Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

Public 2-8

 2424 Kessler Blvd E Dr
       Indianapolis, IN  46220


(317) 226-4259

District: Indianapolis Public Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
2nd of 489 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $15,516 Help


Student/teacher ratio:  15.7 Help
Number of students:  300

Racial breakdown:

White:
40.0%
African American:
27.7%
Hispanic:
21.7%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  44% Help


 See top rated Indiana middle schools

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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Merle Sidener Gifted Academy ranks better than 99.5% of elementary schools in Indiana. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 97.97. (See more...)
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Compare Details Merle Sidener Gifted Academy ranks better than 99.6% of middle schools in Indiana. It also ranks first among 5 ranked middle schools in the Indianapolis Public Schools District! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 98.98. (See more...)
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Chronic absenteeism in a high school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Merle Sidener Gifted Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (40%), African American (27.7%), Hispanic (21.7%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 44% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Merle Sidener Gifted Academy is 15.7. 4 middle schools in the Indianapolis Public Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Merle Sidener Gifted Academy employs 19 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Merle Sidener Gifted Academy is $15,516. 4 middle schools in the Indianapolis Public Schools District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Merle Sidener Gifted Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Merle Sidener Gifted Academy 2nd of 489 Indiana public middle schools. (See Merle Sidener Gifted Academy in the ranking list.)

Indianapolis Public Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Indianapolis Public Schools 276th of 364 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Merle Sidener Gifted Academy?

Rank History for Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 93.48 1st 1025 99.9%
2012 94.07 1st 1015 99.9%
2013 92.83 1st 1035 99.9%
2014 92.99 1st 1036 99.9%
2015 97.25 1st 1040 99.9%
2016 96.04 2nd 1046 99.8%
2017 95.66 4th 1033 99.6%
2018 96.34 1st 1027 99.9%
2019 95.78 10th 1031 99.0%
2021 97.64 7th 1016 99.3%
2022 98.35 4th 1020 99.6%
2023 97.97 5th 1016 99.5%
See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools IN State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2011 95.24 1st 451 99.8%
2012 95.56 1st 447 99.8%
2013 95.08 1st 444 99.8%
2014 94.60 1st 470 99.8%
2015 98.63 1st 485 99.8%
2016 96.76 1st 494 99.8%
2017 96.89 2nd 472 99.6%
2018 96.54 3rd 473 99.4%
2019 98.14 2nd 470 99.6%
2021 98.51 2nd 483 99.6%
2022 99.29 1st 490 99.8%
2023 98.98 2nd 489 99.6%
See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Merle Sidener Gifted Academy Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 










Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3.7)
67%

0%

0%

0%

33%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Open Quote 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

Open Quote 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

Open Quote 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



Enrollment information for Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2009 69 74 1 22 0 n/a n/a 13 179
2010 86 88 1 21 0 n/a n/a 17 213
2011 111 102 2 28 0 0 23 0 266
2012 139 107 2 30 0 0 30 0 308
2013 145 114 8 33 0 0 24 0 324
2014 166 108 11 41 0 0 24 0 350
2015 174 92 9 41 0 0 37 0 353
2016 183 101 7 47 0 0 43 0 381
2017 186 93 7 56 0 1 39 0 382
2018 173 91 5 54 0 0 34 0 357
2019 172 80 5 59 0 0 35 0 351
2020 175 82 5 65 1 0 33 0 361
2021 177 71 6 63 0 0 35 0 352
2022 143 75 6 60 0 0 30 0 314
2023 120 83 6 65 0 0 26 0 300

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 179 12.5 14.3 79.5
2010 213 14.6 14.5 74
2011 266 15.5 17.1 65
2012 308 25.0 12.3 63
2013 324 20.0 16.2 57.4
2014 350 15.0 23.3 52.3
2015 353 19.0 18.5 41.6
2016 381 n/a n/a 34.9
2017 382 21.0 18.1 35.9
2018 357 19.3 18.4 43.7
2019 351 19.0 18.4 35.6
2020 361 20.3 17.7 37.1
2021 352 18.0 19.5 36.4
2022 314 20.0 15.7 41.7
2023 300 19.0 15.7 44

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2009 179 12.5 14.3 79.5
2010 213 14.6 14.5 74
2011 266 15.5 17.1 65
2012 308 25.0 12.3 63
2013 324 20.0 16.2 57.4
2014 350 15.0 23.3 52.3
2015 353 19.0 18.5 41.6
2016 381 n/a n/a 34.9
2017 382 21.0 18.1 35.9
2018 357 19.3 18.4 43.7
2019 351 19.0 18.4 35.6
2020 361 20.3 17.7 37.1
2021 352 18.0 19.5 36.4
2022 314 20.0 15.7 41.7
2023 300 19.0 15.7 44

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,037 (9.6%) $9,793 (90.4%) $10,830
2020 $1,096 (9.0%) $11,043 (91.0%) $12,140
2021 $1,040 (7.5%) $12,876 (92.5%) $13,916
2022 $1,968 (12.7%) $13,547 (87.3%) $15,516

Data source: Indiana Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 10th of 1031 Elementary schoolsRanks 5th of 1016 Elementary schools
 0.5%
Ranks 2nd of 470 Middle schoolsRanks 2nd of 489 Middle schools
 0%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)88.664.5
 24.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indianapolis Public Schools)19.421.5
 2.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)46.339.7
 6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)91.483.9
 7.5%
   3rd Grade Math (Indianapolis Public Schools)28.730.6
 1.9%
   3rd Grade Math (Indiana)58.753.1
 5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)81.377.8
 3.5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Indianapolis Public Schools)19.919.9
 0%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)45.840.3
 5.5%
4th Grade Math (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)81.388.9
 7.6%
   4th Grade Math (Indianapolis Public Schools)2525
 0%
   4th Grade Math (Indiana)5448.8
 5.2%
4th Grade Science (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)85.488.9
 3.5%
   4th Grade Science (Indianapolis Public Schools)18.116.2
 1.9%
   4th Grade Science (Indiana)46.337
 9.3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)72.780.4
 7.7%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Indianapolis Public Schools)2219.6
 2.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)47.540.2
 7.3%
5th Grade Math (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)69.187
 17.9%
   5th Grade Math (Indianapolis Public Schools)20.120.1
 0%
   5th Grade Math (Indiana)47.841.1
 6.7%
5th Grade Social Studies (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)78.280.4
 2.2%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Indianapolis Public Schools)16.915.2
 1.7%
   5th Grade Social Studies (Indiana)4639.1
 6.9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)81.568.4
 13.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Indianapolis Public Schools)2223
 1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)47.840.8
 7%
6th Grade Math (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)77.873.7
 4.1%
   6th Grade Math (Indianapolis Public Schools)18.818.7
 0.1%
   6th Grade Math (Indiana)46.438.3
 8.1%
6th Grade Science (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)83.380.7
 2.6%
   6th Grade Science (Indianapolis Public Schools)1817.8
 0.2%
   6th Grade Science (Indiana)48.638.2
 10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)82.181
 1.2%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Indianapolis Public Schools)23.921.6
 2.3%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)49.739.5
 10.2%
7th Grade Math (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)7581
 5.9%
   7th Grade Math (Indianapolis Public Schools)16.115.5
 0.6%
   7th Grade Math (Indiana)4232.9
 9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)82.587.7
 5.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Indianapolis Public Schools)27.428.6
 1.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)50.743.8
 6.9%
8th Grade Math (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)78.973.7
 5.2%
   8th Grade Math (Indianapolis Public Schools)1514.7
 0.3%
   8th Grade Math (Indiana)3831.4
 6.6%
End of Course Biology (Merle Sidener Gifted Academy)38.625
 13.6%
   End of Course Biology (Indianapolis Public Schools)9.44.5
 4.9%
   End of Course Biology (Indiana)38.629
 9.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students351300
 14.5%
African American8083
 3.8%
American Indian00
Asian56
 20%
Hispanic5965
 10.2%
Pacific Islander00
White172120
 30.2%
Two or More Races3526
 25.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients35.6%44%
 8.4%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

Students at Merle Sidener Gifted Academy are 40% White, 28% African American, 22% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Yes! Merle Sidener Gifted Academy is one of the best middle schools in the state. It ranks 2nd of 489 Indiana middle schools.

In the 2022-23 school year, 300 students attended Merle Sidener Gifted Academy.


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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. School Attendance Areas provided by ATTOM.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that school and district boundary data 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.





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