Joseph Hess Elementary School
Hammond, IN
PublicElementary · Grades Pre-K–6
Federal accountability rating
Indiana Department of Education
Does Not Meet Expectations for 2024–25.
K–8
- E/La academic achievement
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- Math academic achievement
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- E/La academic progress
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- Math academic progress
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- E/La closing gaps
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- Math closing gaps
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- English learner progress
- Meets Expectations
- Addressing chronic absenteeism
- Does Not Meet Expectations
| School year | Overall school rating |
|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Does Not Meet Expectations |
| 2023–24 | Does Not Meet Expectations |
| 2024–25 | Does Not Meet Expectations |
Test scores
Indiana Department of Education · ILEARN
English language arts
323 students tested15.8% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency2
- At proficiency49
- Approaching proficiency155
- Below proficiency117
Math
323 students tested13.9% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency2
- At proficiency43
- Approaching proficiency100
- Below proficiency178
Science
147 students tested14.3% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency6
- At proficiency15
- Approaching proficiency71
- Below proficiency55
| Measure | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | 2025–26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students tested | 141 | 160 | 147 |
| Proficient | 17.7% | 14.4% | 14.3% |
Social studies (grade 5)
77 students tested16.9% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency0
- At proficiency13
- Approaching proficiency20
- Below proficiency44
ELA, math, and social studies cannot be compared with years before 2025–26.
Discipline
U.S. Department of Education
8.7% of students were suspended out of school at least once in 2023–24.
| Measure | 2021–22 | 2023–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Enrolled in the fall | 698 | 622 |
| Suspended out of school | 7.0% · 49 | 8.7% · 54 |
| Suspended in school | 4.2% · 29 | 1.3% · 8 |
| Expelled | 0.0% · 0 | 0.3% · 2 |
Attendance
Indiana Department of Education
33.5% of students were chronically absent in 2024–25.
| Measure | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total student count | 718 | 748 | 666 |
| Chronically absent | 35.5% · 255 | 35.4% · 265 | 33.5% · 223 |
Chronically absent means missing 10% or more of the school days a student was enrolled.
School Profile
Location
Suburb, Large
Enrollment
686 students
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
Principal
Mary Rykiel
Demographics
Hispanic/Latino43.0%
White13.1%
Black or African American37.8%
Asian0.0%
Two or More Races5.7%
American Indian or Alaska Native0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander0.1%
Public school directory
NCES ID 180432002413
- District
- School City Of Hammond
- Status
- Open
- School category
- Regular School
- Charter
- No
- Virtual instruction
- No virtual instruction
- Enrollment
- 686 students
- Teachers (FTE)
- 36.4
Sources
- NCES Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2023–24
- Indiana School Directory · Indiana Department of Education · 2026-06-08
- Civil Rights Data Collection · U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights · 2021–22, 2023–24
- Indiana Federal Accountability · Indiana Department of Education · 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25
- Indiana ILEARN · Indiana Department of Education · 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26
- Indiana Chronic Absenteeism · Indiana Department of Education · 2024–25