Emma Donnan Elementary and Middle is a public charter school serving approximately 600 students in grades K-8 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The school is part of the Adelante Schools district, which is ranked 306 out of 381 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.
Despite the school's higher per-student spending compared to nearby schools, Emma Donnan has consistently struggled to meet academic benchmarks. The school has extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 47.2% to 63.7% over the past 3 years, which is significantly higher than the state average and nearby schools like William Henry Burkhart Elementary, William McKinley School 39, and Central Elementary School. Emma Donnan's test scores on the ILEARN assessments are also consistently well below state averages across all grade levels and subject areas, with only 19.16% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 17.77% proficient in math.
The data for Emma Donnan highlights the significant challenges faced by schools serving high-poverty communities. With 85.88% to 99.18% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch over the past 3 years, the school's struggles with chronic absenteeism, low test scores, and other metrics are often indicative of the broader socioeconomic challenges in the surrounding neighborhoods. To improve outcomes at Emma Donnan and similar schools, a comprehensive approach addressing attendance, academic support, and the broader needs of the school community may be necessary.
Adelante Schools
Emma Donnan Elementary and Middle ranks in the bottom 17.4% of Indiana elementary schools.
Students at Emma Donnan Elementary and Middle are 37% African American, 30% Hispanic, 25% White, 8% Two or more races.
In the 2023-24 school year, 442 students attended Emma Donnan Elementary and Middle.