Enrollment
494
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mishawaka, IN
Bittersweet Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Bittersweet Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 48/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180876002161
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Bittersweet Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% of Indiana schools.
- #2 of 6
- schools in Mishawaka · Resource Index
- 48
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.5:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 24.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Bittersweet Elementary School has class sizes larger than 96% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Bittersweet Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Mishawaka, IN.
School address
District: Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180876002161 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+42% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.0%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Bittersweet Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Bittersweet Elementary School
Bittersweet Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Mishawaka, Indiana, enrolling 494 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.5:1 is larger than about 96% of Indiana schools and 42% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 24.0% free-meal eligibility runs 52% below the Indiana average.
With 494 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 339 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #175.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 34/100).
14.0% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Mishawaka's public schools, it stands alongside Lasalle Elementary School (519 students): Bittersweet Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.5:1 vs 16.2:1).
Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp also operates Penn High School (3,687 students) and Schmucker Middle School (1,041 students) alongside Bittersweet Elementary 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 Bittersweet Elementary School compares
Bittersweet Elementary 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 | 22.5:1 | ▲ 42% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.0% | ▼ 52% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 494 | top 43% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.5:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
494
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.5:1
students per teacher
- 42% above state mean
Top 96% in Indiana - lower ratio than 4% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
14.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,274
per pupil, district-wide
- below Indiana avg of $12,079
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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
White 80.4%
African American 7.7%
Hispanic or Latino 5.5%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 80.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.2, Bittersweet Elementary School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp, which includes Bittersweet Elementary School.
$10,274
Per student
-15%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.8%
State 64.9%
Federal 9.3%
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 Bittersweet Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Penn High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Schmucker Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Discovery Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horizon Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Virgil I Grissom Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Bittersweet Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,687
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 1,041
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 679
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 662
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
Similar other schools in Mishawaka
5 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Lasalle Elementary School
Standard public school
519 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Beiger Elementary School
Standard public school
504 students 18:1 students per teacher
Elm Road Elementary School
Standard public school
503 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Elsie Rogers Elementary School
Standard public school
361 students 20.1:1 students per teacher
Oaklawn Campus Program
Special-education school
58 students 29:1 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 (~494 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Bittersweet Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Bittersweet Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp'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 Bittersweet Elementary School
How many students attend Bittersweet Elementary School?
Bittersweet Elementary School has 494 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mishawaka, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Bittersweet Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Bittersweet Elementary School is 22.5:1, which is 42% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 43% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Bittersweet Elementary School?
24.0% of students at Bittersweet Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Bittersweet Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Bittersweet Elementary School is White at 80.4% of enrollment, in Mishawaka, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Bittersweet Elementary School?
Bittersweet Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 48/100 (typical 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 Bittersweet Elementary School rank among schools in Mishawaka?
By Resource Investment Index, Bittersweet Elementary School ranks #2 of 6 schools in Mishawaka, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Mishawaka on the city page.
Is Bittersweet Elementary School a good school?
Bittersweet Elementary School earns 48/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 96% 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 Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp?
Besides Bittersweet Elementary School, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp also operates Penn High School (3,687 students), Schmucker Middle School (1,041 students), and Discovery Middle School (941 students). See the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp 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.