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Indianapolis

Schools

The achievement gap is starkly evident in the Indianapolis area. The Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) results for Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) students, are dwarfed by the results of their peers just 30 minutes away in Carmel Clay Schools, where only six percent of students are from low-income homes. While 89 percent of Carmel Clay Schools students passed both the English and Math sections of the 2007-08 ISTEP, only 40 percent of Indianapolis Public Schools students met the same bar. Additionally, the average SAT and ACT scores of Carmel Clay Schools students in 2007/08 were 1126 and 22, respectively, compared to Indianapolis Public Schools average scores of 862 and 17. Reports of the graduation rate of Indianapolis Public Schools students range from as high as 51 percent to as low as 30 percent. Regardless of which number is correct, it is drastically outpaced by Carmel Clay Schools’ 95 percent graduation rate.

There is reason to hope, however. Indianapolis Public Schools recently unveiled 24 new “Small School” campuses to better address the needs of their students, parents, and staff. The district has also implemented a full-day kindergarten initiative at each of its elementary schools to better prepare students for success in later grades. Furthermore, the education reform movement is gaining momentum in Indianapolis through the implementation of structured charter school initiatives and the growing collection of education entrepreneurial efforts in the area. Teach For America corps members will be leaders in this movement to ensure educational opportunity for students in Indianapolis.

At a Glance

School District
Indianapolis Public Schools

Ethnic Breakdown-Student Population
63% African-American
22% Caucasian
11% Latino/Hispanic
<1% Asian-American
<1% Native American
3% Other

Ethnic Breakdown - Indianapolis
25% African-American
66% Caucasian
4% Latino/Hispanic
1% Asian-American
<1% Native American
2% Other

Percentage of Students Qualifying for Free/Reduced-Price Lunch
76%