Summary:
ZIP code 46394 is served by a single elementary school, Nathan Hale Elementary School, a PK–5 school with 396 students in Whiting, Indiana, part of the School City of Whiting district. Because there is only one elementary school here, there is no local school-to-school comparison; the most useful benchmarks are the district and the state. The district ranks 223 out of 374 in Indiana, the 40th percentile, with 2 stars. The school itself ranked 561 out of 1,015 schools in 2025–26, the 45th percentile, also with 2 stars — down slightly from the 49th percentile in the two prior years. About 66.67% of students receive free or reduced lunch, and the student-teacher ratio is 15.3 to 1.
There are real strengths to note. Fifth grade ELA is the standout: 50.7% proficiency versus 42.2% statewide, about 8.5 points above the state, and 4th grade ELA is also above the state at 45.59% versus 42.2%. All-grade math beats the district in both years measured, 39.32% versus 33.41% in 2025–26 and 41.8% versus 34.83% in 2024–25. Fifth grade social studies made the biggest year-over-year jump in the record, climbing from 27.27% to 40.85%, a gain of 13.58 points, though it still trails the state's 47.2%.
Several areas need attention. Chronic absenteeism is the most striking concern at 25.1%, compared with 19.7% in the district and 16.7% statewide — 8.4 points above the state. Science is the weakest academic subject: all-grade science fell from 40.91% to 30.88% in a year and sits below the district's 34.78%; at 4th grade it is 30.88% versus 43.8% statewide. Upper-grade math lags the state as well, with 4th grade at 35.29% versus 52% and 5th grade at 33.8% versus 42%. Third grade ELA, at 32.84%, is below the state's 40.8%. Families should weigh strong upper-grade reading and improving social studies against high absenteeism and weaker science and upper-grade math.
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