Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 31 schools in district

Darden Elementary School

18645 Janet St, South Bend, IN 46637South Bend Community School Corp →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
522
Students
Total enrolled
$19,452
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 36% vs nat'l
13.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 12% vs nat'l
41/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 19% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 522 students in grades KG–05 in South Bend, Indiana.
36% above average funding
District spends $19,452 per pupil, 36% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 41th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Darden Elementary School is a large elementary in South Bend, Indiana, serving grades KG–05 with 522 students. The district invests $19,452 per student — 36% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 79% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at Darden Elementary School

522
Total Students
13.5 : 1
Student:Teacher
79%
Free Lunch
39
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution289 male · 233 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility79%
National avg 52% · 410 students
Student Composition
39%
9%
37%
14%
Asian2%
White39%
Hispanic / Latino9%
Black37%
Multiracial14%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 181029001651

Academic Outcomes at Darden Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
41
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 41th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 32th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 46637

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$19,452Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$19,452
State avg
$15,078
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$8,559
Student Support$3,696
Administration$2,334
Operations$2,918
Other$1,945
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $19,452 spent per student, an estimated $8,617 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
55%
29%
State government
54.6%
Local (property tax)
29.2%
Federal programs
16.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Above-average funding — $19,452/student vs $14,347 nationally
  • 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 79% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Harrison Elementary SchoolMadison S.T.E.A.M. AcademyClay International AcademyKennedy Academy
+11 more
↓
Middle
Jackson Middle SchoolNavarre Middle SchoolJefferson Traditional SchoolLaSalle Academy
+2 more
↓
High School
Adams High SchoolRiley High SchoolWashington High SchoolClay High School
+1 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountySt. Joseph County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSouth Bend Community School Corp →
Phone: (574)243-7335
NCES ID: 181029001651
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in South Bend seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing above-average resources and classroom investment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in South Bend Community School Corp
High
Adams High School
1,976 students · 09–12
● 40 opp56% FRL
High
Riley High School
992 students · 09–12
● 37 opp67% FRL
High
Washington High School
834 students · 09–12
79% FRL
Elem
Harrison Elementary School
654 students · PK–05
91% FRL
High
Clay High School
628 students · 09–12
● 41 opp65% FRL
Elem
Madison S.T.E.A.M. Academy
618 students · KG–05
● 31 opp93% FRL
Elem
Clay International Academy
571 students · PK–08
● 41 opp69% FRL
Mid
Jackson Middle School
528 students · 06–08
● 48 opp82% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
18645 Janet St, South Bend, IN 46637
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.