Enrollment
423
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Chesterton, IN
Chesterton Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Chesterton Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 180280001624
👥 S:T ratio 66
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chesterton Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of Indiana schools.
- #3 of 8
- public schools in Chesterton · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 8.5:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 27.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Chesterton Middle School has class sizes smaller than 98% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chesterton Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Chesterton, IN.
School address
District: Duneland School Corporation · Indiana
NCES ID 180280001624 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-47% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.8%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chesterton Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chesterton Middle School
Chesterton Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Chesterton, Indiana, enrolling 423 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.5:1, Chesterton Middle School is leaner than roughly 98% of Indiana schools and 47% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 423 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 364 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #171.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 40/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 212 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 165 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 423 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 15 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Duneland School Corporation also operates Chesterton Senior High School (1,937 students) and Liberty Elementary School (491 students) alongside Chesterton 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 Chesterton Middle School compares
Chesterton 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 | 8.5:1 | ▼ 47% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.8% | ▼ 44% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 423 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.5:1
Leaner classes than 94% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
423
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
8.5:1
students per teacher
- 47% below state mean
Top 2% in Indiana - lower ratio than 98% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.7%
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
$12,291
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 212 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
77
in-school suspensions + 88 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 39.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 15 expulsions.
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 75.4%
Hispanic or Latino 16.5%
Two or More 4.7%
Asian 2.1%
African American 1.2%
Largest group: White at 75.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.1, Chesterton Middle School is about as mixed as the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Duneland School Corporation, which includes Chesterton Middle School.
$12,291
Per student
+2%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.6%
State 56.9%
Federal 4.5%
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 Chesterton Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterton Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Liberty Intermediate School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Westchester Intermediate School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bailly Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chesterton Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,937
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 491
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 452
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 404
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 374
- Students per teacher
- 14.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
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 (~423 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chesterton Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Chesterton Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Duneland School Corporation'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 Chesterton Middle School
How many students attend Chesterton Middle School?
Chesterton Middle School has 423 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Chesterton, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chesterton Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chesterton Middle School is 8.5:1, which is 47% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 46% 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 Chesterton Middle School?
27.8% of students at Chesterton Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chesterton Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Chesterton Middle School is White at 75.4% of enrollment, in Chesterton, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chesterton Middle School?
Chesterton Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (higher 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 Chesterton Middle School rank among public schools in Chesterton?
By Resource Investment Index, Chesterton Middle School ranks #3 of 8 public schools in Chesterton, 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 Chesterton on the city page.
Is Chesterton Middle School a good school?
Chesterton Middle School earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 98% of 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 Duneland School Corporation?
Besides Chesterton Middle School, Duneland School Corporation also operates Chesterton Senior High School (1,937 students), Liberty Elementary School (491 students), and Liberty Intermediate School (452 students). See the Duneland School Corporation 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.