Summary:
ZIP code 47970 is home to just one public school: Otterbein Elementary School, a K–6 campus with 245 students in the Benton Community School Corp. Because there are no other public schools in the ZIP and no middle or high school, families here have a single K–6 option and must look outside the area for secondary grades. With only one school, the useful comparisons are against the district, the state, and the school's own past results.
Otterbein Elementary's clearest strength is math. In 2025–2026, all-grades math proficiency was 52.03%, well above the district's 39.2%, with 3rd grade at 69.7% and 4th grade at 61.54% — both above their state averages. Science (41.56%) also beat the district (32.47%), and 4th-grade science came in at 48.72%. Attendance is excellent: chronic absenteeism was 6.8%, compared with 12.2% district-wide and 16.7% statewide. Fifth-grade social studies jumped to 55.26% from 29.03% the prior year, above both district and state, though that reflects a new group of students rather than the same class improving. About 48.57% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch, and per-student spending was $15,714 with an 11.2 student-teacher ratio.
The softer spots are in English language arts. The school beats the district in most grade levels but trails the state in grades 4, 5, and 6, with 5th-grade ELA the lowest figure at 26.32%. Fifth-grade math (36.84%) and 6th-grade science (34.21%) also fell below state averages. The school has held a 3-star rating for three straight years, with its percentile moving from 54 to 62 to 60. Overall, this is a small school with strong math results, outstanding attendance, and above-district performance in every 2025–2026 all-grade subject.
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