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Central Elementary School

Public Grades K-5

81^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,005 Indiana Elementary Schools

Better than 92% of Indiana elementary schools

Summary

Central Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Valparaiso, Indiana, serving 130 students in grades K-5. It is part of the Valparaiso Community Schools district, which is ranked 10th out of 380 districts in Indiana and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Central Elementary School has consistently maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, indicating its strong academic performance.

Central Elementary School consistently outperforms the Valparaiso Community Schools district and the state of Indiana in standardized test scores, with 79.17% of students proficient or better in ILEARN/Math for all grades, compared to 65.7% for the district and 51.5% for the state. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 13.4 to 16 students per teacher, lower than some nearby schools. Additionally, Central Elementary School has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 43.85% to 54.48%, and a higher spending per student, ranging from $11,279 to $14,846, compared to nearby schools.

While Central Elementary School outperforms the Valparaiso Community Schools district and the state in many areas, it is interesting to note that other nearby schools, such as Memorial Elementary School and Heavilin Elementary School, also demonstrate strong academic performance, suggesting that the Valparaiso Community Schools district as a whole is providing a high-quality education. Overall, Central Elementary School is a high-performing school that stands out among its peers in the Valparaiso area, with its consistent academic excellence, socioeconomic diversity, and resource allocation contributing to its success in supporting student learning and growth.

131

Students ?

13.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$14,846

Per pupil spending ?

50.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

653 Hayes Leonard Rd
Valparaiso, IN 46385

(219) 531-3030

District: Valparaiso Community Schools

Students who attend Central Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Benjamin Franklin Middle School
High:	Valparaiso High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

63.4%

Hispanic:

25.2%

African American:

4.6%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Central Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 85th percentile in 2015 → 92nd in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Indiana average (69% vs 38% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 8% of Indiana elementary schools

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2015

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school69%

District avg64%

Indiana avg38%

81^st of 1,005

Indiana public elementary schools ?

Top 8%▲ up 7 pts since 2015

From top 15% (2015) to top 8% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Indiana Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 8Elementary Schools in the Valparaiso Community Schools

10^th of 380Valparaiso 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
2025	90.0	81 of 1005	91.9%	★★★★★
2024	92.2	56 of 1011	94.5%	★★★★★
2023	88.7	74 of 1016	92.7%	★★★★★
2022	88.7	84 of 1020	91.8%	★★★★★
2021	90.3	73 of 1016	92.8%	★★★★★
2019	76.6	204 of 1031	80.2%	★★★★☆
2018	80.6	157 of 1027	84.7%	★★★★☆
2017	83.4	122 of 1033	88.2%	★★★★☆
2016	77.2	191 of 1046	81.7%	★★★★☆
2015	78.7	160 of 1040	84.6%	★★★★☆
2014	83.5	73 of 1036	93.0%	★★★★★
2013	86.4	49 of 1035	95.3%	★★★★★
2012	84.4	76 of 1015	92.5%	★★★★★
2011	89.1	21 of 1025	98.0%	★★★★★
2010	82.0	111 of 1009	89.0%	★★★★☆
2009	77.9	174 of 1003	82.7%	★★★★☆
2008	80.1	133 of 996	86.6%	★★★★☆
2007	79.8	138 of 985	86.0%	★★★★☆
2006	77.7	157 of 961	83.7%	★★★★☆
2005	64.1	336 of 959	65.0%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Indiana (2024-2025) ?

Math79%

Social Studies73%+35 vs state

English Language Arts62%

Science54%

★

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Schools Near Central Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2025)				ILEARN Math (2025)				ILEARN Science (2025)		ILEARN Social Studies (2025)	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	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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
Central Elementary School	Public	K-5	653 Hayes Leonard Rd	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 531-3030	131	10	13.7	50.4%	83 (63.4%)	6 (4.6%)	33 (25.2%)	3 (2.3%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.8%)	90	81^st of 1005 public elementary schools	91.9%		92.2	56^th of 1011 public elementary schools	94.5%	25	60.0	50.0	76.9	62.5	80.0	76.9	80.8	79.2	53.9	53.9	73.1	$14,846	$1,264	$13,582
Memorial Elementary School	Public	K-5	1052 Park Ave	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3090	434	24	18.4	24.9%	325 (74.9%)	9 (2.1%)	72 (16.6%)	11 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.9%)	97	13^th of 1005 public elementary schools	98.7%		97.7	10^th of 1011 public elementary schools	99.0%	3	70.4	84.8	79.5	78.2	79.0	87.3	73.5	79.8	74.7	74.7	71.1	$8,732	$114	$8,617
Heavilin Elementary School	Public	K-5	2450 Heavilin Road	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 476-8820	479	30	15.9	18.8%	357 (74.5%)	12 (2.5%)	67 (14.0%)	17 (3.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (5.2%)	95.3	24^th of 1005 public elementary schools	97.6%		94.9	29^th of 1011 public elementary schools	97.1%	5	64.4	76.3	66.7	68.8	75.9	91.3	78.1	81.4	67.5	67.5	67.7	$9,558	$190	$9,368
Northview Elementary School	Public	K-5	257 Northview Dr	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3100	276	20	13.8	42.0%	217 (78.6%)	8 (2.9%)	43 (15.6%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	94.5	34^th of 1005 public elementary schools	96.6%		70.5	293^rd of 1011 public elementary schools	71.0%	259	73.5	64.3	75.6	71.2	89.8	71.4	68.3	77.3	64.3	64.3	73.2	$10,590	$537	$10,053
Parkview Elementary School	Public	K-5	1405 Wood St	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 531-3110	213	15	14.2	54.5%	101 (47.4%)	16 (7.5%)	80 (37.6%)	3 (1.4%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.6%)	85.7	128^th of 1005 public elementary schools	87.3%		79.6	186^th of 1011 public elementary schools	81.6%	58	47.5	71.4	57.1	57.3	67.5	85.7	57.1	70.8	67.9	67.9	52.4	$12,224	$861	$11,362
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School	Public	K-5	1700 Roosevelt Rd	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 531-3130	285	18	15.8	52.3%	186 (65.3%)	18 (6.3%)	56 (19.6%)	6 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	18 (6.3%)	94.2	37^th of 1005 public elementary schools	96.3%		88.3	90^th of 1011 public elementary schools	91.1%	53	73.9	72.1	60.8	68.6	93.5	76.7	74.5	81.4	72.1	72.1	54.9	$10,215	$676	$9,539
Cooks Corners Elementary School	Public	K-5	358 Bullseye Lake Rd	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(219) 531-3040	487	25	19.4	23.2%	387 (79.5%)	12 (2.5%)	71 (14.6%)	10 (2.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.4%)	87.5	117^th of 1005 public elementary schools	88.4%		87.9	97^th of 1011 public elementary schools	90.4%	20	50.0	56.6	55.2	53.8	76.5	76.3	65.5	72.6	68.4	68.4	57.0	$8,529	$329	$8,200
John Simatovich Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	424 W 500 N	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Union Township School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 759-2508	280	19	14.7	45.7%	205 (73.2%)	1 (0.4%)	59 (21.1%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	13 (4.6%)	76.2	221^st of 1005 public elementary schools	78.0%		85.9	114^th of 1011 public elementary schools	88.7%	107	63.4	44.4	50.0	52.2	73.2	84.4	54.0	69.9	62.2	62.2	26.0	$13,068	$593	$12,475
Flint Lake Elementary School	Public	K-5	4106 N Calumet Ave	Valparaiso	46383	Porter County	Valparaiso Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 531-3160	476	34	14.0	47.1%	299 (62.8%)	51 (10.7%)	79 (16.6%)	8 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (8.0%)	81.2	170^th of 1005 public elementary schools	83.1%		79.7	185^th of 1011 public elementary schools	81.7%	15	48.7	54.1	55.0	52.7	78.2	67.1	53.1	66.0	54.1	54.1	51.9	$11,577	$1,065	$10,513
Union Center Elementary School	Public	K-5	272 N 600 W	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Union Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 759-2544	386	22	17.5	19.4%	315 (81.6%)	10 (2.6%)	47 (12.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.4%)	91.4	63^rd of 1005 public elementary schools	93.7%		94.7	30^th of 1011 public elementary schools	97.0%	33	60.3	63.5	66.7	63.4	67.1	77.8	71.0	71.7	63.5	63.5	69.1	$9,519	$150	$9,369

Frequently Asked Questions about Central Elementary School

What district is Central Elementary School in?

Valparaiso Community Schools

What is the racial makeup of Central Elementary School?

Students at Central Elementary School are 63% White, 25% Hispanic, 5% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

How many students attend Central Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 131 students attended Central Elementary School.

Is Central Elementary School a good school?

Yes. Central Elementary School ranks in the top 8.1% of Indiana elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Central Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Benjamin Franklin Middle School
High : Valparaiso High School

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Schools in Valparaiso, IN

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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.