Best Middle Schools in Zip Code 46628

There are three middle schools serving students in zip code 46628: Dickinson Fine Arts Academy, LaSalle Academy, and Career Academy Middle School. These schools serve students in grades 6-8. The area is part of the South Bend metropolitan area.

When looking at middle schools in the 46628 zip code, LaSalle Academy stands out as the top performer. This is evident in its significantly higher proficiency rates in English Language Arts, Math, and Science compared to the other schools in the area and the district average. LaSalle Academy also boasts a strong statewide SchoolDigger ranking, placing it among the top middle schools in Indiana, and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 12:1, suggesting a more personalized learning environment. In contrast, Dickinson Fine Arts Academy and Career Academy Middle School show much lower academic proficiency rates, with Career Academy Middle School having the lowest spending per student and Dickinson Fine Arts Academy having a comparable spending per student to LaSalle Academy but with significantly lower academic outcomes.

A notable observation across all three middle schools in zip code 46628 is the identical chronic absenteeism rate of 17.8% for the 2023-2024 school year, indicating a potential common challenge affecting all schools in the area. The South Bend Community School Corp, which includes Dickinson Fine Arts Academy and LaSalle Academy, generally has lower proficiency rates than the Indiana state average. Career Academy Middle School, a charter school, also demonstrates low proficiency rates. While LaSalle Academy's higher spending per student correlates with its strong performance, the data suggests that factors beyond funding, such as teaching quality and school culture, are crucial for student success. LaSalle Academy has also shown a positive trend in its statewide rankings, improving significantly over the past few years, while the other two schools have consistently ranked in the lower quartile.