Best Public Schools in Zip Code 46402

ZIP code 46402 in Gary, Indiana is served by just two schools: 21st Century Charter School of Gary, an alternative school covering grades K–12 with 1,180 students, and Gary Middle College, a high school serving grades 9–12 with 202 students. Each operates as its own district — 21st Century Charter School of Gary and Gary Middle College — so families here are choosing between two very different programs.

Outcomes at the two schools differ sharply. 21st Century reports a 97.6% graduation rate, above Indiana's 89.7%, while Gary Middle College reports 24.2%. Chronic absenteeism is 25.8% at 21st Century (above the state's 16.7%) but 91.5% at Gary Middle College, which is near-universal. 21st Century spends $13,965 per student, about $2,403 — roughly 20.8% — more than Gary Middle College's $11,562, and reports a student-teacher ratio of 118, an extreme figure that may warrant verification; Gary Middle College's ratio is unknown. Notably, 21st Century's free/reduced lunch rate is far higher (77.37% vs 26.24%) despite its stronger graduation and attendance results. Gary Middle College ranks 367 of 374 with 0 stars and has sat in the bottom 3rd percentile for three straight reported years.

Test proficiency is low at both schools. In 2025–26, 21st Century's SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing was 20.31% and SAT Math 0%, versus state rates of 51.9% and 25.6%. Gary Middle College scored 9.38% and 3.13%. 21st Century's ILEARN results also trailed the state in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Year over year, 21st Century improved in all-grades ELA, Science, and 5th-grade Social Studies but declined in all-grades Math, SAT EBRW, and SAT Math. Gary Middle College improved slightly in both SAT subjects, from a very low base.