Enrollment
634
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Indianapolis, IN
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 16/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180891001484
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 16/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #82 of 89
- elementary schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 16
- Resource Index · Lower
- 16.7:1
- students per teacher
- 74.6%
- 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 #82 of 89 elementary schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: Msd Pike Township · Indiana
NCES ID 180891001484 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.7:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.6%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+51% 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 Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 634 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 74.6% of students qualify for free meals, 51% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 634 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 99% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 287 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #280, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (29%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 634 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Indianapolis's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate (1,365 students): Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.7:1 vs 21:1).
Msd Pike Township also operates Pike High School (3,188 students) and Guion Creek Middle School (833 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 | 16.7:1 | ▲ 5% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 74.6% | ▲ 51% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 634 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
634
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 51% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 67% in Indiana - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
44.2%
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
$13,198
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 634 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 36 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.7 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 62.0%
Hispanic or Latino 28.9%
White 3.3%
Two or More 3.0%
Asian 2.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 62.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.0, Central Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Msd Pike Township, which includes Central Elementary School.
$13,198
Per student
+9%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.1%
State 58.1%
Federal 12.8%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pike High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Guion Creek Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Snacks Crossing Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Augusta Public Academy - North | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lincoln Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 3,188
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 833
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 793
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 751
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 736
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Similar elementary schools in Indianapolis
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate
Standard public school
1,365 students 21:1 students per teacher
Edgewood Intermediate School
Standard public school
1,300 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Creston Intermediate & Middle Schl
Standard public school
1,106 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Raymond Park Intermediate & Middle
Standard public school
1,079 students 14:1 students per teacher
Stonybrook Intermediate & Middle
Standard public school
1,043 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Paramount Brookside
Standard public school
843 students 24.8:1 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 (~634 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Msd Pike Township'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 634 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 16.7:1, which is 5% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Central Elementary School?
74.6% 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 African American at 62.0% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Elementary School?
Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 16/100 (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 elementary schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #82 of 89 elementary 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 elementary schools in Indianapolis on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 16/100 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 Msd Pike Township?
Besides Central Elementary School, Msd Pike Township also operates Pike High School (3,188 students), Guion Creek Middle School (833 students), and Snacks Crossing Elementary School (793 students). See the Msd Pike Township 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.