Enrollment
400
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · East Chicago, IN
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch
Federal NCES profile for Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180288000364
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Indiana schools.
- #2 of 6
- elementary schools in East Chicago · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.1:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 81.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch has class sizes smaller than 87% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in East Chicago, IN.
School address
District: School City of East Chicago · Indiana
NCES ID 180288000364 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.1:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-24% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.1%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in East Chicago, Indiana, enrolling 400 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.1:1, Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch is leaner than roughly 87% of Indiana schools and 24% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 81.1% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 400 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 261 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #30.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (70%) and African American (28%) (diversity index 43/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding School City of East Chicago spends $15,910 per pupil, 32% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among East Chicago's elementary schools, it stands alongside William Mckinley Elementary School (509 students): Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.1:1 vs 15.4:1).
School City of East Chicago also operates East Chicago Central High School (1,052 students) and William Mckinley Elementary School (509 students) alongside Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch.
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 Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch compares
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.1:1 | ▼ 24% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.1% | ▲ 64% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 400 | top 59% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.1:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
400
Bigger than 47% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% 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
12.1:1
students per teacher
- 24% below state mean
Top 13% in Indiana - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.5%
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
$15,910
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
25
in-school suspensions + 35 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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
Hispanic or Latino 70.3%
African American 27.8%
Two or More 1.3%
White 0.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 70.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.8, Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School City of East Chicago, which includes Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch.
$15,910
Per student
+32%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.9%
State 57.9%
Federal 22.2%
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 Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Chicago Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William Mckinley Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joseph Block Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| George Washington Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 282
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in East Chicago
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
William Mckinley Elementary School
Standard public school
509 students 15.4:1 students per teacher
East Chicago Lighthouse
Standard public school
495 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
George Washington Elementary Sch
Standard public school
433 students 14:1 students per teacher
East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy
Standard public school
424 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
Standard public school
282 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~400 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch's federal record.
- Compare Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch against another school. Compare schools
- School City of East Chicago'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 Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch
How many students attend Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch?
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch has 400 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in East Chicago, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch?
The student-teacher ratio at Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch is 12.1:1, which is 24% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 23% 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 Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch?
81.1% of students at Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch?
The largest demographic group at Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch is Hispanic or Latino at 70.3% of enrollment, in East Chicago, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch?
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch rank among elementary schools in East Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch ranks #2 of 6 elementary schools in East Chicago, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in East Chicago on the city page.
Is Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch a good school?
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 School City of East Chicago?
Besides Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch, School City of East Chicago also operates East Chicago Central High School (1,052 students), William Mckinley Elementary School (509 students), and Joseph Block Middle School (436 students). See the School City of East Chicago 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.