Summary:
ZIP code 46738 in Garrett, Indiana has one elementary school, J E Ober Elementary School, which serves students in grades PK–5 and is part of the Garrett-Keyser-Butler Com School Corp. With 704 students, a student-teacher ratio of 13.9, and a free/reduced lunch rate of 59.52%, it is the only elementary option in this ZIP code, so families can look at how it compares with the district and the state rather than to other local schools. Per-student spending was $10,443 in 2023–2024.
The school's clearest strength is attendance. Chronic absenteeism is 5.6%, compared with 10.6% in the district and 16.7% statewide — about half the district rate and roughly one-third of the state rate. Academically, the school is improving but still working from a low base. Its state rank moved from 769 of 1,011 in 2023–2024 to 712 of 1,015 in 2025–2026, its percentile rose from 24 to 30, and its star rating went from 1 star to 2 stars. Science showed the biggest gain, rising from 31.2% to 40.34%, and fifth-grade social studies improved from 23.23% to 30.08%. All-grade math was 32.7%, above the district's 28.57%, while ELA was slightly below district at 27.37% versus 30.24%.
The main concern is that proficiency trails the state in every grade-level subject with a state comparison. Fourth-grade science came closest, at 40.34% versus 43.8%, a 3.46 percentage-point gap. Fifth grade is the weakest: ELA was 17.07% against the state's 42.2%, math was 20.33% against 42%, and social studies was 30.08% against 47.2%. In short, this school offers strong attendance and recent improvement, but below-state proficiency — especially in fifth grade — is the area to watch.
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