Enrollment
131
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Valparaiso, IN
Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 181197001882
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 47
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Indiana.
- #9 of 15
- elementary schools in Valparaiso · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 47.0%
- 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 #9 of 15 elementary schools in Valparaiso, IN.
School address
District: Valparaiso Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 181197001882 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
47.0%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-5% 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 small elementary school in Valparaiso, Indiana, enrolling 131 students.
At 14.6:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 47.0% lands close to the Indiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 96% of Indiana schools, with 131 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 52 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #16.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (25%) (diversity index 53/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 21.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Valparaiso's elementary schools, it stands alongside Cooks Corners Elementary School (487 students): Central Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 23.2:1).
Valparaiso Community Schools also operates Valparaiso High School (2,089 students) and Benjamin Franklin Middle School (823 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 | 14.6:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 47.0% | ▼ 5% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 131 | top 96% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
131
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
47.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 41% in Indiana - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
21.4%
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
$10,965
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 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 63.4%
Hispanic or Latino 25.2%
African American 4.6%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 2.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 63.4% 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
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Valparaiso Community Schools, which includes Central Elementary School.
$10,965
Per student
-9%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-34%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 37.7%
State 55.6%
Federal 6.7%
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaiso High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Franklin Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cooks Corners Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Heavilin Elementary School | Larger | Lower 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
- 2,089
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 823
- Students per teacher
- 16.5:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
- Enrollment
- 632
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 487
- Students per teacher
- 23.2:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
Similar elementary schools in Valparaiso
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Cooks Corners Elementary School
Standard public school
487 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Heavilin Elementary School
Standard public school
479 students 16:1 students per teacher
Flint Lake Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Memorial Elementary School
Standard public school
434 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Union Center Elementary School
Standard public school
386 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Jackson Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 16.6:1 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 (~131 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Valparaiso Community 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 131 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Elementary School is 14.6:1, which is 8% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 7% 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 Central Elementary School?
47.0% 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 63.4% of enrollment, in Valparaiso, 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 53/100 (higher 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 Central Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Valparaiso?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Elementary School ranks #9 of 15 elementary schools in Valparaiso, 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 Valparaiso on the city page.
Is Central Elementary School a good school?
Central Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also one of the smallest schools in Indiana. 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 Valparaiso Community Schools?
Besides Central Elementary School, Valparaiso Community Schools also operates Valparaiso High School (2,089 students), Benjamin Franklin Middle School (823 students), and Thomas Jefferson Middle School (632 students). See the Valparaiso Community 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.