C
Merrillville Community School
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 3 towns
Serves Ross, Merrillville and Hobart, and parts of Crown Point.
Students
5,904
Schools
8
Spent per student
$12,713
IN $13,688
Students per teacher
14:1
Free or reduced lunch
52%
Debt
$190.7M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Merrillville Community School
- School Grade C: better than 34% of Illinois districts
- Math proficiency 14 pts below the state
- Reading / language arts 7 pts below the state
- Spends 7% less per student than the IN average
- 14 students per teacher
- Debt of $190.7M, about $32,295 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Sidney.
PK–52 elementary schoolsTolono Community Unit School District 7
6–8Unity Jr High SchoolTolono Community Unit School District 7
9–12Unity High SchoolTolono Community Unit School District 7
Test scores vs. IN
2020–21Math proficiency22%
State average 35.8%
Reading / language arts36%
State average 42.6%
Graduation rate (4-year)91%
State average 90.9%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$12,713 per student · 7% below IN
Spending
Classroom instruction 54%Support & administration 41%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 38%State 51%Federal 12%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
6,023’20
6,055’21
6,004’22
5,867’23
5,904’24
About steady.
Students
Black 66%Hispanic 20%White 8%Two or more races 6%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%
Schools in the district
8 public schools.
Jonas E Salk Elementary School
C565 students13:1
Homer Iddings Elementary School
C−535 students15:1
Henry P Fieler Elementary School
D466 students15:1
Edgar L Miller Elementary School
D330 students12:1
John Wood Elementary School
C227 students11:1
Pierce Middle School
C878 students13:1
Merrillville Intermediate School
C788 students13:1
Merrillville High School
C+2,115 students15:1
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
Crown Point Community School CorporationCenter, Winfield, Winfield
$13,085per student
Gary Community School CorporationCalumet, Gary
$21,493per student
River Forest Community School CorporationHobart, Lake Station, New Chicago
$11,634per student
Lake Central School CorporationGriffith, St. John
$12,633per student
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.