Math (2026)					ILEARN Science (2026)			ILEARN Social Studies (2026)	Vaccination (2025-26)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
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/reduced lunch (2024-25)	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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	Vaccination: Kindergartners vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR)	Vaccination: Exemption rate	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School	Public	1-8	2424 Kessler Blvd E Dr	Indianapolis	46220	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4259	228	21	10.8	47.8%	71 (31.1%)	89 (39.0%)	43 (18.9%)	6 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (8.3%)	90.3	65^th of 1015 public elementary schools	93.6%		91.8	58^th of 1005 public elementary schools	94.2%	7	69.4	52.3	60.4		60.2	91.7	63.6	75.5		75.9	72.7		72.7	77.4			$22,001	$1,824	$20,176
ACE Preparatory Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	5326 Hillside Avenue	Indianapolis	46220	Marion County	ACE Preparatory Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 744-9847	131	12	10.9	84.7%	3 (2.3%)	103 (78.6%)	11 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (10.7%)	25.5	769^th of 1015 public elementary schools	24.2%		26.2	763^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	24.1%	6	28.6	17.7	26.7	50.0	30.7	42.9	23.5	13.3	25.0	25.8	17.7	18.8	18.2	26.7	73.1%		$12,022	$983	$11,039
Eliza Baker School 55 - a Butler Lab Reggio Emilia School	Public	PK, KG-8	1349 E 54th St	Indianapolis	46220	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 226-4255	301	21	14.3	31.6%	162 (53.8%)	74 (24.6%)	38 (12.6%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (8.0%)	39.4	623^rd of 1015 public elementary schools	38.6%		48.1	538^th of 1005 public elementary schools	46.5%	85	37.5	33.9	43.2		37.8	39.6	37.5	36.4		37.8	26.8		26.8	40.9	87%		$19,465	$1,788	$17,677
Rousseau McClellan School 91 - a Montessori School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	5111 Evanston Ave	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	Yes	No	Yes	(317) 226-4291	506	32	15.8	35.8%	219 (43.3%)	144 (28.5%)	99 (19.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (8.5%)	48.4	543^rd of 1015 public elementary schools	46.5%		45.1	572^nd of 1005 public elementary schools	43.1%	29	35.7	42.9	45.7		40.7	41.4	44.6	21.7		37.2	42.9		42.9	54.4	86.6%		$20,146	$1,564	$18,582
Joseph J. Bingham School 84	Public	K-8	440 E 57th St	Indianapolis	46220	Marion County	Indianapolis Public Schools	No	No	No	No	(317) 226-4284	360	27	13.3	11.9%	263 (73.1%)	31 (8.6%)	21 (5.8%)	7 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	37 (10.3%)	88.2	91^st of 1015 public elementary schools	91.0%		92.1	55^th of 1005 public elementary schools	94.5%	36	63.3	63.6	60.0		62.4	79.6	80.0	48.9		70.5	69.1		69.1	62.2	95.8%		$19,492	$1,349	$18,143
Mary Nicholson School 70	Public	K-8	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%)	70.6	283^rd of 1015 public elementary schools	72.1%		81.4	167^th of 1005 public elementary schools	83.4%	116	49.2	60.7	48.2		52.6	55.6	57.1	38.9		50.9	60.7		60.7	53.7	98.2%		$19,249	$1,454	$17,795
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%)	10.6	927^th of 1015 public elementary schools	8.7%		8.4	947^th of 1005 public elementary schools	5.8%	20	20.3	13.0	15.6	25.0	18.4	23.7	8.9	4.4	10.0	12.7	20.0	10.0	15.3	6.7	88.7%		$9,490	$1,858	$7,632
Avondale Meadows Academy	Public, Charter	K-4	3980 Meadows Dr	Indianapolis	46205	Marion County	Avondale Meadows Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(317) 803-3182	332	25	13.2	93.7%	1 (0.3%)	285 (85.8%)	23 (6.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	20 (6.0%)	5.9	985^th of 1015 public elementary schools	3.0%		6.4	968^th of 1005 public elementary schools	3.7%	17	8.8	10.8			9.5	14.7	16.2			15.2	13.5		13.5		61.1%		$13,781	$3,252	$10,529
GEO Next Generation Elementary Academy	Public, Charter	K-6	4020 N Sherman Drive	Indianapolis	46226	Marion County	GEO Next Generation Elementary Academy	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(317) 608-6220	0			—	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	7.5	962^nd of 1015 public elementary schools	5.2%					(n/a)	4.6	12.9	20.7	10.5	11.3	11.4	3.2	6.9	15.8	9.9	12.9	13.2	13.0	6.9
Clearwater Elementary School	Public	K-5	3575 E 79th Street	Indianapolis	46240	Marion County	MSD Washington Township	No	No	No	Yes	(317) 259-5465	750	39	19.2	39.6%	347 (46.3%)	234 (31.2%)	94 (12.5%)	11 (1.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	62 (8.3%)	82.7	152^nd of 1015 public elementary schools	85.0%		79.2	191^st of 1005 public elementary schools	81.0%	39	54.7	55.6	58.9		56.4	70.8	65.1	57.4		64.5	59.5		59.5	61.2	91.1%		$12,688	$804	$11,884

Frequently Asked Questions about Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School

What district is Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School in?

Indianapolis Public Schools

What is the racial makeup of Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School?

Students at Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School are 39% African American, 31% White, 19% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

How many students attend Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 228 students attended Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School.

Is Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School a good school?

Yes. Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School ranks in the top 6.4% of Indiana elementary schools.

Rate Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

INIndiana Elementary School Rankings

INIndiana District Rankings

Schools in Indianapolis, IN

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Merle Sidener Academy 59 - a High Ability School!

Latest Indiana data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataOct 28, 2026

2025–26 attendance dataOct 28, 2026

2024–25 through 2025–26 immunization rates (updated)Oct 20, 2026

2023–24 immunization rates (updated)Oct 19, 2026

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.