John Wood Elementary School

Q: Is John Wood Elementary School a good school?

John Wood Elementary School ranks 564 th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

John Wood Elementary School is a public elementary school in Merrillville, Indiana, serving 315 students in grades PK-4. The school is part of the Merrillville Community School Corporation, which is ranked 268 out of 381 school districts in the state.

John Wood Elementary stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of African American (42.86%) and Hispanic (21.9%) students compared to nearby schools. The school also outperforms the district in both English Language Arts and Math proficiency, with 48.48% of students proficient or better in ILEARN Math in 2023-2024, compared to just 26.67% for the district. However, the school's statewide ranking has declined in recent years, suggesting it is not keeping pace with improvements at other Indiana elementary schools.

When compared to other nearby schools, such as Homer Iddings Elementary and Henry P Fieler Elementary, John Wood Elementary stands out for its stronger academic performance, particularly in math. The school also faces challenges, including a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students (60.32%) and a relatively high chronic absenteeism rate (17.9%), which may impact its ability to maintain and improve academic outcomes. Targeted interventions and support programs could be beneficial in addressing these issues and helping the school continue to excel.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

6100 E 73rd Ave
Merrillville, IN 46410

(219) 650-5305

District: Merrillville Community School Corp

SchoolDigger Rank:
564^th of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,212

Students who attend John Wood Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Merrillville Intermediate School
	Pierce Middle School
High:	Merrillville High School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.2

Number of students: 292

Racial breakdown:

African American:

41.1%

Hispanic:

27.4%

White:

24.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 67.8%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare John Wood Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details John Wood Elementary School ranks worse than 55.8% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks 2^nd among 5 ranked elementary schools in the Merrillville Community School Corp District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.39. (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 John Wood Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Merrillville Community School Corp District. Student population at John Wood Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (41.1%), Hispanic (27.4%), White (24%). (See more...)

Compare Details 67.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at John Wood Elementary School is 14.2, which is the 2^nd best among 5 elementary schools in the Merrillville Community School Corp District. (See more...)

Compare John Wood Elementary School employs 20.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at John Wood Elementary School is $11,212, which is the 2^nd highest among 5 elementary schools in the Merrillville Community School Corp District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

John Wood Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Merrillville Community School Corp:

SchoolDigger ranks Merrillville Community School Corp 267^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for John Wood Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	69.52	262^nd	959	72.7%
2006	63.34	361^st	961	62.4%
2007	71.66	253^rd	985	74.3%
2008	60.67	427^th	996	57.1%
2009	67.31	332^nd	1003	66.9%
2010	58.06	502^nd	1009	50.2%
2011	53.73	576^th	1025	43.8%
2012	67.12	337^th	1015	66.8%
2013	80.19	136^th	1035	86.9%
2014	68.55	334^th	1036	67.8%
2015	69.37	303^rd	1040	70.9%
2016	69.51	310^th	1046	70.4%
2017	81.17	151^st	1033	85.4%
2018	70.03	309^th	1027	69.9%
2019	69.41	307^th	1031	70.2%
2021	39.48	650^th	1016	36.0%
2022	40.07	650^th	1020	36.3%
2023	43.86	599^th	1016	41.0%
2024	46.39	564^th	1010	44.2%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4.5)

50%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for John Wood Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	389	0	1	24	0	n/a	n/a	0	414
1989	421	0	1	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	443
1990	456	0	1	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	475
1991	429	1	3	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1992	398	0	2	22	0	n/a	n/a	0	422
1993	323	0	2	14	2	n/a	n/a	0	341
1994	319	4	3	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	339
1995	292	3	7	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	315
1996	292	3	7	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	315
1997	309	8	2	14	2	n/a	n/a	2	337
1998	285	10	1	15	2	n/a	n/a	0	313
1999	271	21	4	13	1	n/a	n/a	0	310
2000	261	14	3	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	294
2001	268	16	5	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	305
2002	183	36	8	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	246
2003	183	36	8	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	246
2004	194	36	7	19	0	n/a	n/a	0	256
2005	205	42	10	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	282
2006	224	64	7	29	0	n/a	n/a	0	324
2007	185	94	6	44	0	n/a	n/a	32	361
2008	160	118	9	49	0	n/a	n/a	40	376
2009	161	107	5	54	0	n/a	n/a	50	377
2010	142	98	3	70	0	n/a	n/a	57	370
2011	129	82	3	101	0	0	15	0	330
2012	117	78	5	97	0	0	18	0	315
2013	122	78	4	89	1	0	15	0	309
2014	126	91	7	97	1	0	15	0	337
2015	108	86	8	84	0	0	13	0	299
2016	104	103	10	90	0	0	22	0	329
2017	105	104	13	85	0	0	12	0	319
2018	100	126	13	77	0	0	27	0	343
2019	93	111	6	87	2	0	23	0	322
2020	97	114	5	78	0	0	22	0	316
2021	91	111	4	78	0	0	27	0	311
2022	81	121	4	74	0	0	30	0	310
2023	81	135	2	69	0	0	28	0	315
2024	70	120	1	80	1	0	20	0	292

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 John Wood Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	414	21.1	19.6	8.5
1989	443	22.0	20.1	5.6
1990	475	23.2	20.4	5.5
1991	458	22.5	20.3	5
1992	422	23.0	18.3	5.7
1993	341	18.7	18.2	7.3
1994	339	18.4	18.4	10
1995	315	17.6	17.9	9.8
1996	315	17.6	17.9	9.8
1997	337	n/a	0.0	8.7
1998	313	18.0	17.4	7.7
1999	310	13.3	23.3	16.1
2000	294	15.9	18.5	14.3
2001	305	17.0	17.9	20.3
2002	246	12.9	19.1	29.7
2003	246	12.9	19.1	29.7
2004	256	14.8	17.3	29.3
2005	282	14.1	20.0	26.2
2006	324	14.2	22.8	26.2
2007	361	n/a	n/a	31.9
2008	376	17.8	21.1	37.8
2009	377	19.2	19.6	43.7
2010	370	19.5	18.9	44.7
2011	330	17.7	18.5	45.2
2012	315	22.0	14.3	41.6
2013	309	20.0	15.4	45.6
2014	337	20.0	16.8	49
2015	299	17.0	17.5	44.8
2016	329	17.0	19.3	44.7
2017	319	17.5	18.2	48.9
2018	343	19.0	18.0	53.1
2019	322	18.0	17.8	53.7
2020	316	19.0	16.6	54.1
2021	311	19.0	16.3	50.5
2022	310	24.1	12.8	52.9
2023	315	20.6	15.2	60.3
2024	292	20.5	14.2	67.8

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 John Wood Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	414	21.1	19.6	8.5
1989	443	22.0	20.1	5.6
1990	475	23.2	20.4	5.5
1991	458	22.5	20.3	5
1992	422	23.0	18.3	5.7
1993	341	18.7	18.2	7.3
1994	339	18.4	18.4	10
1995	315	17.6	17.9	9.8
1996	315	17.6	17.9	9.8
1997	337	n/a	0.0	8.7
1998	313	18.0	17.4	7.7
1999	310	13.3	23.3	16.1
2000	294	15.9	18.5	14.3
2001	305	17.0	17.9	20.3
2002	246	12.9	19.1	29.7
2003	246	12.9	19.1	29.7
2004	256	14.8	17.3	29.3
2005	282	14.1	20.0	26.2
2006	324	14.2	22.8	26.2
2007	361	n/a	n/a	31.9
2008	376	17.8	21.1	37.8
2009	377	19.2	19.6	43.7
2010	370	19.5	18.9	44.7
2011	330	17.7	18.5	45.2
2012	315	22.0	14.3	41.6
2013	309	20.0	15.4	45.6
2014	337	20.0	16.8	49
2015	299	17.0	17.5	44.8
2016	329	17.0	19.3	44.7
2017	319	17.5	18.2	48.9
2018	343	19.0	18.0	53.1
2019	322	18.0	17.8	53.7
2020	316	19.0	16.6	54.1
2021	311	19.0	16.3	50.5
2022	310	24.1	12.8	52.9
2023	315	20.6	15.2	60.3
2024	292	20.5	14.2	67.8

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 John Wood Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$201 (2.3%)	$8,553 (97.7%)	$8,754
2020	$204 (2.2%)	$9,178 (97.8%)	$9,382
2021	$638 (6.2%)	$9,701 (93.8%)	$10,339
2022	$910 (8.1%)	$10,302 (91.9%)	$11,212

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on John Wood Elementary 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 307^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 599^th of 1016 Elementary schools	29.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (John Wood Elementary School)	51.1	26.3	24.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Merrillville Community School Corp)	40.5	25.1	15.4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (John Wood Elementary School)	71.1	38.6	32.5%
3rd Grade Math (Merrillville Community School Corp)	56.2	36.5	19.7%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (John Wood Elementary School)	60.6	50	10.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Merrillville Community School Corp)	45.3	24.9	20.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (John Wood Elementary School)	75.8	59.5	16.3%
4th Grade Math (Merrillville Community School Corp)	54.5	33.5	21%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (John Wood Elementary School)	36.4	19.1	17.4%
4th Grade Science (Merrillville Community School Corp)	33.1	14.8	18.3%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	322	315	2.2%
African American	111	135	21.6%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	6	2	66.7%
Hispanic	87	69	20.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	93	81	12.9%
Two or More Races	23	28	21.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	53.7%	60.3%	6.6%

Schools Near John Wood Elementary 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)	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 3rd Grade	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 3rd Grade	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	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
John Wood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	6100 E 73rd Ave	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5305	292	21	14.2	67.8%	70 (24.0%)	120 (41.1%)	80 (27.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (6.8%)	46.4	564^th of 1010 public elementary schools	44.2%		43.9	599^th of 1016 public elementary schools	41.0%	35	30.4	35.2					33.0	44.4	51.9					48.5		$11,212	$910	$10,302
Joan Martin Elementary School	Public	1-5	301 E 10th St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 947-7869	499	27	18.8	52.7%	301 (60.3%)	27 (5.4%)	148 (29.7%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.2%)	59.8	415^th of 1010 public elementary schools	58.9%		68.5	318^th of 1016 public elementary schools	68.7%	97	40.7	52.0	35.0				42.6	52.3	55.1	41.0				49.3	37.0	$10,167	$962	$9,205
Veterans Elementary School at Mundell	Public	1-5	52 North Wisconsin St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 942-5614	588	30	19.6	66.3%	329 (56.0%)	59 (10.0%)	145 (24.7%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	51 (8.7%)	54.1	480^th of 1010 public elementary schools	52.5%		52.9	506^th of 1016 public elementary schools	50.2%	26	30.9	39.9	46.0				39.0	44.6	48.1	41.8				45.0	40.9	$9,486	$1,336	$8,150
Liberty Elementary School	Public	1-5	130 N Liberty St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 942-4251	408	23	18.1	56.9%	230 (56.4%)	48 (11.8%)	112 (27.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (4.2%)	62.7	379^th of 1010 public elementary schools	62.5%		71.7	279^th of 1016 public elementary schools	72.5%	100	36.6	38.6	42.7				39.2	61.3	64.8	47.6				58.2	35.4	$10,284	$1,345	$8,940
Union Center Elementary School	Public	K-5	272 N 600 W	Valparaiso	46385	Porter County	Union Township School Corp	No	No	No	No	(219) 759-2544	407	23	17.6	16.0%	344 (84.5%)	4 (1.0%)	43 (10.6%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.4%)	94.7	30^th of 1010 public elementary schools	97.0%		96.1	19^th of 1016 public elementary schools	98.1%	11	63.6	78.3	67.5				69.8	78.8	81.2	67.5				75.5	64.9	$8,937	$57	$8,880
Early Learning Center-George Earle	Public	PK-K	400 N Wilson St	Hobart	46342	Lake County	School City of Hobart	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 942-7263	304	15	20.2	62.5%	166 (54.6%)	31 (10.2%)	94 (30.9%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.9%)								(n/a)																$9,923	$1,068	$8,855
Homer Iddings Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	7249 VanBuren St	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5302	471	33	14.3	58.4%	57 (12.1%)	299 (63.5%)	81 (17.2%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (5.9%)	18.5	830^th of 1010 public elementary schools	17.8%		18.4	831^st of 1016 public elementary schools	18.2%	1	15.1	26.9					21.0	31.2	24.7					28.0		$10,674	$1,784	$8,889
Henry P Fieler Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	407 W 61st Ave	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5301	444	28	15.6	70.9%	40 (9.0%)	275 (61.9%)	96 (21.6%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (6.8%)	35.1	674^th of 1010 public elementary schools	33.3%		9.1	930^th of 1016 public elementary schools	8.5%	256	21.2	46.3					33.5	30.6	37.8					34.1		$10,779	$1,850	$8,929
Higher Institute of Arts & Technical	Public, Charter	K-8	5861 Harrison Street	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Higher Institute of Arts & Technical	Yes	No	No	Yes	(219) 359-1522	227	13	17.4	78.4%	9 (4.0%)	196 (86.3%)	10 (4.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (5.3%)	9.6	937^th of 1010 public elementary schools	7.2%		4.7	1003^rd of 1016 public elementary schools	1.3%	66	3.9	25.0	8.7	18.5	14.3	24.0	15.8	11.5	8.3	13.0	7.4	4.8	4.0	8.2	8.7	$11,786	$4,436	$7,349
Glen Park Academy for Excel in Learning	Public	K-5	5002 Madison St	Gary	46408	Lake County	Gary Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 318-2800	533	24	22.2	54.2%	6 (1.1%)	473 (88.7%)	44 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.9%)	4	1008^th of 1010 public elementary schools	0.2%		4.9	999^th of 1016 public elementary schools	1.7%	9	6.9	6.4	8.0				7.1	4.0	4.6	2.0				3.5	4.0	$16,579	$5,265	$11,314

Frequently Asked Questions about John Wood Elementary School

How many students attend John Wood Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 292 students attended John Wood Elementary School.

What district is John Wood Elementary School in?

Merrillville Community School Corp

What schools do graduates of John Wood Elementary School attend?

Students who attend John Wood Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Merrillville Intermediate School
Middle : Pierce Middle School
High : Merrillville High School

Is John Wood Elementary School a good school?

John Wood Elementary School ranks 564^th of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of John Wood Elementary School?

Students at John Wood Elementary School are 41% African American, 27% Hispanic, 24% White, 7% 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.