Enrollment
381
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Rochester, IN
Caston Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Caston Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180141000206
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 75
📋 Attendance 55
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Caston Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #1 of 3
- elementary schools in Rochester · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.7:1
- students per teacher
- 59.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Caston Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Caston Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Rochester, IN.
School address
District: Caston School Corporation · Indiana
NCES ID 180141000206 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.8%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Caston Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Caston Elementary School
Caston Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Rochester, Indiana, enrolling 381 students.
At 14.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Indiana median, within a few percentage points of the 15.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 381 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 429 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #19, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 13/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 127 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
17.8% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Rochester's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rochester Community Middle School (353 students): Caston Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.7:1 vs 11:1).
Its district, Caston School Corporation, also runs Caston Jr-Sr High School (435 students).
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 Caston Elementary School compares
Caston 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 | 14.7:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.8% | ▲ 21% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 381 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
381
Bigger than 44% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 42% in Indiana - lower ratio than 58% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,503
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 127 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
23
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
White 93.4%
Two or More 3.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.6%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 93.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 12.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 12.6, Caston 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 Caston School Corporation, which includes Caston Elementary School.
$11,503
Per student
-5%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.1%
State 63.0%
Federal 7.9%
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 Caston Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caston Jr-Sr High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Caston Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 435
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar elementary schools in Rochester
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~381 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Caston Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Caston Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Caston School Corporation'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 Caston Elementary School
How many students attend Caston Elementary School?
Caston Elementary School has 381 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Rochester, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Caston Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Caston Elementary School is 14.7:1, which is 8% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 6% 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 Caston Elementary School?
59.8% of students at Caston Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Caston Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Caston Elementary School is White at 93.4% of enrollment, in Rochester, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Caston Elementary School?
Caston Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher 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 Caston Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Rochester?
By Resource Investment Index, Caston Elementary School ranks #1 of 3 elementary schools in Rochester, 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 Rochester on the city page.
Is Caston Elementary School a good school?
Caston Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also less 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 Caston School Corporation?
Besides Caston Elementary School, Caston School Corporation also operates Caston Jr-Sr High School (435 students). See the Caston School Corporation 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.