Public Schools

The Rush County Schools is a consolidation of schools comprised of the majority of Rush County . The school district contains four elementary schools housing kindergarten through sixth grade, one middle school with grades seven and eight, and one high school with grades nine through twelve. Mays Elementary School boasts National Academic Excellence recognition for ISTEP scores, which rank the school in the 95 th percentile. These scores lead the state. Total enrollment in the district is approximately 2600 students, which makes possible a healthy student-teacher ratio. This allows for a more impressive curriculum, yielding well-rounded, individualistic graduates.

Rushville Consolidated High School (RCHS) campus recently completed a $16 million renovation that adds ten new classrooms, a new music wing for the band and choral departments, a new high-tech Internet and computer communication system, a new cafeteria, and new athletic facilities.

The school offers an Academic Honors Diploma and was the first in the state to establish a Varsity Scholars Program to honor students who maintain and achieve specific academic standards and goals. RCHS offers two leadership development programs to help students learn the importance of leadership in their community and increase their self-esteem and self-confidence. RCHS also provides great career and guidance programs offering students many possibilities.

Statistics are available from the Indiana Department of Educations about Rush County Schools. You may visit the Indiana Department of Education at http://www.doe.state.in.us/ Statistics and information provided by the Indiana Department of Education specifically about the Rush County Schools are located at

http://mustang.doe.state.in.us/SEARCH/snapcorp.cfm?corp=6995

The Rush County Schools can be contacted at 765-932-4186 for more information.

Non-Public Schools

Rush County also contains four non-public schools. Two Amish schools, Milroy Amish School and Flatrock Amish School , exist in the county and have a total population of approximately 80 students in grades 1-8. St. Mary School is a Catholic school that serves approximately 200 kindergarten through sixth grade students. The fourth school is the state run Morton Memorial which is a part of the Indiana Soldiers and Sailors Children's Home which houses over 100 kindergarten through twelfth grade students in the Northwest corner of the county.

Higher Education

Rush County graduates are fortunate in that the Rush County Community Foundation (RCCF), aided by the Lilly Foundation and a former second-grade teacher who gave $300,000, helps to fill in the financial gap for those lacking funds to go on to college. The foundation annually offers scholarships to local students. Many recipients choose one of these nearby schools:

• Ivy Tech State college – East Central (39 miles; Muncie , IN ; enrollment: 2,013)
• Anderson University (39 miles; Anderson , IN ; enrollment: 2,116)
• Ball State University (41 miles; Muncie , IN ; enrollment: 17,039)
• University of Indianapolis (48 miles; Indianapolis , IN ; enrollment: 2,784)
• Miami University-Oxford (50 miles; Oxford , OH ; enrollment: 15,704)
• Ivy Tech State College-Central Indiana (51 miles; Indianapolis , IN ; enrollment: 3,397)
• Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis (51 miles; Indianapolis , IN ; enrollment: 19,818)

Rush County now has College Co-op Southeast located at Rush-Shelby Energy in Rushville and several other satellite locations, offering post-secondary educational opportunities. Classes are being offered at Rush-Shelby Energy, Rush Memorial Hospital , the Booker T. Washington School and Rushville High School . Video conferencing educational opportunities and state-of-art computer labs are available to accommodate student needs. Check out available course offerings at www.rushcountylearning.com or contact College Co-op Southeast at (765) 932-7191 or email ccsrush@indstate.edu .