Willowcreek Middle School

Q: Is Willowcreek Middle School a good school?

Willowcreek Middle School ranks 290 th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Willowcreek Middle School is a public middle school located in Portage, Indiana, serving grades 6-8 with a student population of 949. The school is part of the Portage Township Schools district, which is ranked 262 out of 381 districts in Indiana and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Willowcreek Middle School has a more diverse student population compared to some nearby schools, with 50.9% White, 15.6% African American, 28.03% Hispanic, and 4.95% two or more races. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by ILEARN test scores, is generally lower than the state and district averages, with only 32.12% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 25.85% in Math, compared to the Portage Township Schools district averages of 31.37% and 29.35%, respectively. The school also has a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate of 20.2%, compared to the state average of around 15%, and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch at 59.01%, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families.

When compared to other nearby middle schools, such as Benjamin Franklin Middle School in Valparaiso, which is part of a higher-performing district, Willowcreek Middle School generally performs below average. For example, Benjamin Franklin Middle School had significantly higher ILEARN test scores, with 63.29% of students proficient or better in English Language Arts and 55.45% in Math for the 2023-2024 school year. Willowcreek Middle School's statewide ranking has also declined over the years, from 146 out of 485 Indiana middle schools in 2014-2015 to 290 out of 485 in 2023-2024, with a consistent 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Detail:

Public 6-8

5962 Central Ave
Portage, IN 46368

(219) 763-8090

District: Portage Township Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
290^th of 485 Indiana Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,764

Students who attend Willowcreek Middle School usually attend:

High:

Portage High School

Feeder schools for Willowcreek Middle School:

Elementary:	Crisman Elementary School
	Ethel R Jones Elementary School
	Paul Saylor Elementary School
	Rowena Kyle Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.1

Number of students: 931

Racial breakdown:

White:

52.1%

Hispanic:

26.9%

African American:

15.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59%

See top rated Indiana middle schools

Compare Willowcreek Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Willowcreek Middle School ranks worse than 59.8% of middle schools in Indiana. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 41.64. (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 Student population at Willowcreek Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (52.1%), Hispanic (26.9%), African American (15.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Willowcreek Middle School is 15.1. (See more...)

Compare Willowcreek Middle School employs 61.3 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Willowcreek Middle School is $10,764.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Willowcreek Middle School 290^th of 485 Indiana public middle schools. (See Willowcreek Middle School in the ranking list.)

Portage Township Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Portage Township Schools 263^rd of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Willowcreek Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	IN State Percentile
2004	47.11	128^th	222	42.3%
2005	52.35	209^th	370	43.5%
2006	63.12	137^th	375	63.5%
2007	61.02	146^th	382	61.8%
2008	63.58	139^th	392	64.5%
2009	69.69	118^th	423	72.1%
2010	67.41	137^th	428	68.0%
2011	59.39	211^th	451	53.2%
2012	62.84	174^th	447	61.1%
2013	57.73	206^th	444	53.6%
2014	68.48	137^th	470	70.9%
2015	67.78	146^th	485	69.9%
2016	60.00	215^th	494	56.5%
2017	63.77	174^th	472	63.1%
2018	61.51	199^th	473	57.9%
2019	48.40	259^th	470	44.9%
2021	34.72	323^rd	483	33.1%
2022	36.64	319^th	490	34.9%
2023	42.80	271^st	489	44.6%
2024	41.64	290^th	485	40.2%

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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Enrollment information for Willowcreek Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1126	5	7	50	0	n/a	n/a	0	1188
1989	1160	5	6	57	0	n/a	n/a	0	1228
1990	1136	6	1	60	15	n/a	n/a	0	1218
1991	1165	5	1	59	6	n/a	n/a	0	1236
1992	1074	2	3	62	3	n/a	n/a	0	1144
1993	1098	1	3	64	3	n/a	n/a	0	1169
1994	1103	3	7	73	3	n/a	n/a	0	1189
1995	1161	5	9	84	2	n/a	n/a	0	1261
1996	1161	5	9	84	2	n/a	n/a	0	1261
1997	1103	7	9	60	3	n/a	n/a	0	1182
1998	1079	11	5	67	3	n/a	n/a	0	1165
1999	1065	10	8	64	3	n/a	n/a	0	1150
2000	1040	5	9	81	5	n/a	n/a	0	1140
2001	1092	8	15	81	8	n/a	n/a	0	1204
2002	1130	18	9	94	18	n/a	n/a	0	1269
2003	1130	18	9	94	18	n/a	n/a	0	1269
2004	1112	38	7	94	1	n/a	n/a	0	1252
2005	1145	40	7	122	1	n/a	n/a	0	1315
2006	1131	42	6	124	1	n/a	n/a	0	1304
2007	1034	78	10	146	3	n/a	n/a	34	1305
2008	964	93	12	157	2	n/a	n/a	40	1268
2009	904	99	12	171	5	n/a	n/a	53	1244
2010	857	107	15	191	6	n/a	n/a	59	1235
2011	838	108	10	181	7	0	65	0	1209
2012	809	110	10	180	4	0	72	0	1185
2013	778	117	6	215	4	0	55	0	1175
2014	756	96	5	214	3	0	47	0	1121
2015	717	111	9	260	3	0	48	0	1148
2016	697	102	11	263	1	0	56	0	1130
2017	628	127	14	270	0	0	57	0	1096
2018	612	150	16	265	2	0	55	0	1100
2019	586	155	7	261	1	0	39	0	1049
2020	588	171	6	265	1	0	34	0	1065
2021	578	169	4	273	0	0	36	0	1060
2022	541	168	5	275	1	0	40	0	1030
2023	483	148	3	266	2	0	47	0	949
2024	485	147	4	250	2	0	43	0	931

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 Willowcreek Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1188	54.0	22.0	17.5
1989	1228	52.0	23.6	12
1990	1218	52.5	23.2	12
1991	1236	51.0	24.2	12.9
1992	1144	54.6	20.9	15.3
1993	1169	54.5	21.4	13.7
1994	1189	53.6	22.2	14.1
1995	1261	53.4	23.6	12.8
1996	1261	53.4	23.6	12.8
1997	1182	53.4	22.1	15.8
1998	1165	54.8	21.3	13.6
1999	1150	54.5	21.1	20.5
2000	1140	54.3	21.0	26.5
2001	1204	53.6	22.5	22.3
2002	1269	52.8	24.0	26.8
2003	1269	52.8	24.0	26.8
2004	1252	53.8	23.3	28.8
2005	1315	53.8	24.4	31.9
2006	1304	53.8	24.2	33.9
2007	1305	n/a	n/a	39.7
2008	1268	56.7	22.4	40.8
2009	1244	56.8	21.9	45
2010	1235	64.6	19.1	53.8
2011	1209	59.6	20.2	51.8
2012	1185	65.9	17.9	53.8
2013	1175	58.0	20.2	54
2014	1121	58.0	19.3	53.6
2015	1148	60.0	19.1	52.8
2016	1130	62.0	18.2	53.2
2017	1096	69.0	15.8	53.8
2018	1100	68.4	16.0	58
2019	1049	70.0	14.9	58.2
2020	1065	71.1	14.9	53.2
2021	1060	70.0	15.1	55
2022	1030	69.0	14.9	47.1
2023	949	61.5	15.4	59
2024	931	61.3	15.1	n/a

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 Willowcreek Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1188	54.0	22.0	17.5
1989	1228	52.0	23.6	12
1990	1218	52.5	23.2	12
1991	1236	51.0	24.2	12.9
1992	1144	54.6	20.9	15.3
1993	1169	54.5	21.4	13.7
1994	1189	53.6	22.2	14.1
1995	1261	53.4	23.6	12.8
1996	1261	53.4	23.6	12.8
1997	1182	53.4	22.1	15.8
1998	1165	54.8	21.3	13.6
1999	1150	54.5	21.1	20.5
2000	1140	54.3	21.0	26.5
2001	1204	53.6	22.5	22.3
2002	1269	52.8	24.0	26.8
2003	1269	52.8	24.0	26.8
2004	1252	53.8	23.3	28.8
2005	1315	53.8	24.4	31.9
2006	1304	53.8	24.2	33.9
2007	1305	n/a	n/a	39.7
2008	1268	56.7	22.4	40.8
2009	1244	56.8	21.9	45
2010	1235	64.6	19.1	53.8
2011	1209	59.6	20.2	51.8
2012	1185	65.9	17.9	53.8
2013	1175	58.0	20.2	54
2014	1121	58.0	19.3	53.6
2015	1148	60.0	19.1	52.8
2016	1130	62.0	18.2	53.2
2017	1096	69.0	15.8	53.8
2018	1100	68.4	16.0	58
2019	1049	70.0	14.9	58.2
2020	1065	71.1	14.9	53.2
2021	1060	70.0	15.1	55
2022	1030	69.0	14.9	47.1
2023	949	61.5	15.4	59
2024	931	61.3	15.1	n/a

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 Willowcreek Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$147 (1.5%)	$9,374 (98.4%)	$9,522
2020	$139 (1.4%)	$9,519 (98.6%)	$9,658
2021	$247 (2.5%)	$9,785 (97.5%)	$10,031
2022	$898 (8.3%)	$9,866 (91.7%)	$10,764

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Willowcreek 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 259^th of 470 Middle schools	Ranks 271^st of 489 Middle schools	0.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Willowcreek Middle School)	35.4	27.2	8.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Portage Township Schools)	35.9	28.7	7.2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	47.8	40.8	7%
6th Grade Math (Willowcreek Middle School)	43.5	30.3	13.2%
6th Grade Math (Portage Township Schools)	46.5	28.9	17.6%
6th Grade Math (Indiana)	46.4	38.3	8.1%
6th Grade Science (Willowcreek Middle School)	41.1	30.3	10.8%
6th Grade Science (Portage Township Schools)	42.4	28.4	14%
6th Grade Science (Indiana)	48.6	38.2	10.4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Willowcreek Middle School)	45.2	31.5	13.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Portage Township Schools)	43.1	31	12.1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	49.7	39.5	10.2%
7th Grade Math (Willowcreek Middle School)	36.1	21.9	14.2%
7th Grade Math (Portage Township Schools)	37.1	23.9	13.2%
7th Grade Math (Indiana)	42	32.9	9.1%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Willowcreek Middle School)	50.3	38.6	11.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Portage Township Schools)	51.3	37.7	13.6%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	50.7	43.8	6.9%
8th Grade Math (Willowcreek Middle School)	40.7	27.4	13.3%
8th Grade Math (Portage Township Schools)	40.8	23.9	16.9%
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	1049	949	9.5%
African American	155	148	4.5%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	7	3	57.1%
Hispanic	261	266	1.9%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	586	483	17.6%
Two or More Races	39	47	20.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	58.2%	59%	0.8%

Schools Near Willowcreek 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 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 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
Willowcreek Middle School	Public	6-8	5962 Central Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8090	931	61	15.1		485 (52.1%)	147 (15.8%)	250 (26.9%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (4.6%)	41.6	290^th of 485 public middle schools	40.2%		42.8	271^st of 489 public middle schools	44.6%	19		27.1	31.3	37.5	32.1		25.8	25.9	25.9	25.9		74.4	$10,764	$898	$9,866
William Fegely Middle School	Public	6-8	5384 Stone Ave	Portage	46368	Porter County	Portage Township Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 763-8150	613	43	14.1		276 (45.0%)	125 (20.4%)	179 (29.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.9%)	36.8	317^th of 485 public middle schools	34.6%		38.9	304^th of 489 public middle schools	37.8%	13		32.0	29.5	30.3	30.6		15.2	27.9	24.1	22.2		62.5	$11,068	$915	$10,153
Gary Middle School	Public	6-8	301 Parke St	Gary	46403	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 321-8547	324	16	20.9	75.0%	5 (1.5%)	296 (91.4%)	20 (6.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	7.3	470^th of 485 public middle schools	3.1%		5.6	480^th of 489 public middle schools	1.8%	10		12.6	10.9	14.0	12.5		2.5	0.0	0.0	1.0			$18,213	$5,210	$13,003
River Forest Middle School	Public	6-8	3300 Indiana St	Hobart	46405	Lake County	River Forest Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 962-7551	374	23	16.2	74.9%	132 (35.3%)	61 (16.3%)	149 (39.8%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	29 (7.8%)	17.6	400^th of 485 public middle schools	17.5%		19.8	393^rd of 489 public middle schools	19.6%	7		23.4	20.8	24.4	22.9		10.8	9.9	6.5	9.0			$8,369	$453	$7,916
Hobart Middle School	Public	6-8	36 E 8th St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	No	(219) 942-8541	916	50	18.3	52.6%	550 (60.0%)	97 (10.6%)	225 (24.6%)	8 (0.9%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (3.6%)	60.3	184^th of 485 public middle schools	62.1%		56.9	207^th of 489 public middle schools	57.7%	23		41.7	43.0	43.9	42.9		41.8	29.1	26.2	32.5		60.7	$10,636	$916	$9,720
Liberty Intermediate School	Public	5-6	50 W 900 N	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3690	354	23	15.2	24.6%	264 (74.6%)	6 (1.7%)	70 (19.8%)	3 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.1%)								(n/a)	68.0	60.7			64.4	71.3	61.9			66.7	69.1		$12,071	$531	$11,540
Westchester Intermediate School	Public	5-6	1050 S 5th St	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 983-3710	485	31	15.5	33.8%	362 (74.6%)	22 (4.5%)	67 (13.8%)	8 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	24 (4.9%)								(n/a)	59.7	70.2			65.1	61.8	72.6			67.4	54.0		$11,920	$514	$11,406
Chesterton Middle School	Public	7-8	651 W Morgan Ave	Chesterton	46304	Porter County	Duneland School Corporation	No	No	No	No	(219) 983-3776	870	57	15.2	29.1%	658 (75.6%)	19 (2.2%)	139 (16.0%)	11 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	42 (4.8%)	96.6	6^th of 485 public middle schools	98.8%		94.2	18^th of 489 public middle schools	96.3%	12			66.2	65.4	65.8			65.7	61.6	63.6		94.0	$10,646	$163	$10,483
Union Township Middle School	Public	6-8	599 W 300 N	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Union Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 759-2562	313	23	13.9	26.5%	252 (80.5%)	10 (3.2%)	45 (14.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.9%)	94.7	19^th of 485 public middle schools	96.1%		86.2	54^th of 489 public middle schools	89.0%	35		64.6	72.6	73.3	70.0		51.8	62.8	61.0	58.3			$10,046	$235	$9,811
Bailly Middle School	Public	6-8	4621 Georgia St	Gary	46409	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 980-6326	374	19	19.6	66.0%	5 (1.3%)	342 (91.4%)	23 (6.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	9.9	448^th of 485 public middle schools	7.6%		7.4	470^th of 489 public middle schools	3.9%	22		15.7	16.9	14.7	15.7		6.1	3.4	1.8	3.9			$16,955	$5,209	$11,746

Frequently Asked Questions about Willowcreek Middle School

What high school do graduates of Willowcreek Middle School attend?

Students who attend Willowcreek Middle School usually go on to attend Portage High School

What is the racial makeup of Willowcreek Middle School?

Students at Willowcreek Middle School are 52% White, 27% Hispanic, 16% African American, 5% Two or more races.

Is Willowcreek Middle School a good school?

Willowcreek Middle School ranks 290^th of 485 Indiana middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Willowcreek Middle School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 931 students attended Willowcreek Middle School.

What district is Willowcreek Middle School in?

Portage Township Schools

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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.