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

New rankings! SchoolDigger recently updated its Indiana rankings with newly released test scores for the 2025-26 school year.

Be the first to know when we post new rankings!

Southern Wells Elementary School

Q: Is Southern Wells Elementary School a good school?

Southern Wells Elementary School ranks 670 th of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-6

670^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,015 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 34% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Southern Wells Elementary School is a K–6 school in Poneto, Indiana, serving 496 students in the rural Southern Wells Com Schools district. The district ranks 152nd of 374 Indiana districts (59th percentile, 3 stars), but the school itself ranks 670th of 1,015 Indiana elementary schools—34th percentile, 2 stars—in 2025–2026. That is a long slide from 2018–2019, when it stood at 341st of 1,031 schools (67th percentile, 3 stars). It has been a 2-star school since 2023–2024.

On 2025–2026 ILEARN, 35.25% of students were proficient in English Language Arts, 33.45% in Math, and 27.01% in Science. Among nearby schools, Southern Wells has the lowest math proficiency—about 16.5 percentage points below the nearby average of roughly 50%—and the lowest science proficiency. Upper grades are the weakest: 5th grade ELA 28.57%, math 27.14%, and social studies 30%, all well below state averages, with 6th grade math at 26.92% and science at 25.64%. Third grade ELA (40.85%) is essentially at the state level (40.8%), which is a bright spot.

Chronic absenteeism more than doubled, from 7.4% in 2022–2023 to 15.6% in 2024–2025—slightly below the state's 16.7% but above most nearby schools, such as Bloomfield Elementary School at 5.5%. Southern Wells also spends less per student ($8,914 in 2023–2024) than every nearby school and has the highest student-teacher ratio at 17.7. Its free/reduced lunch rate (44.56%) is lower than most neighbors, so the low scores are not explained by greater poverty. The biggest challenges are math and science, upper-grade achievement, absenteeism, and lean resources relative to peers.

496

Students ?

17.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,914

Per pupil spending ?

44.6%

Free/reduced lunch eligible (2024-25) ?

9120 S 300 W
Poneto, IN 46781

(765) 728-2121

District: Southern Wells Com Schools

Students who attend Southern Wells Elementary School usually attend:

High:

Southern Wells Junior-Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.0%

Hispanic:

4.0%

Two or more races:

0.8%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Southern Wells Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 38th percentile in 2016 → 34th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Indiana average (33% vs 47% meeting standards)

!Social Studies scores 17 pts below the Indiana average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school33%

District avg37%

Indiana avg47%

670^th of 1,015

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Bottom 34%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 38% (2016) to bottom 34% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

152^nd of 374Southern Wells Com 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	35.4	670 of 1015	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2025	37.8	641 of 1005	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2024	51.6	507 of 1011	49.9%	★★☆☆☆
2023	56.5	470 of 1016	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2022	61.6	398 of 1020	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	62.7	375 of 1016	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2019	66.7	341 of 1031	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2018	54.9	525 of 1027	48.9%	★★☆☆☆
2017	43.1	657 of 1033	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2016	47.7	644 of 1046	38.4%	★★☆☆☆
2015	46.8	636 of 1040	38.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	53.3	570 of 1036	45.0%	★★☆☆☆
2013	74.3	227 of 1035	78.1%	★★★★☆
2012	78.7	165 of 1015	83.7%	★★★★☆
2011	72.9	243 of 1025	76.3%	★★★★☆
2010	74.0	238 of 1009	76.4%	★★★★☆
2009	70.8	286 of 1003	71.5%	★★★★☆
2008	71.9	242 of 996	75.7%	★★★★☆
2007	61.7	399 of 985	59.5%	★★★☆☆
2006	63.5	358 of 961	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2005	65.9	315 of 959	67.2%	★★★☆☆
2004	63.3	119 of 326	63.5%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts35%

Math33%

Social Studies30%-17 vs state

Science27%

★

No ratings yet

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

Rate Southern Wells 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 Southern Wells 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 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
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
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
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
Blackford Intermediate School	Public	PK, KG-6	400 E McDonald	Hartford City	47348	Blackford County	Blackford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 348-7595	447	28	15.9	70.2%	395 (88.4%)	5 (1.1%)	16 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	30 (6.7%)	39.1	627^th of 1015 public elementary schools	38.2%		44.6	575^th of 1005 public elementary schools	42.8%	52	26.7	30.1	31.0	20.7	27.4	46.5	50.4	44.0	32.2	43.9	37.2	29.9	34.0	32.0	$11,658	$1,640	$10,018
Eastbrook North Elementary	Public	K-5	504 S First St	Van Buren	46991	Grant County	Eastbrook Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 934-3551	304	20	15.2	55.9%	278 (91.4%)	2 (0.7%)	11 (3.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)	47.8	547^th of 1015 public elementary schools	46.1%		59.8	405^th of 1005 public elementary schools	59.7%	142	43.6	33.3	30.0		36.0	65.5	54.2	38.0		52.9	33.3		33.3	28.0	$11,254	$817	$10,438
Blackford Primary School	Public	PK, KG-2	1515 S Monroe St	Hartford City	47348	Blackford County	Blackford County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 348-7584	314	23	13.9	66.6%	273 (86.9%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.7%)								(n/a)															$12,100	$1,557	$10,542
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
Eastbrook South Elementary	Public	K-5	694 S Second St	Upland	46989	Grant County	Eastbrook Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 998-2208	336	22	15.3	43.8%	303 (90.2%)	6 (1.8%)	10 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.9%)	62.5	370^th of 1015 public elementary schools	63.5%		57.2	434^th of 1005 public elementary schools	56.8%	64	58.0	37.0	48.2		49.1	62.3	41.3	48.2		52.1	32.6		32.6	53.6	$10,904	$768	$10,136
West Jay Elementary	Public	K-6	140 Highland Ave	Dunkirk	47336	Jay County	Jay School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(765) 768-6075	214	19	11.0	72.4%	198 (92.5%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.8%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.7%)	54.8	460^th of 1015 public elementary schools	54.7%		63.1	363^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	63.9%	97	29.6	14.3	44.0	43.8	34.3	51.9	14.3	52.0	46.9	42.9	38.1	53.1	47.2	52.0	$12,987	$1,522	$11,465
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Wells Elementary School

Is Southern Wells Elementary School a good school?

Southern Wells Elementary School ranks 670^th of 1015 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Southern Wells Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 496 students attended Southern Wells Elementary School.

What district is Southern Wells Elementary School in?

Southern Wells Com Schools

What schools do graduates of Southern Wells Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Southern Wells Elementary School usually go on to attend:

High : Southern Wells Junior-Senior High School

What is the racial makeup of Southern Wells Elementary School?

Students at Southern Wells Elementary School are 95% White, 4% Hispanic.

Rate Southern Wells Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

INIndiana Elementary School Rankings

INIndiana District Rankings

Schools in Poneto, IN

Sign up for updates!

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

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.