Steel City Academy

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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Gary, Indiana - 1 schools

An equity score of 95/100 ranks Steel City Academy #2 of 372 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,808 per pupil, Steel City Academy ranks #9 of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

343
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$20,808
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Steel City Academy operates 1 public schools serving 343 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined 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 $20,808 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 41 of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 1.2% local, 62.2% state, and 36.6% 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 95/100, ranked #2 of 372 in Indiana against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 1 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), and 57.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.0% African American, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Steel City Academy, enrolling 286 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Steel City Academy accounts for 83.4% of all Steel City Academy student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Steel City Academy a distant remainder — means Steel City Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Steel City Academy reports 91.0% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Steel City Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 57.7% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

36.6%
Federal
62.2%
State
1.2%
Local

Funding Equity

95
Equity Score
2 / 372
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Steel City Academy.

White 1.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
African American 92.0%
Multiracial 3.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 1
Schools with AP
3 AP courses total
57.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Steel City Academy

School Enrollment
Steel City Academy
Charter
286

How Steel City Academy Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Excel Center - Kokomo Similar size Lower spending No revenue-mix data
Excel Center - Lafayette Square Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Tri-Township Cons School Corp Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Phalen Virtual Leadership Academy Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Hamilton Community Schools Similar size Lower spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Steel City Academy'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 · $14,569/pupil
Compare vs Steel City Academy →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $23,197/pupil
Compare vs Steel City Academy →
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp
21,739 students · 40 schools · $13,576/pupil
Compare vs Steel City Academy →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $12,362/pupil
Compare vs Steel City Academy →
Msd Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $12,332/pupil
Compare vs Steel City Academy →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Steel City Academy

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 Steel City Academy?

Steel City Academy has 1 school, including 1 combined. Total enrollment is 343 students.

How much does Steel City Academy spend per student?

Steel City Academy spends $20,808 per student. The district has an equity score of 95/100, ranking #2 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of Steel City Academy?

Steel City Academy students are 92.0% African American, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 1.7% White, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Steel City Academy?

Steel City Academy has an equity score of 95/100, ranking #2 out of 372 districts in Indiana.