School City of East Chicago

East Chicago, Indiana — 7 schools

3,348
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$16,489
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

School City of East Chicago operates 7 public schools serving 3,348 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle, 1 other schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 3,225 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Lake County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,489 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 19.9% local, 57.9% state, and 22.2% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $72,851 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 85/100, ranked #9 of 373 in Indiana against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (8 AP courses district-wide), a 240.5:1 student-counselor ratio that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 36.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 51.3% Hispanic or Latino, 44.8% African American, 1.3% White across the district's schools.

East Chicago Central High School accounts for 32.6% of all School City of East Chicago student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means School City of East Chicago-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

School City of East Chicago school enrollment varies 9.3× across entities

School City of East Chicago school enrollment ranges from 113 students (lowest) to 1,052 students (highest), a spread of 939 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

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

School City of East Chicago has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 81.0% 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

School City of East Chicago student-counselor ratio is 241:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

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

School City of East Chicago chronic absenteeism rate is 36.1% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

22.2%
Federal
57.9%
State
19.9%
Local

Funding Equity

85
Equity Score
9 / 373
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Lake County county, where this district is located.

$959
Studio/mo
$1,082
1 BR/mo
$1,317
2 BR/mo
$1,612
3 BR/mo
$1,744
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$72,851
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 7 schools in School City of East Chicago.

White 1.3%
Hispanic or Latino 51.3%
African American 44.8%
Multiracial 2.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 7
Schools with AP
8 AP courses total
240.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
36.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in School City of East Chicago

School Enrollment
East Chicago Central High School
1,052
William Mckinley Elementary School
509
Joseph Block Middle School
436
George Washington Elementary Sch
433
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch
400
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
282
Carrie Gosch Pk Center
113

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 · $15,804/pupil
Compare vs School City of East Chicago →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $26,790/pupil
Compare vs School City of East Chicago →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $13,097/pupil
Compare vs School City of East Chicago →
MSD Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $14,366/pupil
Compare vs School City of East Chicago →

Compare School City of East Chicago

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 School City of East Chicago?

School City of East Chicago has 7 schools, including 1 high, 4 elementary, 1 middle, 1 other. Total enrollment is 3,348 students.

How much does School City of East Chicago spend per student?

School City of East Chicago spends $16,489 per student. The district has an equity score of 85/100, ranking #9 in Indiana.

What is the average teacher salary in School City of East Chicago?

The average teacher salary in School City of East Chicago is $72,851 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near School City of East Chicago?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Lake County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of School City of East Chicago?

School City of East Chicago students are 51.3% Hispanic or Latino, 44.8% African American, 1.3% White, 0.1% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for School City of East Chicago?

School City of East Chicago has an equity score of 85/100, ranking #9 out of 373 districts in Indiana. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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