River Forest Community Sch Corp

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Hobart, Indiana - 4 schools

An equity score of 54/100 ranks River Forest Community Sch Corp #160 of 373 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $11,457 per pupil, River Forest Community Sch Corp ranks #227 of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,646
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$11,457
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

River Forest Community Sch Corp operates 4 public schools serving 1,646 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Lake County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,457 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 23.6% local, 65.0% state, and 11.4% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 54/100, ranked #160 of 373 in Indiana against a state average of 50, in line with the typical spread seen across the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (7 AP courses district-wide), a 350.5:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 17.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 42.6% Hispanic or Latino, 33.2% White, 16.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is River Forest High School, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.

Its largest campus is River Forest High School, enrolling 565 students (33% of the district's total enrollment).

River Forest High School accounts for 33.1% of all River Forest Community Sch Corp student enrollment

That dominant concentration means River Forest Community Sch Corp-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

River Forest Community Sch Corp has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 81.2% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

River Forest Community Sch Corp student-counselor ratio is 351:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

River Forest Community Sch Corp chronic absenteeism rate is 17.5% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within River Forest Community Sch Corp is typically wider than the River Forest Community Sch Corp-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.4%
Federal
65.0%
State
23.6%
Local

Funding Equity

54
Equity Score
160 / 373
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in River Forest Community Sch Corp.

White 33.2%
Hispanic or Latino 42.6%
African American 16.2%
Multiracial 7.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 67.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across River Forest Community Sch Corp's schools, above the Indiana average of 39.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 River Forest High School 68.9
  2. 2 River Forest Middle School 68.4
  3. 3 Henry S Evans Elementary School 66.7
  4. 4 John I Meister Elementary School 64.8

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
7 AP courses total
350.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
17.5%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in River Forest Community Sch Corp

School Enrollment
River Forest High School
565
Henry S Evans Elementary School
400
John I Meister Elementary School
373
River Forest Middle School
369

How River Forest Community Sch Corp Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
South Montgomery Com Sch Corp Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Western Boone Co Com Sch Dist Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Brown County School Corporation Similar size Higher spending More locally funded
Eastern Howard School Corporation Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Oak Hill United School Corp Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to River Forest Community Sch Corp's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Indiana

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Fort Wayne Community Schools
28,612 students · 50 schools · $13,247/pupil
Compare vs River Forest Community Sch Corp →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $19,511/pupil
Compare vs River Forest Community Sch Corp →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $11,114/pupil
Compare vs River Forest Community Sch Corp →
Msd Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $12,776/pupil
Compare vs River Forest Community Sch Corp →

Compare River Forest Community Sch Corp

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Fort Wayne Community Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in River Forest Community Sch Corp?

River Forest Community Sch Corp has 4 schools, including 1 high, 1 combined, 1 elementary, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,646 students.

How much does River Forest Community Sch Corp spend per student?

River Forest Community Sch Corp spends $11,457 per student. The district has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #160 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of River Forest Community Sch Corp?

River Forest Community Sch Corp students are 42.6% Hispanic or Latino, 33.2% White, 16.2% African American, 0.5% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for River Forest Community Sch Corp?

River Forest Community Sch Corp has an equity score of 54/100, ranking #160 out of 373 districts in Indiana.