Enrollment
1,180
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Gary, IN
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary
Federal NCES profile for 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180004602162Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Indiana schools.
- #3 of 7
- schools in Gary · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.3:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 77.9%
- free-lunch eligible
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary has class sizes smaller than 94% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary ranks #3 of 7 schools in Gary, IN.
School address
District: 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary · Indiana
NCES ID 180004602162 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
115.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.3:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.9%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is a high-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Gary, Indiana, enrolling 1,180 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.3:1, 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is leaner than roughly 94% of Indiana schools and 35% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 77.9% of students qualify for free meals, 57% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 94% of state schools at 1,180 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 60 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #44, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly African American (92% of enrollment) (diversity index 15/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 590 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary spends $14,564 per pupil, 21% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 45.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Gary's public schools, it stands alongside Gary Lighthouse Charter School (1,138 students): 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.3:1 vs 15:1).
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is a single-school charter district, so 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary compares
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.3:1 | ▼ 35% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.9% | ▲ 57% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,180 | top 6% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.3:1
Leaner classes than 87% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
1,180
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.3:1
students per teacher
- 35% below state mean
Top 6% in Indiana - lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
51.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$14,564
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 590 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
42
in-school suspensions + 174 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 18.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
African American 92.2%
Hispanic or Latino 5.4%
Two or More 2.2%
White 0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 92.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 14.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 14.7, 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary, which includes 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary.
$14,564
Per student
+21%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 2.6%
State 51.7%
Federal 45.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Similar other schools in Gary
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Gary Lighthouse Charter School
Standard public school
1,138 students 15:1 students per teacher
Thea Bowman Leadership Academy
Standard public school
773 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Frankie Woods Mccullough Academy
Standard public school
472 students 18.9:1 students per teacher
Steel City Academy
Standard public school
286 students 13:1 students per teacher
Mary M Bethune Early Child Dev Ctr
Standard public school
231 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Gary Virtual Academy
Standard public school
45 students 15:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,180 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary's federal record.
- Compare 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary against another school. Compare schools
- 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary
How many students attend 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary?
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary has 1,180 students enrolled. It is a public school in Gary, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary?
The student-teacher ratio at 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is 10.3:1, which is 35% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 34% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary?
77.9% of students at 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary?
The largest demographic group at 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is African American at 92.2% of enrollment, in Gary, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary?
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary rank among schools in Gary?
By Resource Investment Index, 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary ranks #3 of 7 schools in Gary, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Gary on the city page.
Is 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary a good school?
21st Century Charter Sch of Gary earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 94% of Indiana schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary?
None; 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is a single-school charter district, and 21st Century Charter Sch of Gary is its only campus.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.