Summary:
ZIP code 46163, in the New Palestine area southeast of Indianapolis, is served by just two elementary schools — New Palestine Elementary School and Sugar Creek Elementary School — both in the New Palestine Community Schools district, both teaching grades PK–4, and both enrolling nearly identical numbers of students (579 and 577).
Despite sharing a district and a similar size, the two schools have very different results. New Palestine Elementary School ranks 72nd of 1,015 Indiana elementary schools (93rd percentile, 5 stars) and has climbed from 127th two years ago. Its 2025–2026 proficiency is 60.11% in English language arts, 77.05% in math, and 64.52% in science — above the district in every subject and roughly 23–27 points above the state in math. Sugar Creek Elementary School ranks 336th of 1,015 (67th percentile, 3 stars) and has slipped from 294th. Its proficiency is 50.98% in ELA, 54.90% in math, and 44.44% in science, generally above the state but below the district. The gap between the schools widened from 16 percentile points in 2023–2024 to 26 points in 2025–2026.
Both schools keep chronic absenteeism low — 6.2% at New Palestine Elementary School and 7.4% at Sugar Creek Elementary School — well under the district's 9.2% and the state's 16.7%. Student-teacher ratios are essentially the same (17.5 and 17.4). Sugar Creek Elementary School has a higher free/reduced lunch rate (27.56% vs. 22.28%) and lower per-student spending ($10,453 vs. $11,154), which may play a role, though the data alone cannot show cause. The New Palestine Community Schools district itself is strong, ranking 37th of 374 statewide.
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