Enrollment
790
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Columbus, IN
Central Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Central Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 180036000063
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Central Middle School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #4 of 15
- public schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.1:1
- students per teacher
- 41.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Central Middle School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #4 of 15 public schools in Columbus, IN.
School address
District: Bartholomew Con School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180036000063 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
56.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.1:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.1%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Central Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Central Middle School
Central Middle School is a large middle school in Columbus, Indiana, enrolling 790 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.1:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 790 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 365 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #185.
Its student body is led by White (64%) and Hispanic or Latino (18%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 395 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.8% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Discipline events run high: 217 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 790 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Columbus's middle schools, it stands alongside Northside Middle School (908 students): Central Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.1:1 vs 15.9:1).
Bartholomew Con School Corp also operates Columbus North High School (2,360 students) and Columbus East High School (1,452 students) alongside Central Middle 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 Middle School compares
Central Middle 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 | 14.1:1 | ▼ 11% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.1% | ▼ 17% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 790 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.1:1
Leaner classes than 56% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
790
Bigger than 85% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% 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
14.1:1
students per teacher
- 11% below state mean
Top 34% in Indiana - lower ratio than 66% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.8%
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
$11,632
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 395 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
156
in-school suspensions + 61 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 19.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 27.5 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 63.5%
Hispanic or Latino 18.0%
Asian 10.3%
Two or More 4.9%
African American 3.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.0, Central Middle School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bartholomew Con School Corp, which includes Central Middle School.
$11,632
Per student
-4%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.5%
State 52.0%
Federal 12.5%
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 Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus North High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Columbus East High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Northside Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southside Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Parkside Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Central Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,360
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,452
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 891
- Students per teacher
- 18.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar middle schools in Columbus
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~790 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Central Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Central Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Bartholomew Con School Corp'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 Middle School
How many students attend Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has 790 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Columbus, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Central Middle School is 14.1:1, which is 11% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 10% 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 Middle School?
41.1% of students at Central Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Central Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Central Middle School is White at 63.5% of enrollment, in Columbus, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Central Middle School?
Central Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical 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 Middle School rank among public schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Central Middle School ranks #4 of 15 public schools in Columbus, 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 Columbus on the city page.
Is Central Middle School a good school?
Central Middle School earns 44/100 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 Bartholomew Con School Corp?
Besides Central Middle School, Bartholomew Con School Corp also operates Columbus North High School (2,360 students), Columbus East High School (1,452 students), and Northside Middle School (908 students). See the Bartholomew Con School Corp 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.