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Bittersweet Elementary School

Q: Is Bittersweet Elementary School a good school?

Bittersweet Elementary School ranks 123 rd of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

123^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,015 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 88% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Bittersweet Elementary School is a PK–5 school with 494 students at 55860 Bittersweet in Mishawaka, IN, part of the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp. It is a consistently high-performing school: in 2025–2026 it ranked 123rd of 1,015 Indiana elementary schools (88th percentile, 4 stars), after 95th of 1,005 (91st percentile, 5 stars) in 2024–2025 and 81st of 1,011 (92nd percentile, 5 stars) in 2023–2024. Its profile stands out for strong math, very low chronic absenteeism, low per-pupil spending, and the highest student-teacher ratio among nearby comparison schools.

Math is Bittersweet’s clearest strength. Its all-grade math proficiency is 72.20, second only to Horizon Elementary School (73.96) among nearby schools and well above Elsie Rogers Elementary School (62.07), Moran Elementary School (58.97), Elm Road Elementary School (53.64), and Walt Disney Elementary School (45.38). Third-grade math is especially strong at 81.08, 29.18 points above the state. All-grade ELA is 59.64, strong but behind Horizon Elementary School (62.60) and Elsie Rogers Elementary School (61.49); third- and fourth-grade ELA are excellent, while fifth-grade ELA (55.84) is below the district average and behind several nearby peers. Science is Bittersweet’s most persistent relative weakness: all-grade science is 55.56, below the district’s 61.91 and behind Horizon Elementary School (68.42) and Elsie Rogers Elementary School (61.40), though still above the state. Fifth-grade social studies is strong at 59.74, second nearby after Horizon Elementary School (73.73).

Bittersweet’s chronic absenteeism rate is exceptionally low at 5.2%, compared with 8.4% for the district and 16.7% statewide; only Horizon Elementary School is lower nearby at 3.8%. Bittersweet also has the highest student-teacher ratio in the comparison set (21.4) and the second-lowest per-pupil spending ($9,461 in 2023–2024), while its free/reduced lunch rate has risen from 28.46% to 34.01% over two years without disrupting achievement. Compared with schools in the lower-ranked School City of Mishawaka district, Bittersweet’s proficiency levels are far higher, though those comparisons are not perfectly apples-to-apples because of district and grade-range differences. Overall, Bittersweet is a strong choice for families seeking high achievement, excellent attendance, and spending efficiency, with the clearest opportunities for improvement in upper-elementary ELA, science, and managing class size.

494

Students ?

21.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,461

Per pupil spending ?

34.0%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

55860 Bittersweet
Mishawaka, IN 46545

(574) 259-6341

District: Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp

Students who attend Bittersweet Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Schmucker Middle School
High:	Penn High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

80.4%

African American:

7.7%

Hispanic:

5.5%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Bittersweet Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 76th percentile in 2016 → 88th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Indiana average (64% vs 47% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 12% of Indiana elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 12 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school64%

District avg62%

Indiana avg47%

123^rd of 1,015

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Top 12%▲ up 11 pts since 2016

From top 24% (2016) to top 12% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 11Elementary Schools in the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp

34^th of 374Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp 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	86.3	123 of 1015	87.9%	★★★★☆
2025	88.8	95 of 1005	90.5%	★★★★★
2024	89.0	81 of 1011	92.0%	★★★★★
2023	86.3	108 of 1016	89.4%	★★★★☆
2022	88.3	88 of 1020	91.4%	★★★★★
2021	86.8	106 of 1016	89.6%	★★★★☆
2019	86.4	103 of 1031	90.0%	★★★★★
2018	75.2	226 of 1027	78.0%	★★★★☆
2017	76.4	209 of 1033	79.8%	★★★★☆
2016	73.4	246 of 1046	76.5%	★★★★☆
2015	68.7	321 of 1040	69.1%	★★★☆☆
2014	72.8	240 of 1036	76.8%	★★★★☆
2013	60.1	478 of 1035	53.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	76.9	199 of 1015	80.4%	★★★★☆
2011	45.2	691 of 1025	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	53.3	562 of 1009	44.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	53.3	548 of 1003	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	72.4	229 of 996	77.0%	★★★★☆
2007	73.4	212 of 985	78.5%	★★★★☆
2006	71.8	229 of 961	76.2%	★★★★☆
2005	64.2	332 of 959	65.4%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2025-2026) ?

Math72%

Social Studies60%+13 vs state

English Language Arts60%

Science56%

★

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Schools Near Bittersweet Elementary 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
Bittersweet Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	55860 Bittersweet	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 259-6341	494	23	21.4	34.0%	397 (80.4%)	38 (7.7%)	27 (5.5%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (4.9%)	86.3	123^rd of 1015 public elementary schools	87.9%		88.8	95^th of 1005 public elementary schools	90.5%	28	62.2	61.1	55.8		59.6	81.1	70.8	64.9		72.2	55.6		55.6	59.7	$9,461	$395	$9,066
Elsie Rogers Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	56219 Currant Rd	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 259-5231	361	22	16.7	40.7%	273 (75.6%)	9 (2.5%)	39 (10.8%)	12 (3.3%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (7.2%)	79.3	189^th of 1015 public elementary schools	81.4%		73.5	254^th of 1005 public elementary schools	74.7%	65	59.3	66.7	58.7		61.5	66.7	68.4	52.4		62.1	61.4		61.4	41.3	$9,435	$978	$8,457
Twin Branch Elementary School	Public	K-6	3810 Lincoln Way E	Mishawaka	46544	St. Joseph County	School City of Mishawaka	No	No	No	No	(574) 254-3500	300	21	14.5	38.0%	236 (78.7%)	13 (4.3%)	23 (7.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (8.7%)	61.9	375^th of 1015 public elementary schools	63.1%		69.6	293^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	70.8%	82	51.0	27.8	35.9	38.6	39.0	55.1	55.6	52.8	65.9	57.1	41.7	50.0	46.3	41.5	$10,999	$749	$10,250
Moran Elementary School	Public	K-5	305 N Beech Rd	Osceola	46561	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 674-8504	389	22	18.0	42.4%	305 (78.4%)	17 (4.4%)	35 (9.0%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (6.9%)	74.8	238^th of 1015 public elementary schools	76.6%		73.9	245^th of 1005 public elementary schools	75.6%	7	54.2	44.3	60.6		52.8	61.0	55.7	60.6		59.0	55.7		55.7	53.0	$11,572	$778	$10,794
Fred J Hums Elementary School	Public	K-6	3208 Harrison Rd	Mishawaka	46544	St. Joseph County	School City of Mishawaka	No	No	No	No	(574) 254-3800	327	18	17.8	25.1%	234 (71.6%)	20 (6.1%)	39 (11.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (9.5%)	53	485^th of 1015 public elementary schools	52.2%		65.8	330^th of 1005 public elementary schools	67.2%	155	31.4	23.2	47.3	59.1	39.3	41.2	30.4	60.0	63.6	48.1	23.2	56.8	38.0	45.5	$10,385	$927	$9,458
Beiger Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-6	1600 E Third St	Mishawaka	46544	St. Joseph County	School City of Mishawaka	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 254-4700	504	31	16.0	30.0%	346 (68.7%)	44 (8.7%)	55 (10.9%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (11.1%)	30.2	716^th of 1015 public elementary schools	29.5%		44.4	576^th of 1005 public elementary schools	42.7%	140	33.3	16.3	30.9	12.7	23.5	49.2	36.7	30.9	23.8	35.2	32.7	25.4	28.6	34.6	$12,348	$1,371	$10,977
Walt Disney Elementary School	Public	K-5	4015 N Filbert Rd	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 259-2486	512	32	16.0	61.3%	195 (38.1%)	158 (30.9%)	70 (13.7%)	40 (7.8%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	45 (8.8%)	55.1	455^th of 1015 public elementary schools	55.2%		57.4	433^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	56.9%	22	38.9	43.8	47.8		43.5	44.4	55.0	37.8		45.4	41.3		41.3	46.7	$10,590	$1,349	$9,241
Liberty Elementary School	Public	K-6	600 E Pregel Dr	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	School City of Mishawaka	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 254-3700	446	31	14.2	38.1%	246 (55.2%)	95 (21.3%)	48 (10.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (12.3%)	15.4	867^th of 1015 public elementary schools	14.6%		19.4	818^th of 1005 public elementary schools	18.6%	49	21.3	23.5	14.5	18.0	19.0	31.2	17.7	19.7	21.3	22.5	15.7	19.7	17.9	17.4	$11,645	$1,435	$10,209
Battell Elementary School	Public	K-6	715 E Broadway	Mishawaka	46545	St. Joseph County	School City of Mishawaka	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 254-3900	291	22	12.9	43.3%	173 (59.5%)	48 (16.5%)	26 (8.9%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (13.7%)	42	604^th of 1015 public elementary schools	40.5%		39	633^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	37.0%	29	29.7	53.9	32.6	21.4	34.2	37.8	51.3	30.4	16.7	33.5	51.3	28.6	39.5	43.5	$11,084	$1,416	$9,668
Elm Road Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	59400 Elm Rd	Mishawaka	46544	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 259-3743	503	31	16.0	42.1%	355 (70.6%)	47 (9.3%)	51 (10.1%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (8.9%)	67	321^st of 1015 public elementary schools	68.4%		66.8	321^st of 1005 public elementary schools	68.1%		40.2	51.2	50.6		47.1	54.4	57.0	49.4		53.6	52.3		52.3	50.6	$10,150	$834	$9,316

Frequently Asked Questions about Bittersweet Elementary School

Is Bittersweet Elementary School a good school?

Bittersweet Elementary School ranks 123^rd of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Bittersweet Elementary School?

Students at Bittersweet Elementary School are 80% White, 8% African American, 5% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Bittersweet Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Bittersweet Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Schmucker Middle School
High : Penn High School

What district is Bittersweet Elementary School in?

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp

How many students attend Bittersweet Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 494 students attended Bittersweet Elementary School.

Rate Bittersweet Elementary School!

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Schools in Mishawaka, 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.