Enrollment
650
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Brownsburg, IN
Cardinal Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cardinal Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180102001570
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cardinal Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #7 of 7
- elementary schools in Brownsburg · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 29.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Cardinal Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 elementary schools in Brownsburg, IN.
School address
District: Brownsburg Community School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180102001570 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
35.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cardinal Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cardinal Elementary School
Cardinal Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Brownsburg, Indiana, enrolling 650 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 29.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 650 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 398 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #265.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and African American (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 650 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 8.0% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Brownsburg's elementary schools, it stands alongside Brown Elementary School (555 students): Cardinal Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.6:1 vs 12.1:1).
Brownsburg Community School Corp also operates Brownsburg High School (3,355 students) and Brownsburg West Middle School (1,291 students) alongside Cardinal 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 Cardinal Elementary School compares
Cardinal 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 17% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.4% | ▼ 41% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 650 | top 22% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
650
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 84% in Indiana - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,881
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 650 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 27 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 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 51.8%
African American 27.4%
Hispanic or Latino 11.1%
Two or More 5.1%
Asian 4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 51.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.0, Cardinal Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Brownsburg Community School Corp, which includes Cardinal Elementary School.
$10,881
Per student
-10%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.9%
State 57.0%
Federal 7.1%
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 Cardinal Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsburg High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brownsburg West Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Brownsburg East Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Brown Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Reagan Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cardinal Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,355
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,291
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,198
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 555
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 554
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Brownsburg
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Brown Elementary School
Standard public school
555 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Reagan Elementary School
Standard public school
554 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elementary School
Standard public school
540 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
Eagle Elementary School
Standard public school
539 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Delaware Trail Elementary School
Standard public school
512 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
White Lick Elementary School
Standard public school
473 students 11.8:1 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 (~650 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cardinal Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cardinal Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Brownsburg Community 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 Cardinal Elementary School
How many students attend Cardinal Elementary School?
Cardinal Elementary School has 650 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Brownsburg, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cardinal Elementary School is 18.6:1, which is 17% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cardinal Elementary School?
29.4% of students at Cardinal Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cardinal Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cardinal Elementary School is White at 51.8% of enrollment, in Brownsburg, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cardinal Elementary School?
Cardinal Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Cardinal Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Brownsburg?
By Resource Investment Index, Cardinal Elementary School ranks #7 of 7 elementary schools in Brownsburg, 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 Brownsburg on the city page.
Is Cardinal Elementary School a good school?
Cardinal Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Brownsburg Community School Corp?
Besides Cardinal Elementary School, Brownsburg Community School Corp also operates Brownsburg High School (3,355 students), Brownsburg West Middle School (1,291 students), and Brownsburg East Middle School (1,198 students). See the Brownsburg Community 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.