Did you know that students at Decatur Central High School have the opportunity to earn up to 42 college credits before high school graduation? DCHS offers 12 Advanced Placement, or “AP” classes, which are college-level courses that prepare students for rigorous, college-level work and AP Exams. Earning qualifying scores on these standardized exams can grant students college credit, allow them to skip introductory college courses, and demonstrate a high level of academic achievement for college admissions. 

During the 2024-2025 school year, DCHS had 214 students participating in AP courses, with a total of 354 assessments taken between them. 120 students scored a 3 or higher on these exams, earning them college credit. That is a 21% increase from 2023-2024! Currently, for the 2025-2026 school year, 315 students are enrolled in AP courses.

556 students are enrolled in other dual credit courses, also with the potential to earn college credits before graduation through a local university partnership with Ivy Tech.

Michael Gath, Director of Secondary Education, shared, “I am Decatur Proud of the work and effort our teachers, counselors, and administrators have put into ensuring students are provided with amazing educational opportunities. I would also like to thank our students for pushing toward academic excellence in your journey toward being Tomorrow Ready!”

That’s not all though, Decatur Central High School students also earned an estimated $2,768,975 in scholarships in the spring of 2025  for post-secondary education. Way to go Hawks, keep soaring high!

Labor Day Recess is coming up soon! All Decatur Township Schools will be closed on Monday, September 1st and Tuesday, September 2nd, 2025. Classes will resume on Wednesday, September 3rd.
Please click here to view the 2025-2026 school year calendar.

We are #DecaturProud to share our district IREAD-3 performance from the spring and summer of 2025! Decatur Township 3rd grade students across all of our elementary schools achieved an overall pass rate of 83.5%—a 7.8 percentage point increase from 2024 results, and well above the state’s average growth of 5%. Three schools—Blue Academy, West Newton, and Decatur High Ability Academy—surpassed the 90% passing rate milestone.

This significant progress reflects a combination of districtwide initiatives, including the work of the Literacy Cadre, the implementation of Science of Reading–aligned instruction, and the delivery of targeted interventions.

Dr. Jennifer Pearson, Director of Elementary Education, emphasized that the growth is the result of a shared commitment across the district: “This remarkable growth is a direct reflection of the intentionality and dedication of our teachers, support staff, and administrators, as well as the perseverance of our students. By working together and committing to evidence-based literacy practices, we are seeing the impact in meaningful ways. We are #DecaturProud of this achievement and the collective effort it represents in preparing our students for lifelong success.”

Superintendent Dr. Scott Collins echoed this pride, noting the broader impact of the district’s literacy efforts: “We are incredibly proud of the progress our students have made in reading this year. These improved scores reflect the hard work of our teachers, staff, and administrators. Our commitment to literacy remains at the heart of our mission, and this growth shows that our efforts are making a real difference.”

Looking ahead, Decatur Township remains focused on its long-term literacy goals, with the vision that all students will be reading proficiently by the end of 3rd grade.