Enrollment
348
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Indianapolis, IN
Center for Inquiry School 27
Federal NCES profile for Center for Inquiry School 27, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180477002510
👥 S:T ratio 62
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Center for Inquiry School 27 earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #33 of 90
- schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.4:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 50.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Center for Inquiry School 27 has class sizes smaller than 96% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Center for Inquiry School 27 ranks #33 of 90 schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: Indianapolis Public Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180477002510 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.4:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-41% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
50.5%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Center for Inquiry School 27 compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Center for Inquiry School 27
Center for Inquiry School 27 is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 348 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.4:1, Center for Inquiry School 27 is leaner than roughly 96% of Indiana schools and 41% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 50.5% lands close to the Indiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 348 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 467 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #326.
Its student body is led by African American (40%) and White (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Indianapolis Public Schools spends $19,511 per pupil, 62% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Discipline events run high: 84 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 348 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Indianapolis's public schools, it stands alongside Indiana Connections Academy (5,376 students): Center for Inquiry School 27 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.4:1 vs 36.6:1).
Indianapolis Public Schools also operates Arsenal Technical High School (2,360 students) and Crispus Attucks High School (1,269 students) alongside Center for Inquiry School 27.
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 Center for Inquiry School 27 compares
Center for Inquiry School 27 on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.4:1 | ▼ 41% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 50.5% | ▲ 2% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 348 | top 69% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.4:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
348
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
50.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
9.4:1
students per teacher
- 41% below state mean
Top 4% in Indiana - lower ratio than 96% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
25.3%
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
$19,511
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 84 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.1 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
African American 40.2%
White 28.7%
Hispanic or Latino 21.6%
Two or More 7.8%
Asian 1.7%
Largest group: African American at 40.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.3, Center for Inquiry School 27 is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Indianapolis Public Schools, which includes Center for Inquiry School 27.
$19,511
Per student
+62%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
+18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.1%
State 53.5%
Federal 12.3%
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 Center for Inquiry School 27 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal Technical High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Crispus Attucks High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shortridge High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northwest Community Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Center for Inquiry School 27's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,360
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,206
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 26:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
Similar other schools in Indianapolis
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Indiana Connections Academy
Standard public school
5,376 students 36.6:1 students per teacher
Hoosier College and Career Academy
Standard public school
1,484 students 57.1:1 students per teacher
Early Learning Center
Standard public school
1,313 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Victory College Prep Academy
Standard public school
1,058 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Forest Glen Elementary School
Standard public school
971 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Indiana Connections Career Academy
Standard public school
942 students 49.6:1 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 (~348 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Center for Inquiry School 27's federal record.
- Compare Center for Inquiry School 27 against another school. Compare schools
- Indianapolis Public Schools'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 Center for Inquiry School 27
How many students attend Center for Inquiry School 27?
Center for Inquiry School 27 has 348 students enrolled. It is a public school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Center for Inquiry School 27?
The student-teacher ratio at Center for Inquiry School 27 is 9.4:1, which is 41% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 40% 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 Center for Inquiry School 27?
50.5% of students at Center for Inquiry School 27 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Center for Inquiry School 27?
The largest demographic group at Center for Inquiry School 27 is African American at 40.2% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Center for Inquiry School 27?
Center for Inquiry School 27 has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Center for Inquiry School 27 rank among schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Center for Inquiry School 27 ranks #33 of 90 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 schools in Indianapolis on the city page.
Is Center for Inquiry School 27 a good school?
Center for Inquiry School 27 earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 96% 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 Indianapolis Public Schools?
Besides Center for Inquiry School 27, Indianapolis Public Schools also operates Arsenal Technical High School (2,360 students), Crispus Attucks High School (1,269 students), and Shortridge High School (1,206 students). See the Indianapolis Public Schools 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.