Is Norwell High School a good school?

Norwell High School ranks 70 th of 431 Indiana high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Norwell High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 745 students attended Norwell High School.

What is the racial makeup of Norwell High School?

Students at Norwell High School are 90% White, 5% Hispanic, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools feed into Norwell High School?

Norwell High School is fed by the following schools: Elementary : Lancaster Central School Elementary : Ossian Elementary Middle : Norwell Middle School

Norwell High School

Summary:

Norwell High School is a public high school located in Ossian, Indiana, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 788. The school is part of the Norwell Community Schools district, which is ranked 57 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Norwell High School stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, ranking in the top 25% of Indiana high schools and outperforming the state average on standardized tests, particularly in English/Language Arts. The school has maintained a high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 92.7% to 98.4% over the past five years, which is higher than the state average. Additionally, Norwell High School has seen a significant decrease in chronic absenteeism, from 17.3% in 2020-2021 to 11.0% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the state average.

In contrast to the more diverse student populations of nearby schools like eSACS Virtual School, Homestead High School, and South Side High School, Norwell High School has a significantly higher percentage of white students (90.86%). Additionally, the school has a relatively low percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 21.77% to 24.87%, compared to some of the nearby schools with higher rates. This suggests that Norwell High School serves a more affluent community, which may contribute to its academic success.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1100 E Us 224
Ossian, IN 46777

(260) 543-2213

District: Norwell Community Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
70^th of 431 Indiana High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,836

Feeder schools for Norwell High School:

Elementary:	Lancaster Central School
	Ossian Elementary
Middle:	Norwell Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 17.1

Number of students: 745

Racial breakdown:

White:

90.5%

Hispanic:

5.2%

Two or more races:

2.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 25.6%

See top rated Indiana high schools

Compare Norwell High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Norwell High School ranks better than 83.8% of high schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 72.24. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Norwell High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 (90.5%), Hispanic (5.2%), two or more races (2.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 25.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Norwell High School is 17.1. (See more...)

Compare Norwell High School employs 43.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Norwell High School is $9,836.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Norwell High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Norwell High School 70^th of 431 Indiana public high schools. (See Norwell High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Special Education students:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Norwell Community Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Norwell Community Schools 59^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Norwell High School.

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Your rating for Norwell High School?

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Rank History for Norwell High School

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Rank History for all students at Norwell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	78.15	50^th	349	85.7%
2006	71.43	73^rd	349	79.1%
2007	75.65	69^th	354	80.5%
2008	82.17	38^th	360	89.4%
2009	82.78	40^th	364	89.0%
2010	66.22	54^th	362	85.1%
2011	63.63	74^th	364	79.7%
2012	48.68	169^th	373	54.7%
2013	35.34	224^th	353	36.5%
2014	35.29	247^th	379	34.8%
2015	42.73	239^th	400	40.3%
2016	56.27	157^th	394	60.2%
2017	66.54	103^rd	380	72.9%
2018	66.07	116^th	385	69.9%
2019	51.86	172^nd	389	55.8%
2021	60.96	107^th	388	72.4%
2022	73.58	93^rd	409	77.3%
2023	62.99	111^th	398	72.1%
2024	72.24	70^th	431	83.8%

See the entire list of Indiana High School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Norwell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	67.35	62^nd	285	78.2%
2024	42.12	149^th	289	48.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Norwell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	52.30	154^th	379	59.4%
2024	59.06	119^th	377	68.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Norwell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	65.88	98^th	388	74.7%
2024	71.93	69^th	392	82.4%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Norwell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	56.68	131^st	383	65.8%
2024	68.82	86^th	392	78.1%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Norwell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	54.46	63^rd	164	61.6%
2024	75.99	34^th	184	81.5%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Norwell High School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	IN State Percentile
2022	64.63	115^th	378	69.6%
2023	53.87	138^th	375	63.2%
2024	61.74	93^rd	381	75.6%

See the entire list of Best Indiana High Schools for White Students!

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

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, June 9, 2015

The overall education and atmosphere at Norwell High School is terrific.
The music program has gotten national recognition for both high school show choirs.
Small town feel with close relationships with students for high achievement and learning. Close Quote

by a parent
Saturday, August 8, 2009

Graduated in 82. Great school for athletics, friends and teachers. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Norwell High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	789	1	0	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	792
1989	716	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	719
1990	710	0	0	5	1	n/a	n/a	0	716
1991	708	0	0	4	1	n/a	n/a	0	713
1992	700	0	0	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	704
1993	729	1	0	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	732
1994	736	1	0	15	0	n/a	n/a	0	752
1995	787	0	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	1	797
1996	787	0	2	7	0	n/a	n/a	1	797
1997	842	0	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	1	850
1998	838	1	2	5	0	n/a	n/a	0	846
1999	847	1	8	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	865
2000	835	2	6	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	856
2001	810	4	6	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	833
2002	798	3	2	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	811
2003	798	3	2	7	1	n/a	n/a	0	811
2004	809	3	6	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	835
2005	804	2	7	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	829
2006	835	3	8	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	858
2007	815	1	8	10	1	n/a	n/a	7	842
2008	818	1	4	10	1	n/a	n/a	8	842
2009	819	0	2	9	2	n/a	n/a	6	838
2010	836	1	2	9	1	n/a	n/a	2	851
2011	816	7	6	10	2	0	14	0	855
2012	773	5	8	8	4	1	21	0	820
2013	755	7	7	10	3	1	27	0	810
2014	719	5	7	11	3	1	32	0	778
2015	712	6	4	14	1	1	21	0	759
2016	711	5	9	15	4	0	21	0	765
2017	711	7	11	18	4	0	18	0	769
2018	736	12	9	23	4	1	17	0	802
2019	729	7	12	27	3	1	21	0	800
2020	771	7	8	29	0	0	20	0	835
2021	766	6	9	31	0	0	17	0	829
2022	712	7	9	41	0	1	20	0	790
2023	716	6	11	38	0	0	17	0	788
2024	674	6	10	39	0	0	16	0	745

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 Norwell High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	792	41.4	19.1	4.2
1989	719	39.7	18.1	3.8
1990	716	40.1	17.8	3.8
1991	713	39.2	18.1	3.2
1992	704	36.4	19.3	4.8
1993	732	39.7	18.4	4.1
1994	752	41.0	18.3	4.7
1995	797	44.7	17.8	4.8
1996	797	44.7	17.8	4.8
1997	850	45.8	18.6	4.2
1998	846	47.9	17.7	4.3
1999	865	48.7	17.8	6.4
2000	856	49.1	17.4	6.8
2001	833	48.0	17.4	8.2
2002	811	49.3	16.5	11
2003	811	49.3	16.5	11
2004	835	46.3	18.0	12.2
2005	829	45.8	18.1	14.7
2006	858	46.5	18.5	16.7
2007	842	n/a	n/a	16.5
2008	842	54.8	15.4	15
2009	838	54.9	15.3	17.9
2010	851	49.4	17.2	20.7
2011	855	n/a	n/a	25.1
2012	820	45.0	18.2	24.6
2013	810	44.3	18.2	24.9
2014	778	41.2	18.8	23.8
2015	759	35.0	21.6	25.8
2016	765	39.0	19.6	25.5
2017	769	39.7	19.3	23.8
2018	802	39.7	20.2	25.3
2019	800	39.7	20.1	26.5
2020	835	41.1	20.3	25
2021	829	43.9	18.8	22.6
2022	790	51.3	15.3	21.8
2023	788	39.5	19.9	24.9
2024	745	43.5	17.1	25.6

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 Norwell High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	792	41.4	19.1	4.2
1989	719	39.7	18.1	3.8
1990	716	40.1	17.8	3.8
1991	713	39.2	18.1	3.2
1992	704	36.4	19.3	4.8
1993	732	39.7	18.4	4.1
1994	752	41.0	18.3	4.7
1995	797	44.7	17.8	4.8
1996	797	44.7	17.8	4.8
1997	850	45.8	18.6	4.2
1998	846	47.9	17.7	4.3
1999	865	48.7	17.8	6.4
2000	856	49.1	17.4	6.8
2001	833	48.0	17.4	8.2
2002	811	49.3	16.5	11
2003	811	49.3	16.5	11
2004	835	46.3	18.0	12.2
2005	829	45.8	18.1	14.7
2006	858	46.5	18.5	16.7
2007	842	n/a	n/a	16.5
2008	842	54.8	15.4	15
2009	838	54.9	15.3	17.9
2010	851	49.4	17.2	20.7
2011	855	n/a	n/a	25.1
2012	820	45.0	18.2	24.6
2013	810	44.3	18.2	24.9
2014	778	41.2	18.8	23.8
2015	759	35.0	21.6	25.8
2016	765	39.0	19.6	25.5
2017	769	39.7	19.3	23.8
2018	802	39.7	20.2	25.3
2019	800	39.7	20.1	26.5
2020	835	41.1	20.3	25
2021	829	43.9	18.8	22.6
2022	790	51.3	15.3	21.8
2023	788	39.5	19.9	24.9
2024	745	43.5	17.1	25.6

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 Norwell High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$24 (0.3%)	$8,136 (99.7%)	$8,160
2020	$20 (0.2%)	$8,178 (99.8%)	$8,198
2021	$183 (2.0%)	$8,928 (98.0%)	$9,111
2022	$263 (2.7%)	$9,572 (97.3%)	$9,836

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Norwell High 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 172^nd of 389 High schools	Ranks 111^th of 398 High schools	16.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Norwell High School)	26.1	32.1	6%
End of Course Biology (Norwell Community Schools)	26.1	32.1	6%
End of Course Biology (Indiana)	38.6	29	9.6%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	800	788	1.5%
African American	7	6	14.3%
American Indian	3	0	100%
Asian	12	11	8.3%
Hispanic	27	38	40.7%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	729	716	1.8%
Two or More Races	21	17	19%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	26.5%	24.9%	1.6%

Schools Near Norwell High School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing (2024)	SAT Mathematics (2024)	ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)			ILEARN Math (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	SAT Evidence-based Reading and Writing 11th Grade	SAT Mathematics 11th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 7th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 8th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 7th Grade	ILEARN Math 8th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Biology End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Norwell High School	Public	9-12	1100 E Us 224	Ossian	46777	Wells County	Norwell Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 543-2213	745	44	17.1	25.6%	674 (90.5%)	6 (0.8%)	39 (5.2%)	10 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.1%)	72.2	70^th of 431 public high schools	83.8%		63	111^th of 398 public high schools	72.1%	41	57.1	34.9							48.2	$9,836	$263	$9,572
Bluffton High School	Public	9-12	1 Tiger Trl	Bluffton	46714	Wells County	MSD Bluffton-Harrison	No	No	No	No	(260) 824-3724	507	39	13.1	41.0%	438 (86.4%)	14 (2.8%)	36 (7.1%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	13 (2.6%)	72.8	65^th of 431 public high schools	84.9%		73.5	62^nd of 398 public high schools	84.4%	3	51.0	30.0							63.5	$13,210	$1,664	$11,546
Wayne High School	Public	9-12	9100 Winchester Rd	Fort Wayne	46819	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-6400	1,417	97	14.6	64.9%	397 (28.0%)	435 (30.7%)	289 (20.4%)	169 (11.9%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	123 (8.7%)	22.7	335^th of 431 public high schools	22.3%		25.5	308^th of 398 public high schools	22.6%	27	31.6	8.0							28.5	$11,180	$1,106	$10,074
Adams Central High School	Public	9-12	222 W Washington St	Monroe	46772	Adams County	Adams Central Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 692-6151	408	30	13.6	25.0%	379 (92.9%)	4 (1.0%)	12 (2.9%)	4 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.2%)	67.7	87^th of 431 public high schools	79.8%		75	58^th of 398 public high schools	85.4%	29	63.3	36.7							37.7	$10,672	$1,556	$9,115
Bellmont Senior High School	Public	9-12	1000 North Adams Dr	Decatur	46733	Adams County	North Adams Community Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 724-7121	610	48	12.8	33.6%	520 (85.2%)	10 (1.6%)	61 (10.0%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	12 (2.0%)	76.8	55^th of 431 public high schools	87.2%		74.7	60^th of 398 public high schools	84.9%	5	57.4	35.8							55.9	$13,427	$2,597	$10,830
East Allen University	Public	9-12	6501 Wayne Trace	Fort Wayne	46816	Allen County	East Allen County Schools	No	No	No	No	(260) 446-0240	303	17	17.8	74.3%	67 (22.1%)	23 (7.6%)	42 (13.9%)	157 (51.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.6%)	67.2	92^nd of 431 public high schools	78.7%		72.1	67^th of 398 public high schools	83.2%	25	61.3	24.2							50.6	$9,925	$729	$9,196
eSACS Virtual School	Public, Virtual	6-12	4310 Homestead Rd	Fort Wayne	46814	Allen County	MSD Southwest Allen County Schls	No	No	Yes	No	(260) 431-2051	74	22	3.4	20.3%	56 (75.7%)	5 (6.8%)	7 (9.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.7%)	4 (5.4%)	54.9	163^rd of 431 public high schools	62.2%		62.7	113^th of 398 public high schools	71.6%	50	52.2	17.4			31.3			25.0		$4,594	$109	$4,485
Homestead High School	Public	9-12	4310 Homestead Rd	Fort Wayne	46814	Allen County	MSD Southwest Allen County Schls	No	No	No	No	(260) 431-2202	2,408	138	17.3	21.2%	1,812 (75.2%)	184 (7.6%)	181 (7.5%)	124 (5.1%)	3 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	102 (4.2%)	92.1	12^th of 431 public high schools	97.2%		92.3	11^th of 398 public high schools	97.2%	1	74.7	43.6							70.0	$9,180	$267	$8,913
Southern Wells Junior-Senior High School	Public	7-12	9120 S 300 W	Poneto	46781	Wells County	Southern Wells Com Schools	No	No	No	No	(765) 728-5534	384	32	12.0	41.1%	365 (95.1%)	1 (0.3%)	16 (4.2%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57.3	152^nd of 431 public high schools	64.7%		38.4	249^th of 398 public high schools	37.4%	97	45.2	25.8	58.8	64.8	61.5	45.6	42.6	44.3	47.3	$12,175	$578	$11,596
South Side High School	Public	9-12	3601 S Calhoun St	Fort Wayne	46807	Allen County	Fort Wayne Community Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(260) 467-2600	1,459	92	15.8	68.9%	250 (17.1%)	414 (28.4%)	538 (36.9%)	128 (8.8%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	127 (8.7%)	15.7	368^th of 431 public high schools	14.6%		15	352^nd of 398 public high schools	11.6%	16	25.1	6.5							20.9	$12,865	$1,866	$11,000

Norwell High School

Norwell High School:

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Norwell Community Schools:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Norwell High School

Rank History for all students at Norwell High School

Rank History for Special Education students at Norwell High School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Norwell High School

Rank History for Female students at Norwell High School

Rank History for Male students at Norwell High School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Norwell High School

Rank History for White students at Norwell High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Norwell High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Norwell High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Norwell High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Norwell High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Norwell High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Norwell High School

Frequently Asked Questions about Norwell High School

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