Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center

MSD Wayne Township
1150 N Girls School Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46214
1,307 Students
Secondary School 9th - 9th
School Overview
The Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center (BDNGC), located on North Girls School Road in Indianapolis, functions as a specialized transitional campus within the Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township. Designed exclusively for freshman students, the school serves as a bridge between middle school and the larger Ben Davis High School experience. By focusing solely on ninth graders, the institution aims to provide a more personalized academic environment, allowing students to adjust to the rigor of high school coursework, establish strong study habits, and form social connections within a dedicated peer group before transitioning to the main high school campus for their sophomore through senior years.

The facility emphasizes a supportive culture tailored to the unique developmental needs of early high schoolers. The curriculum is structured to ensure that students meet graduation requirements while offering a variety of extracurricular activities and support services aimed at fostering student success. By consolidating the freshman population, the school is able to implement targeted academic interventions and mentorship programs, creating a focused educational setting that prioritizes the foundational development of its students as they begin their secondary education journey.
1,307
Total Students
75.8
Full-Time Teachers
17.2
Student/Teacher Ratio
64.4%
Free/Reduced Lunch
Student Demographics
  • Black
    498 (38.1 %)
  • Hispanic
    472 (36.1 %)
  • White
    260 (19.9 %)
  • Two or More
    68 (5.2 %)
  • Asian
    8 (0.6 %)
  • Pacific Islander
    1 (0.1 %)
School Location
School Details
Status: Open
School Level: Secondary School
School Type: Regular School
Charter Status:* Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction: No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status: No
District: MSD Wayne Township
Phone: (317)988-7500
Grade Range: 9th - 9th
Total Students: 1,307
Full-Time Teachers (FTE): 75.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 17.2
NSLP Participation:1 Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch: 760
Qualified Reduced Lunch: 82

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

1 National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught
Grade 9 1,307
Gender Ratio