DeKalb Middle School

Q: Is DeKalb Middle School a good school?

DeKalb Middle School ranks 148 th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

DeKalb Middle School is a public middle school located in Waterloo, Indiana, serving approximately 800 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the DeKalb County Ctl United School District, which is ranked 146 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

DeKalb Middle School consistently outperforms the district and state averages in ILEARN test scores for English Language Arts and Math across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, 51.39% of DeKalb Middle School students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 44.28% for the district and the state average. The school also has a significantly higher percentage of white students (89.38% in 2022-2023) compared to the nearby schools, such as Northwood Middle School and Shawnee Middle School, which have more diverse student populations. Additionally, DeKalb Middle School has a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 15.7 in 2022-2023, which is lower than the nearby schools.

However, DeKalb Middle School has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 13.5% in 2021-2022 to 18.1% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average. The school has also seen a steady increase in spending per student, from $8,339 in 2019-2020 to $9,685 in 2021-2022, which is higher than the nearby schools. These factors, along with the school's consistent academic performance and smaller class sizes, suggest that DeKalb Middle School is effectively supporting student learning and achievement, despite some challenges with attendance.

Detail:

Public 6-8

3338 Cr 427
Waterloo, IN 46793

(260) 920-1013

District: DeKalb County Ctl United School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
148^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,685

Students who attend DeKalb Middle School usually attend:

High:

DeKalb High School

Feeder schools for DeKalb Middle School:

Elementary:	Country Meadow Elementary School
	James R Watson Elementary School
	McKenney-Harrison Elementary School
	Waterloo Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 774

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.6%

Hispanic:

5.0%

Two or more races:

2.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.1%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare DeKalb Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details DeKalb Middle School ranks better than 69.5% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 67.87. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.6%), Hispanic (5%), two or more races (2.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 44.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at DeKalb Middle School is 15.4. (See more...)

Compare DeKalb Middle School employs 50.1 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at DeKalb Middle School is $9,685.

Schooldigger Rankings:

DeKalb Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb Middle School 148^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See DeKalb Middle School in the ranking list.)

DeKalb County Ctl United School District:

SchoolDigger ranks DeKalb County Ctl United School District 146^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

What do you think?

Your rating for DeKalb Middle School?

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Rank History for DeKalb Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	43.79	143^rd	222	35.6%
2005	49.18	225^th	370	39.2%
2006	58.20	169^th	375	54.9%
2007	56.09	184^th	382	51.8%
2008	56.87	181^st	392	53.8%
2009	68.02	126^th	423	70.2%
2010	72.77	100^th	428	76.6%
2011	66.01	149^th	451	67.0%
2012	63.61	164^th	447	63.3%
2013	55.81	230^th	444	48.2%
2014	61.68	204^th	470	56.6%
2015	68.10	144^th	485	70.3%
2016	77.09	86^th	494	82.6%
2017	76.43	90^th	472	80.9%
2018	80.79	68^th	473	85.6%
2019	79.32	71^st	470	84.9%
2021	72.55	119^th	483	75.4%
2022	73.71	118^th	490	75.9%
2023	71.50	124^th	489	74.6%
2024	67.87	148^th	485	69.5%

See the entire list of Indiana Middle School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for DeKalb Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	822	1	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	831
1989	864	0	5	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	876
1990	874	0	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	0	885
1991	932	0	4	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	940
1992	940	0	3	5	7	n/a	n/a	0	955
1993	981	0	4	3	4	n/a	n/a	0	992
1994	963	3	4	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	975
1995	874	0	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	1	886
1996	874	0	4	7	0	n/a	n/a	1	886
1997	828	0	3	7	0	n/a	n/a	4	842
1998	857	0	4	8	1	n/a	n/a	0	870
1999	846	1	3	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	863
2000	908	1	7	6	1	n/a	n/a	0	923
2001	918	3	3	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	929
2002	984	2	2	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	1007
2003	984	2	2	18	1	n/a	n/a	0	1007
2004	952	0	5	22	2	n/a	n/a	0	981
2005	957	2	5	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	987
2006	964	2	5	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	993
2007	961	1	3	21	1	n/a	n/a	7	994
2008	967	0	4	24	4	n/a	n/a	7	1006
2009	944	0	6	20	1	n/a	n/a	10	981
2010	902	2	8	24	1	n/a	n/a	19	956
2011	913	2	12	20	1	0	17	0	965
2012	858	2	12	22	1	0	27	0	922
2013	835	3	11	26	1	0	34	0	910
2014	821	1	7	25	0	0	32	0	886
2015	807	2	11	28	0	0	28	0	876
2016	792	4	9	25	0	0	27	0	857
2017	767	3	9	20	1	0	37	0	837
2018	717	2	8	33	0	0	16	0	776
2019	764	1	12	35	0	1	20	0	833
2020	739	2	11	37	0	1	18	0	808
2021	724	3	10	43	0	1	25	0	806
2022	722	4	7	34	0	0	24	0	791
2023	715	5	9	37	1	4	29	0	800
2024	701	5	6	39	0	2	21	0	774

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at DeKalb Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	831	45.7	18.1	9.1
1989	876	46.4	18.8	6.3
1990	885	46.4	19.0	5.9
1991	940	46.4	20.2	7.1
1992	955	47.3	20.1	9.2
1993	992	48.2	20.6	7.9
1994	975	47.3	20.6	8.7
1995	886	46.5	19.1	4.2
1996	886	46.5	19.1	4.2
1997	842	42.5	19.8	6.8
1998	870	46.5	18.7	7.7
1999	863	45.6	18.9	11.9
2000	923	46.5	19.8	11.5
2001	929	46.5	20.0	13.3
2002	1007	47.3	21.3	19.7
2003	1007	47.3	21.3	19.7
2004	981	47.3	20.7	22.6
2005	987	47.0	21.0	30
2006	993	47.0	21.1	32.2
2007	994	n/a	n/a	29.1
2008	1006	47.3	21.3	38.5
2009	981	48.5	20.2	32.4
2010	956	49.1	19.4	37.8
2011	965	48.3	19.9	40
2012	922	49.0	18.8	38.6
2013	910	44.0	20.6	39.8
2014	886	45.0	19.6	41.5
2015	876	36.0	24.3	45
2016	857	47.0	18.2	41
2017	837	46.2	18.1	38.1
2018	776	41.0	18.9	39.3
2019	833	43.3	19.2	41.5
2020	808	47.0	17.1	42.1
2021	806	51.4	15.6	39.6
2022	791	51.0	15.5	42.7
2023	800	50.8	15.7	47
2024	774	50.1	15.4	44.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio DeKalb Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	831	45.7	18.1	9.1
1989	876	46.4	18.8	6.3
1990	885	46.4	19.0	5.9
1991	940	46.4	20.2	7.1
1992	955	47.3	20.1	9.2
1993	992	48.2	20.6	7.9
1994	975	47.3	20.6	8.7
1995	886	46.5	19.1	4.2
1996	886	46.5	19.1	4.2
1997	842	42.5	19.8	6.8
1998	870	46.5	18.7	7.7
1999	863	45.6	18.9	11.9
2000	923	46.5	19.8	11.5
2001	929	46.5	20.0	13.3
2002	1007	47.3	21.3	19.7
2003	1007	47.3	21.3	19.7
2004	981	47.3	20.7	22.6
2005	987	47.0	21.0	30
2006	993	47.0	21.1	32.2
2007	994	n/a	n/a	29.1
2008	1006	47.3	21.3	38.5
2009	981	48.5	20.2	32.4
2010	956	49.1	19.4	37.8
2011	965	48.3	19.9	40
2012	922	49.0	18.8	38.6
2013	910	44.0	20.6	39.8
2014	886	45.0	19.6	41.5
2015	876	36.0	24.3	45
2016	857	47.0	18.2	41
2017	837	46.2	18.1	38.1
2018	776	41.0	18.9	39.3
2019	833	43.3	19.2	41.5
2020	808	47.0	17.1	42.1
2021	806	51.4	15.6	39.6
2022	791	51.0	15.5	42.7
2023	800	50.8	15.7	47
2024	774	50.1	15.4	44.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for DeKalb Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$33 (0.4%)	$8,443 (99.6%)	$8,476
2020	$18 (0.2%)	$8,321 (99.8%)	$8,339
2021	$153 (1.7%)	$8,950 (98.3%)	$9,103
2022	$320 (3.3%)	$9,366 (96.7%)	$9,685

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on DeKalb Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 71^st of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 124^th of 489 Middle schools	10.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb Middle School)	60.3	52.3	8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	60.3	52.3	8%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (DeKalb Middle School)	49.1	35.7	13.4%
6th Grade Math (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	49.1	35.7	13.4%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (DeKalb Middle School)	56.7	43.4	13.3%
6th Grade Science (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	56.7	43.4	13.3%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb Middle School)	67.3	50	17.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	67.3	50	17.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (DeKalb Middle School)	55.2	28	27.2%
7th Grade Math (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	55.2	28	27.2%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb Middle School)	68	60.2	7.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	68	60.2	7.8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (DeKalb Middle School)	46.5	35.4	11.1%
8th Grade Math (DeKalb County Ctl United School District)	46.5	35.4	11.1%
8th Grade Math (Indiana)	38	31.4	6.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	833	800	4%
African American	1	5	400%
American Indian	0	1
Asian	12	9	25%
Hispanic	35	37	5.7%
Pacific Islander	1	4	300%
White	764	715	6.4%
Two or More Races	20	29	45%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	41.5%	47%	5.5%

Schools Near DeKalb Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)						ILEARN Math (2024)						ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	ILEARN Biology (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 6th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math 6th Grade	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
DeKalb Middle School	Public	6-8	3338 Cr 427	Waterloo	46793	DeKalb County	DeKalb County Ctl United School District	No	No	No	No	(260) 920-1013	774	50	15.4	44.1%	701 (90.6%)	5 (0.6%)	39 (5.0%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	21 (2.7%)	67.9	148^th of 485 public middle schools	69.5%		71.5	124^th of 489 public middle schools	74.6%	24			48.1	48.8	57.7	51.4			28.9	30.9	36.1	31.8			$9,685	$320	$9,366
Garrett Middle School	Public	6-8	801 E Houston St	Garrett	46738	DeKalb County	Garrett-Keyser-Butler Com School Corp	No	No	No	No	(260) 357-5745	387	28	14.0	53.0%	350 (90.4%)	3 (0.8%)	18 (4.7%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	3 (0.8%)	10 (2.6%)	37.1	316^th of 485 public middle schools	34.8%		38	310^th of 489 public middle schools	36.6%	6			22.7	27.7	22.9	24.4			28.9	29.2	29.0	29.1			$8,984	$788	$8,196
East Noble Middle School	Public	6-8	415 Drake Rd	Kendallville	46755	Noble County	East Noble School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(260) 347-0100	786	53	14.8	35.8%	699 (88.9%)	10 (1.3%)	53 (6.7%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (2.4%)	42	287^th of 485 public middle schools	40.8%		34.5	326^th of 489 public middle schools	33.3%	39			35.5	23.2	20.9	26.5			45.6	26.4	24.5	32.1			$9,582	$568	$9,014
Leo Elementary School	Public	4-6	14811 Wayne St	Leo	46765	Allen County	East Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 446-0170	636	31	20.5	22.5%	533 (83.8%)	17 (2.7%)	28 (4.4%)	9 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	49 (7.7%)								(n/a)	61.0	64.8	65.2			63.7	61.4	51.4	58.0			56.9	54.0		$8,692	$801	$7,891
Maple Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	425 Union Chapel Rd	Fort Wayne	46845	Allen County	Northwest Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 338-0802	1,016	48	21.1	16.2%	800 (78.7%)	41 (4.0%)	50 (4.9%)	69 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	56 (5.5%)	83.6	64^th of 485 public middle schools	86.8%		84.2	62^nd of 489 public middle schools	87.3%	2			51.9	56.0	60.1	55.9			52.9	45.5	37.7	45.7			$7,916	$478	$7,438
Angola Middle School	Public	6-8	1350 E Maumee St	Angola	46703	Steuben County	MSD Steuben County	No	No	No	No	(260) 665-9581	530	42	12.7	54.7%	448 (84.5%)	4 (0.8%)	57 (10.8%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.2%)	67.3	156^th of 485 public middle schools	67.8%		72.5	116^th of 489 public middle schools	76.3%	40			43.5	38.2	50.0	43.6			45.9	34.4	36.3	38.8		92.0	$10,651	$700	$9,951
Carroll Middle School	Public	6-8	4027 Hathaway Rd	Fort Wayne	46818	Allen County	Northwest Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 637-5159	1,025	52	19.6	31.9%	763 (74.4%)	35 (3.4%)	70 (6.8%)	70 (6.8%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	83 (8.1%)	59.9	187^th of 485 public middle schools	61.4%		69.3	140^th of 489 public middle schools	71.4%	47			42.0	39.8	44.7	42.2			31.3	32.6	33.3	32.4			$8,368	$293	$8,076
Prairie Heights Middle School	Public	5-8	0395 S 1150 E	LaGrange	46761	LaGrange County	Prairie Heights Community School Corp	No	No	No	No	(260) 351-3038	384	28	13.9	49.7%	360 (93.8%)	2 (0.5%)	16 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.3%)	52.7	225^th of 485 public middle schools	53.6%		60.4	179^th of 489 public middle schools	63.4%	46		43.0	44.4	49.5	44.9	45.4		30.0	9.8	24.5	24.3	22.7	44.0		$10,524	$331	$10,193
Shawnee Middle School	Public	6-8	1000 E Cook Rd	Fort Wayne	46825	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 467-6525	622	46	13.4	63.5%	232 (37.3%)	136 (21.9%)	149 (24.0%)	49 (7.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	55 (8.8%)	21.3	377^th of 485 public middle schools	22.3%		17.6	407^th of 489 public middle schools	16.8%	30			21.6	22.8	26.7	23.7			16.3	10.7	13.2	13.4			$10,090	$1,167	$8,923
Jefferson Middle School	Public	6-8	5303 Wheelock Rd	Fort Wayne	46835	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 467-4825	676	45	15.0	48.8%	375 (55.5%)	102 (15.1%)	98 (14.5%)	21 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	79 (11.7%)	35.1	324^th of 485 public middle schools	33.2%		39.4	301^st of 489 public middle schools	38.4%	23			30.8	26.2	22.8	26.7			33.0	16.7	26.3	25.2			$10,870	$1,166	$9,704

Frequently Asked Questions about DeKalb Middle School

How many students attend DeKalb Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 774 students attended DeKalb Middle School.

Is DeKalb Middle School a good school?

DeKalb Middle School ranks 148^th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What high school do graduates of DeKalb Middle School attend?

Students who attend DeKalb Middle School usually go on to attend DeKalb High School

What district is DeKalb Middle School in?

DeKalb County Ctl United School District

What is the racial makeup of DeKalb Middle School?

Students at DeKalb Middle School are 91% White, 5% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.