School Improvement

Salem Community Schools are better today than they have ever been in the past. Not only do local students enjoy top-notch facilities, their academic performance has dramatically improved in recent years. In 1960's and 1970's, as many as 50 percent of students quit school before receiving a diploma. Today's graduation and attendance rates are above 90 percent and above Indiana averages. Approximately three fourths of Salem High School graduates further their education at two- and four-year colleges compared to approximately 25 percent a generation ago. Compared with other students in Indiana and across the country, Salem students score above average on achievement tests at elementary, middle school and high school levels.

However, shifts in society and the workplace are placing new demands on schools to prepare students for life in the 21st Century. Most all students will need the high-quality academic preparation that only a few elite students in the past received. New skills in technology and computers, awareness of global politics, and the ability to think critically must be developed in students.

Salem Community Schools is striving to improve at all grade levels and subject areas. Our primary school improvement focus centers around our involvement as Standard Bearer School District through the Schlechty Center for Leadership in School Reform. Through our involvement in this project, K-12 teacher collaboration is increasing as we assess our strengths and areas for improvement. These efforts through the Standard Bearer School District project are being combined with Indiana's required school improvement process under Public Law 221 and other local projects and initiatives to provide a state-of-the=art educational experience for our students.