Southern Wells Elementary School
Poneto, IN
PublicElementary · Grades K–6
Federal accountability rating
Indiana Department of Education
Does Not Meet Expectations for 2024–25.
K–8
- E/La academic achievement
- Approaches Expectations
- Math academic achievement
- Approaches Expectations
- E/La academic progress
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- Math academic progress
- Approaches Expectations
- E/La closing gaps
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- Math closing gaps
- Does Not Meet Expectations
- Addressing chronic absenteeism
- Does Not Meet Expectations
| School year | Overall school rating |
|---|---|
| 2022–23 | Approaches Expectations |
| 2023–24 | Approaches Expectations |
| 2024–25 | Does Not Meet Expectations |
Test scores
Indiana Department of Education · ILEARN
English language arts
278 students tested35.3% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency14
- At proficiency84
- Approaching proficiency130
- Below proficiency50
Math
278 students tested33.5% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency11
- At proficiency82
- Approaching proficiency90
- Below proficiency95
Science
137 students tested27.0% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency15
- At proficiency22
- Approaching proficiency70
- Below proficiency30
| Measure | 2023–24 | 2024–25 | 2025–26 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students tested | 153 | 147 | 137 |
| Proficient | 38.6% | 30.6% | 27.0% |
Social studies (grade 5)
70 students tested30.0% at or above proficiency in 2025–26.
- Above proficiency5
- At proficiency16
- Approaching proficiency24
- Below proficiency25
ELA, math, and social studies cannot be compared with years before 2025–26.
Discipline
U.S. Department of Education
0.2% of students were suspended out of school at least once in 2023–24.
| Measure | 2021–22 | 2023–24 |
|---|---|---|
| Enrolled in the fall | 458 | 499 |
| Suspended out of school | 1.1% · 5 | 0.2% · 1 |
| Suspended in school | 3.5% · 16 | 0.4% · 2 |
| Expelled | 0.0% · 0 | 0.0% · 0 |
Attendance
Indiana Department of Education
15.6% of students were chronically absent in 2024–25.
| Measure | 2022–23 | 2023–24 | 2024–25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total student count | 513 | 510 | 508 |
| Chronically absent | 7.4% · 38 | 16.1% · 82 | 15.6% · 79 |
Chronically absent means missing 10% or more of the school days a student was enrolled.
School Profile
Location
Rural, Distant
Enrollment
499 students
Student-Teacher Ratio
18:1
Principal
Jessica Sunderman
Demographics
Hispanic/Latino4.8%
White93.4%
Black or African American0.2%
Asian0.2%
Two or More Races1.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander0.0%
Public school directory
NCES ID 181077001764
- District
- Southern Wells Com Schools
- Status
- Open
- School category
- Regular School
- Charter
- No
- Virtual instruction
- No virtual instruction
- Enrollment
- 499 students
- Teachers (FTE)
- 28
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