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Lancaster Central School

Q: Is Lancaster Central School a good school?

Lancaster Central School ranks 374 th of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

374^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,015 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 63% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Lancaster Central School is a PK–5 elementary school in Bluffton, Indiana, serving 533 students as part of Norwell Community Schools, and it ranks above the state median but below its district’s overall standing. In 2025–2026, the school placed at the 63rd percentile with 3 stars, while the district ranked at the 78th percentile with 4 stars. That is a long-term decline from 2015–2018, when the school was at the 81st–83rd percentile with 4 stars, and recent years have ranged from the 61st to 73rd percentile.

Academically, Math and 5th grade are relative strengths. All-grades Math was 54.17%, above the district’s 52.78%; 3rd-grade Math was 65.43%, and 5th-grade ELA, Math, and Social Studies were all above district and state. Social Studies was 56.31%, 9.1 points above the state. However, all-grades ELA was 42.05%, below the district’s 49.81%, and Science was 38.75%, far below the district’s 51.00%. The clearest concern is 4th grade, which was below district and state in ELA, Math, and Science. Compared with same-district Ossian Elementary, Lancaster Central School is stronger in overall ELA (42.05 vs. 38.46) and Math (54.17 vs. 49.62), but Ossian is far ahead in Science (58.82 vs. 38.75).

Chronic absenteeism is a clear strength: 9.6% in 2024–2025, below the district’s 10.4% and the state’s 16.7%, and below 10% for five straight years. About 40.71% of students qualified for free/reduced lunch, up from 36.9%, while per-student spending was $10,727 and the student–teacher ratio was 14.7. Compared with nearby Bluffton-Harrison Elementary School, the school ranks higher and has higher ELA, Math, and Science proficiency, but Bluffton-Harrison has lower absenteeism (5.9%) and higher poverty (58% free/reduced lunch). It also outperforms Southern Wells Elementary School and Fort Wayne’s Maplewood Elementary School and Waynedale Elementary School, is competitive with Adams Central Elementary School and South Adams Elementary School in different subjects, but trails the high-performing Lafayette Meadow School, a 92nd-percentile, 5-star school with much lower absenteeism and poverty. Overall, it is a solid 3-star, above-average school whose main opportunities are 4th-grade ELA/Math, Science instruction, and reversing its rank decline.

533

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,727

Per pupil spending ?

40.7%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

3240 E 300 N
Bluffton, IN 46714

(260) 565-3135

District: Norwell Community Schools

Students who attend Lancaster Central School usually attend:

Middle:	Norwell Middle School
High:	Norwell High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

86.1%

Hispanic:

7.9%

Two or more races:

3.4%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Lancaster Central School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 83rd percentile in 2016 → 63rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Indiana median (63rd percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school48%

District avg51%

Indiana avg47%

374^th of 1,015

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Top 37%▼ down 20 pts since 2016

From top 17% (2016) to top 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2Elementary Schools in the Norwell Community Schools

82^nd of 374Norwell Community 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)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Indiana percentile	Rating
2026	61.9	374 of 1015	63.2%	★★★☆☆
2025	60.5	395 of 1005	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	72.0	271 of 1011	73.2%	★★★★☆
2023	65.6	353 of 1016	65.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.8	306 of 1020	70.0%	★★★★☆
2021	71.8	279 of 1016	72.5%	★★★★☆
2019	66.5	344 of 1031	66.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	77.9	190 of 1027	81.5%	★★★★☆
2017	77.1	194 of 1033	81.2%	★★★★☆
2016	78.8	174 of 1046	83.4%	★★★★☆
2015	61.9	430 of 1040	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2014	75.1	200 of 1036	80.7%	★★★★☆
2013	78.1	166 of 1035	84.0%	★★★★☆
2012	78.8	162 of 1015	84.0%	★★★★☆
2011	79.4	139 of 1025	86.4%	★★★★☆
2010	82.1	109 of 1009	89.2%	★★★★☆
2009	68.8	313 of 1003	68.8%	★★★☆☆
2008	72.2	232 of 996	76.7%	★★★★☆
2007	59.2	445 of 985	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	61.1	399 of 961	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2005	50.2	544 of 959	43.3%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies56%+9 vs state

Math54%

English Language Arts42%

Science39%

★

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Schools Near Lancaster Central School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2026)					ILEARN Math (2026)					ILEARN Science (2026)			ILEARN Social Studies (2026)	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/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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lancaster Central School	Public	PK, KG-5	3240 E 300 N	Bluffton	46714	Wells County	Norwell Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 565-3135	533	36	14.7	40.7%	459 (86.1%)	7 (1.3%)	42 (7.9%)	7 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (3.4%)	61.9	374^th of 1015 public elementary schools	63.2%		60.5	395^th of 1005 public elementary schools	60.7%	21	39.5	38.8	46.6		42.1	65.4	47.5	50.5		54.2	38.8		38.8	56.3	$10,727	$930	$9,797
Bluffton-Harrison Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1100 E Spring St	Bluffton	46714	Wells County	MSD Bluffton-Harrison	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 824-0333	750	51	14.8	58.0%	605 (80.7%)	22 (2.9%)	83 (11.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (5.1%)	39.6	622^nd of 1015 public elementary schools	38.7%		40	623^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	38.0%	1	35.3	27.4			31.3	51.1	40.7			45.9	35.6		35.6		$9,429	$697	$8,732
Ossian Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	213 S Jefferson	Ossian	46777	Wells County	Norwell Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 622-4179	566	38	14.9	33.9%	510 (90.1%)	7 (1.2%)	31 (5.5%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.5%)	55.9	440^th of 1015 public elementary schools	56.7%		63.6	356^th of 1005 public elementary schools	64.6%	84	38.2	45.4	31.8		38.5	56.2	60.5	31.8		49.6	58.8		58.8	37.7	$11,126	$800	$10,326
Adams Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	222 W Washington St	Monroe	46772	Adams County	Adams Central Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 692-6629	621	46	13.6	27.4%	571 (91.9%)	3 (0.5%)	32 (5.2%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (1.9%)	55.6	445^th of 1015 public elementary schools	56.2%		65.9	328^th of 1005 public elementary schools	67.4%	117	39.4	43.0	30.7		37.7	61.6	60.5	39.8		54.2	48.8		48.8	34.1	$10,493	$1,363	$9,130
Bellmont Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1200 North Adams Drive	Decatur	46733	Adams County	North Adams Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 724-3633	684	52	13.1	54.8%	526 (76.9%)	19 (2.8%)	78 (11.4%)	2 (0.3%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	53 (7.7%)	52	502^nd of 1015 public elementary schools	50.5%		47.4	544^th of 1005 public elementary schools	45.9%	42	39.8	37.8	33.7		37.1	59.1	49.0	41.1		49.7	40.8		40.8	43.2	$11,404	$2,441	$8,963
Southern Wells Elementary School	Public	K-6	9120 S 300 W	Poneto	46781	Wells County	Southern Wells Com Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 728-2121	496	28	17.7	44.6%	471 (95.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	35.4	670^th of 1015 public elementary schools	34.0%		37.8	641^st of 1005 public elementary schools	36.2%	29	40.9	35.6	28.6	35.9	35.3	46.5	33.9	27.1	26.9	33.5	28.8	25.6	27.0	30.0	$8,914	$262	$8,652
South Adams Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1012 Starfire Way	Berne	46711	Adams County	South Adams Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 589-1101	671	48	14.1	49.3%	583 (86.9%)	3 (0.4%)	63 (9.4%)	8 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (1.9%)	65.2	342^nd of 1015 public elementary schools	66.3%		64.8	340^th of 1005 public elementary schools	66.2%	2	51.4	40.4	45.9		46.1	67.6	51.5	65.9		61.6	35.1		35.1	49.4	$11,729	$2,227	$9,502
Salamonie Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1063 E 900 S	Warren	46792	Huntington County	Huntington County Com School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 468-3093	273	22	12.6	46.9%	254 (93.0%)	2 (0.7%)	13 (4.8%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.7%)	51	513^th of 1015 public elementary schools	49.5%		61	385^th of 1005 public elementary schools	61.7%	128	46.0	31.0	35.4		36.4	67.6	48.3	45.8		52.5	38.6		38.6	37.5	$10,970	$538	$10,432
Maplewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2200 Maplewood Rd	Fort Wayne	46819	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-7150	477	33	14.5	71.5%	145 (30.4%)	134 (28.1%)	73 (15.3%)	67 (14.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (11.9%)	22.8	801^st of 1015 public elementary schools	21.1%		23.9	783^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	22.1%	18	26.7	33.3	26.1		28.2	34.4	36.4	16.3		28.2	19.7		19.7	22.8	$12,145	$2,021	$10,124
Waynedale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7201 Elzey	Fort Wayne	46809	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-8820	383	28	13.6	68.4%	161 (42.0%)	96 (25.1%)	64 (16.7%)	20 (5.2%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (10.2%)	43.8	588^th of 1015 public elementary schools	42.1%		28.4	743^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	26.1%	155	45.0	46.2	30.2		41.7	45.0	46.2	30.2		41.7	30.8		30.8	30.2	$12,634	$2,173	$10,460

Frequently Asked Questions about Lancaster Central School

What is the racial makeup of Lancaster Central School?

Students at Lancaster Central School are 86% White, 8% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 1% African American, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Lancaster Central School attend?

Students who attend Lancaster Central School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Norwell Middle School
High : Norwell High School

How many students attend Lancaster Central School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 533 students attended Lancaster Central School.

What district is Lancaster Central School in?

Norwell Community Schools

Is Lancaster Central School a good school?

Lancaster Central School ranks 374^th of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Lancaster Central School!

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Schools in Bluffton, IN

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Latest Indiana data All new data »

2025–26 ILEARN & SAT test scoresSep 25, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 5, 2026

2024–25 attendance dataSep 4, 2025

2022–23 through 2023–24 school spending dataJul 16, 2025

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.