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

Darden Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

870^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,015 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 14% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Darden Elementary School is a K–5 school in South Bend, Indiana, serving 375 students as part of South Bend Community School Corp, where it remains one of the state’s lower-ranked schools.

In 2025–2026, the school received a 1-star rating and ranked 870th of 1,015 Indiana schools (14th percentile), a persistently low position: from 2015–2016 through 2025–2026, its percentile rank ranged only from 9 to 15. The clearest academic bright spot is math, where all-grade proficiency reached 22.93% and now exceeds the district average; math has risen steadily from 12.12% in 2022–2023. ELA is the biggest weakness at 17.83%, below the district and far below state grade-level rates, with 3rd-grade ELA at just 12.28% compared with 40.8% statewide. Science was 21.67%, slipping from 24.44% the year before. Among nearby South Bend schools with 2025 test data, the school ranks third of seven in all-grade ELA, math, and science—ahead of Edison Middle School, Madison S.T.E.A.M. Academy, and Muessel Elementary School, but behind Swanson Traditional School and Marquette Montessori Academy.

Attendance has improved—chronic absenteeism fell from 49.9% in 2020–2021 to 36.8% in 2024–2025, below the district’s 40.3% but still more than double Indiana’s 16.7%. By contrast, Swanson Traditional School is only 0.94 miles away in the same district but is rated 4 stars (79th percentile) with 54.79% ELA and 65.78% math, and Walt Disney Elementary School and Prairie Vista Elementary School in Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp outperform it by wide margins; the latter posts 83.46% ELA and 84.23% math. The school spends $16,620 per student—more than several nearby schools—yet its results remain far below state benchmarks, with a student-teacher ratio of 12.3. Overall, it has shown some improvement in math and attendance, but it remains a low-performing school with substantial gaps in ELA and a long-standing bottom-14% statewide standing.

375

Students ?

12.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$19,003

Per pupil spending ?

53.3%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

94.7%

Kindergartners vaccinated against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) (2025-26)

18645 Janet St
South Bend, IN 46637

(574) 243-7335

District: South Bend Community School Corp

Students who attend Darden Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	LaSalle Academy
High:	Clay High School
	Rise Up Academy at Eggleston

Racial breakdown:

White:

37.9%

African American:

31.7%

Two or more races:

15.2%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Darden Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 13th percentile in 2016 → 14th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Indiana average (21% vs 47% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (14th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (38% vs 15% Indiana)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school21%

District avg20%

Indiana avg47%

870^th of 1,015

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Bottom 14%▲ up 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

6^th of 15Elementary Schools in the South Bend Community School Corp

320^th of 374South Bend Community 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	14.7	870 of 1015	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	14.3	867 of 1005	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	13.2	899 of 1011	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.9	905 of 1016	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	15.2	865 of 1020	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	9.1	921 of 1016	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	10.9	932 of 1031	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	18.2	872 of 1027	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	18.5	885 of 1033	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	17.3	912 of 1046	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2015	20.4	903 of 1040	13.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	45.1	690 of 1036	33.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	34.0	807 of 1035	22.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	26.4	840 of 1015	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	40.8	737 of 1025	28.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	31.2	793 of 1009	21.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	22.5	840 of 1003	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	41.2	700 of 996	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	34.3	747 of 985	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	35.0	713 of 961	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	25.5	803 of 959	16.3%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2025-2026) ?

Social Studies25%-22 vs state

Math23%

Science22%

English Language Arts18%

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Darden Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate Darden Elementary 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

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Darden Elementary 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 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th 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 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th 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
Darden Elementary School	Public	K-5	18645 Janet St	South Bend	46637	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 243-7335	375	30	12.3	53.3%	142 (37.9%)	119 (31.7%)	43 (11.5%)	13 (3.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (15.2%)	14.7	870^th of 1015 public elementary schools	14.3%		14.3	867^th of 1005 public elementary schools	13.7%	3	12.3	21.7	20.0				17.8	17.5	28.3	22.5				22.9	21.7		21.7	25.0	94.7%		$19,003	$2,405	$16,598
Clay International Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	52900 Lily Rd	South Bend	46637	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4300	496	39	12.7	63.1%	154 (31.0%)	158 (31.9%)	90 (18.1%)	7 (1.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	85 (17.1%)	13.7	879^th of 1015 public elementary schools	13.4%		14	874^th of 1005 public elementary schools	13.0%	5	13.6	11.8	16.7	23.4	16.4	17.3	17.4	9.1	5.9	21.4	16.9	9.0	10.7	12.4	11.8	20.8	18.0	16.7	90%		$15,647	$1,485	$14,162
Swanson Traditional School	Public	PK, KG-5	17677 Parker Dr	South Bend	46635	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-2700	399	29	13.9	33.6%	246 (61.7%)	54 (13.5%)	38 (9.5%)	5 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (14.0%)	77.7	210^th of 1015 public elementary schools	79.3%		87.5	116^th of 1005 public elementary schools	88.5%	94	58.3	47.1	60.0				54.8	72.9	60.3	65.0				65.8	45.6		45.6	56.7	98.4%		$15,458	$1,493	$13,965
Paramount School of Excellence South Bend	Public, Charter	K-8	3414 Hepler Street	South Bend	46635	St. Joseph County	Paramount School of Excellence South Bend	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(574) 274-4785	476	28	17.0	75.4%	73 (15.3%)	286 (60.1%)	52 (10.9%)	2 (0.4%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	60 (12.6%)	21.8	809^th of 1015 public elementary schools	20.3%		16.9	844^th of 1005 public elementary schools	16.0%	35	22.2	21.6	21.3	36.5	27.1	50.0	29.1	42.2	29.7	14.9	26.9	20.8	18.8	25.7	24.3	3.9	12.4	12.8	68.8%		$10,037	$1,259	$8,778
Edison Middle School	Public	K-8	2701 Eisenhower Dr	South Bend	46615	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 393-4400	551	53	10.3	67.0%	72 (13.1%)	136 (24.7%)	285 (51.7%)	8 (1.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	48 (8.7%)	9.5	944^th of 1015 public elementary schools	7.0%					(n/a)	7.6	20.4	19.2	8.2	6.0	15.1	12.1	24.5	18.5	12.8	6.9	4.8	11.6	12.1	20.4	6.9	12.7	19.2	93.5%		$16,141	$1,723	$14,419
Marquette Montessori Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	1818 Bergan St	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	Yes	No	Yes	(574) 393-2400	431	28	15.6	50.1%	168 (39.0%)	143 (33.2%)	47 (10.9%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	70 (16.2%)	23.5	793^rd of 1015 public elementary schools	21.9%		32	709^th of 1005 public elementary schools	29.5%	84	14.6	37.1	25.0	25.9	45.0	35.0	27.9	22.9	37.1	15.0	11.1	55.0	19.1	25.1	42.9	25.9	35.5	20.0	66.7%		$15,027	$1,663	$13,364
Madison S.T.E.A.M. Academy	Public	K-5	832 N Lafayette Blvd	South Bend	46601	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 393-3200	431	38	11.4	80.3%	48 (11.1%)	197 (45.7%)	135 (31.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (11.4%)	5.1	998^th of 1015 public elementary schools	1.7%		12.9	886^th of 1005 public elementary schools	11.8%	112	6.6	4.8	6.5				6.0	15.8	17.7	3.3				12.6	12.9		12.9	9.7	100%		$16,747	$2,110	$14,637
Prairie Vista Elementary School	Public	K-5	15400 Brick Rd	Granger	46530	St. Joseph County	Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp	No	No	No	No	(574) 271-0055	513	30	17.3	21.1%	363 (70.8%)	32 (6.2%)	36 (7.0%)	42 (8.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	36 (7.0%)	98.2	4^th of 1015 public elementary schools	99.6%		98.3	6^th of 1005 public elementary schools	99.4%	2	76.1	86.4	88.1				83.5	85.2	85.2	82.1				84.2	85.2		85.2	91.7	95.7%		$10,845	$356	$10,489
Muessel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1021 Blaine St	South Bend	46628	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 393-3400	295	25	11.5	68.8%	43 (14.6%)	181 (61.4%)	34 (11.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (12.2%)	2.7	1012^th of 1015 public elementary schools	0.3%		3.7	999^th of 1005 public elementary schools	0.6%	13	1.7	0.0	4.4				2.1	3.3	0.0	4.4				2.8	2.6		2.6	6.5	84.6%		$15,881	$2,299	$13,582
McKinley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	228 N Greenlawn Ave	South Bend	46617	St. Joseph County	South Bend Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(574) 393-3300	315	16	20.1	1.9%	92 (29.2%)	104 (33.0%)	72 (22.9%)	6 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (13.0%)								(n/a)																					$15,353	$3,090	$12,263

Frequently Asked Questions about Darden Elementary School

How many students attend Darden Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 375 students attended Darden Elementary School.

Is Darden Elementary School a good school?

Darden Elementary School ranks in the bottom 14.3% of Indiana elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Darden Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : LaSalle Academy
High : Clay High School
High : Rise Up Academy at Eggleston

What district is Darden Elementary School in?

South Bend Community School Corp

What is the racial makeup of Darden Elementary School?

Students at Darden Elementary School are 38% White, 32% African American, 15% Two or more races, 11% Hispanic, 3% Asian.

Rate Darden Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

INIndiana Elementary School Rankings

INIndiana District Rankings

Schools in South Bend, IN

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Darden Elementary School!

Latest Indiana data All new data »

2024–25 school spending dataNewOct 28, 2026

2025–26 attendance dataNewOct 28, 2026

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

2023–24 immunization rates (updated)NewOct 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.