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Ethel R Jones Elementary School

Q: Is Ethel R Jones Elementary School a good school?

Ethel R Jones Elementary School ranks 563 rd of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

563^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,015 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 45% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Ethel R Jones Elementary School is a K–5 school in Portage, Indiana, serving 363 students as part of Portage Township Schools, a district ranked 260th of 374 in Indiana. The school's own 2025–2026 rank is 563rd of 1,015 schools (45th percentile, 2 stars), a step back from 51st percentile and 3 stars the previous year and far below its 2015–2016 position of 78th percentile and 4 stars. Attendance is a bright spot: chronic absenteeism fell from 24.1% in 2021–2022 to 16.9% in 2024–2025, slightly above the state rate of 16.7% but better than the district's 20.3%.

Math is the school's clearest strength. All-grade math proficiency was 47.56%, the highest among the listed Portage elementary peers and well above the district's 30.14% — ahead of George L Myers Elementary School (44.51%), Crisman Elementary School (42.86%), South Haven Elementary School (42.25%) and others. Grade-level math beats the district at every grade and sits near the state average in grades 3–4. Science proficiency (37.21%) also tops the district's 30.95%, second locally only to South Haven's 50%, though it trails the state's 43.8%. Fifth-grade social studies (32.26%) is above the district but below the state's 47.2%, continuing a volatile but recently improving trend.

English language arts is the main academic concern. All-grade ELA was 35.37%, only slightly above the district's 33.67% and fifth of eight Portage peers. That average hides a steep grade-level drop: third-grade ELA is strong at 47.46%, but fourth grade falls to 32.56% and fifth grade to 25.81% — roughly 16 points below the state in fifth grade. Notably, Ethel R Jones spends more per student ($12,409) than any listed Portage elementary yet has one of the higher student–teacher ratios (16.8). Newton Yost Elementary School, with a similar free/reduced lunch rate (40.33% vs. 43.53%), posts much higher ELA (62.33%), math (67.12%) and science (61.84%), plus lower absenteeism and a smaller ratio — suggesting similar economic context does not automatically produce similar results.

363

Students ?

16.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,409

Per pupil spending ?

43.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2374 McCool Rd
Portage, IN 46368

(219) 763-8025

District: Portage Township Schools

Students who attend Ethel R Jones Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Willowcreek Middle School
High:	Portage High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

54.3%

Hispanic:

30.6%

African American:

11.8%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Ethel R Jones Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 78th percentile in 2016 → 45th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Indiana average (40% vs 47% meeting standards)

!Ranking has slipped — down 33 percentile points since 2016

!Social Studies scores 15 pts below the Indiana average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school40%

District avg32%

Indiana avg47%

563^rd of 1,015

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Bottom 45%▼ down 33 pts since 2016

From top 22% (2016) to bottom 45% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 8Elementary Schools in the Portage Township Schools

260^th of 374Portage Township 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	45.9	563 of 1015	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2025	51.3	495 of 1005	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	48.4	543 of 1011	46.3%	★★☆☆☆
2023	48.4	553 of 1016	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.7	512 of 1020	49.8%	★★☆☆☆
2021	36.5	692 of 1016	31.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.7	536 of 1031	48.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	63.4	408 of 1027	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	62.3	437 of 1033	57.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	74.3	235 of 1046	77.5%	★★★★☆
2015	78.5	163 of 1040	84.3%	★★★★☆
2014	68.3	340 of 1036	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2013	72.8	251 of 1035	75.7%	★★★★☆
2012	82.6	103 of 1015	89.9%	★★★★☆
2011	85.0	69 of 1025	93.3%	★★★★★
2010	82.5	103 of 1009	89.8%	★★★★☆
2009	71.8	262 of 1003	73.9%	★★★★☆
2008	74.4	199 of 996	80.0%	★★★★☆
2007	77.3	165 of 985	83.2%	★★★★☆
2006	60.8	400 of 961	58.4%	★★★☆☆
2005	57.1	457 of 959	52.3%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2025-2026) ?

Math48%

Science37%

English Language Arts35%

Social Studies32%-15 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ethel R Jones 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/Discounted Lunch Recipients (2025)	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 All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Science 4th 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
Ethel R Jones Elementary School	Public	K-5	2374 McCool Rd	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8025	363	22	16.8	43.5%	197 (54.3%)	43 (11.8%)	111 (30.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.0%)	45.9	563^rd of 1015 public elementary schools	44.5%		51.3	495^th of 1005 public elementary schools	50.7%	68	47.5	32.6	25.8	35.4	52.5	51.2	40.3	47.6	37.2	37.2	32.3	$12,409	$752	$11,657
Rowena Kyle Elementary School	Public	K-5	2701 Hamstrom Rd	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8030	437	25	17.8	35.0%	183 (41.9%)	61 (14.0%)	175 (40.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.9%)	39	628^th of 1015 public elementary schools	38.1%		46	562^nd of 1005 public elementary schools	44.1%	66	40.3	40.6	35.4	38.4	49.3	43.5	20.8	35.8	36.2	36.2	28.1	$10,036	$749	$9,287
Crisman Elementary School	Public	K-5	6161 Old Porter Rd	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8020	343	24	14.2	45.2%	167 (48.7%)	57 (16.6%)	93 (27.1%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (6.4%)	51.1	509^th of 1015 public elementary schools	49.9%		40.4	619^th of 1005 public elementary schools	38.4%	110	47.2	33.3	64.8	48.5	52.8	24.1	51.9	42.9	24.1	24.1	44.4	$11,181	$701	$10,479
Wallace Aylesworth Elementary	Public	K-5	5910 Central Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8010	401	26	15.4	48.6%	181 (45.1%)	81 (20.2%)	99 (24.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (9.5%)	22.6	802^nd of 1015 public elementary schools	21.0%		24.3	782^nd of 1005 public elementary schools	22.2%	20	32.1	33.9	22.8	29.3	33.3	32.8	14.1	26.5	23.4	23.4	19.2	$10,347	$700	$9,647
Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	2825 Russell St	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8015	409	25	16.3	48.9%	187 (45.7%)	64 (15.6%)	121 (29.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	34 (8.3%)	24	788^th of 1015 public elementary schools	22.4%		25.8	768^th of 1005 public elementary schools	23.6%	20	31.8	30.4	20.6	27.6	30.3	33.3	17.7	27.1	33.3	33.3	20.6	$10,864	$777	$10,087
South Haven Elementary School	Public	K-5	395 W Midway Dr	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8045	311	22	14.4	47.6%	208 (66.9%)	34 (10.9%)	55 (17.7%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	44.8	574^th of 1015 public elementary schools	43.4%		40.7	614^th of 1005 public elementary schools	38.9%	40	22.9	60.0	29.6	38.0	41.7	60.0	22.7	42.3	50.0	50.0	13.6	$12,164	$744	$11,420
Paul Saylor Elementary School	Public	K-5	331 Midway	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8040	274	18	15.6	49.6%	126 (46.0%)	74 (27.0%)	61 (22.3%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (4.4%)	31.6	704^th of 1015 public elementary schools	30.6%		22.7	794^th of 1005 public elementary schools	21.0%	90	13.9	35.0	46.8	33.3	30.6	32.5	21.3	27.6	27.5	27.5	38.3	$11,730	$910	$10,820
George L Myers Elementary School	Public	K-5	3100 Willowdale	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8035	332	22	15.0	41.3%	182 (54.8%)	20 (6.0%)	101 (30.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	26 (7.8%)	53.6	478^th of 1015 public elementary schools	52.9%		44.2	579^th of 1005 public elementary schools	42.4%	101	45.8	49.2	52.8	49.4	50.0	55.6	26.4	44.5	25.4	25.4	45.3	$11,588	$1,273	$10,315
Liberty Elementary School	Public	K-4	50-1 W 900 N	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 983-3650	491	34	14.5	26.1%	357 (72.7%)	9 (1.8%)	96 (19.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.5%)	88.4	88^th of 1015 public elementary schools	91.3%		93.5	41^st of 1005 public elementary schools	95.9%	47	75.5	59.3		67.0	82.7	64.8		73.3	59.3	59.3		$12,090	$416	$11,674
Newton Yost Elementary School	Public	K-4	100 W Beam St	Porter	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 983-3640	362	26	13.8	40.3%	256 (70.7%)	17 (4.7%)	62 (17.1%)	6 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (5.8%)	85.9	131^st of 1015 public elementary schools	87.1%		81.6	165^th of 1005 public elementary schools	83.6%	34	58.6	65.8		62.3	68.6	65.8		67.1	61.8	61.8		$13,627	$579	$13,048

Frequently Asked Questions about Ethel R Jones Elementary School

What district is Ethel R Jones Elementary School in?

Portage Township Schools

How many students attend Ethel R Jones Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 363 students attended Ethel R Jones Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Ethel R Jones Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Ethel R Jones Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Willowcreek Middle School
High : Portage High School

What is the racial makeup of Ethel R Jones Elementary School?

Students at Ethel R Jones Elementary School are 54% White, 31% Hispanic, 12% African American, 3% Two or more races.

Is Ethel R Jones Elementary School a good school?

Ethel R Jones Elementary School ranks 563^rd of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Ethel R Jones Elementary School!

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Schools in Portage, IN

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Latest Indiana data All new data »

2025–26 ILEARN & SAT test scoresNewSep 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.