Enrollment
389
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Beech Grove, IN
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180045000094
👥 S:T ratio 35
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 22
📋 Attendance 6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #5 of 5
- public schools in Beech Grove · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.2:1
- students per teacher
- 72.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Beech Grove, IN.
School address
District: Beech Grove City Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180045000094 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Elementary School
Central Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Beech Grove, Indiana, enrolling 389 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 389 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 96% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 328 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #303, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and African American (15%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 389 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 37.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.6% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Beech Grove's elementary schools, it stands alongside South Grove Intermediate School (586 students): Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.2:1 vs 18.3:1).
Beech Grove City Schools also operates Beech Grove Sr High School (914 students) and South Grove Intermediate School (586 students) alongside Central 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 Central Elementary School compares
Central 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 | 16.2:1 | ▲ 2% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.3% | ▲ 46% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 389 | top 61% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.2:1
Leaner classes than 36% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
389
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
16.2:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 61% in Indiana - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
37.5%
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
$13,369
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 389 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
15
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.4 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 60.9%
African American 14.9%
Hispanic or Latino 13.9%
Two or More 9.8%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: White at 60.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.8, Central Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Beech Grove City Schools, which includes Central Elementary School.
$13,369
Per student
+11%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.0%
State 58.4%
Federal 16.6%
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 Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beech Grove Sr High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Grove Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hornet Park Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beech Grove Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 914
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 586
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 461
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 440
- Students per teacher
- 15.2:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Beech Grove
1 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 (~389 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Beech Grove City 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 Central Elementary School
How many students attend Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has 389 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Beech Grove, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 16.2:1, which is 2% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 3% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
72.3% of students at Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Central Elementary School is White at 60.9% of enrollment, in Beech Grove, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower 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 Central Elementary School rank among public schools in Beech Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #5 of 5 public schools in Beech Grove, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Beech Grove on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. 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 Beech Grove City Schools?
Besides Central Elementary School, Beech Grove City Schools also operates Beech Grove Sr High School (914 students), South Grove Intermediate School (586 students), and Hornet Park Elementary School (461 students). See the Beech Grove City 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.