Enrollment
3,315
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Indianapolis, IN
Ben Davis High School
Federal NCES profile for Ben Davis High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 181281002028
👥 S:T ratio 28
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ben Davis High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana.
- #20 of 32
- high schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.1:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 62.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Ben Davis High School has class sizes larger than 81% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Davis High School ranks #20 of 32 high schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: Msd Wayne Township · Indiana
NCES ID 181281002028 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
183.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.8%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ben Davis High School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ben Davis High School
Ben Davis High School is a higher-need, large high school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 3,315 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 62.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 99% of state schools at 3,315 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Its student body is led by African American (39%) and Hispanic or Latino (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Its district draws 15.8% 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 219 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Indianapolis's high schools, it stands alongside North Central High School (3,682 students): Ben Davis High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.1:1 vs 16.3:1).
Msd Wayne Township also operates Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center (1,243 students) and Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center (1,143 students) alongside Ben Davis High School.
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 Ben Davis High School compares
Ben Davis High School on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.1:1 | ▲ 14% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.8% | ▲ 27% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 3,315 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
3,315
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 81% in Indiana - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Funding equity
$13,757
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
177
in-school suspensions + 273 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 219 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 38.9%
Hispanic or Latino 37.0%
White 18.3%
Two or More 5.4%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: African American at 38.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.5, Ben Davis High School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Msd Wayne Township, which includes Ben Davis High School.
$13,757
Per student
+14%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 55.2%
Federal 15.8%
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.
How Ben Davis High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Robey Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Chapel Glen Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ben Davis High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,243
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,143
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,135
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 843
- Students per teacher
- 17.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar high schools in Indianapolis
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
North Central High School
Standard public school
3,682 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
Franklin Central High School
Standard public school
3,438 students 21.8:1 students per teacher
Warren Central High School
Standard public school
3,391 students 18.3:1 students per teacher
Pike High School
Standard public school
3,188 students 16:1 students per teacher
Lawrence North High School
Standard public school
2,799 students 19.3:1 students per teacher
Lawrence Central High School
Standard public school
2,517 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~3,315 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ben Davis High School's federal record.
- Compare Ben Davis High School against another school. Compare schools
- Msd Wayne Township'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 Ben Davis High School
How many students attend Ben Davis High School?
Ben Davis High School has 3,315 students enrolled. It is a high school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ben Davis High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ben Davis High School is 18.1:1, which is 14% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ben Davis High School?
62.8% of students at Ben Davis High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ben Davis High School?
The largest demographic group at Ben Davis High School is African American at 38.9% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ben Davis High School?
Ben Davis High School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Ben Davis High School rank among high schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Ben Davis High School ranks #20 of 32 high schools in Indianapolis, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Indianapolis on the city page.
Is Ben Davis High School a good school?
Ben Davis High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana. 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 Msd Wayne Township?
Besides Ben Davis High School, Msd Wayne Township also operates Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center (1,243 students), Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center (1,143 students), and Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center (1,135 students). See the Msd Wayne Township district page for the complete list.
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.