Enrollment
1,415
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Carmel, IN
Clay Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Clay Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 180120000195
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Clay Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Carmel · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.9:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 13.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Clay Middle School has class sizes larger than 79% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Clay Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Carmel, IN.
School address
District: Carmel Clay Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180120000195 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
79.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
13.0%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-74% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Clay Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Clay Middle School
Clay Middle School is a lower-poverty, large middle school in Carmel, Indiana, enrolling 1,415 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 13.0% free-meal eligibility runs 74% below the Indiana average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,415 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 52 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #35.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Asian (10%) (diversity index 47/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 708 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
11.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Carmel's middle schools, it stands alongside Creekside Middle School (1,428 students): Clay Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.9:1 vs 18.8:1).
Carmel Clay Schools also operates Carmel High School (5,239 students) and Creekside Middle School (1,428 students) alongside Clay 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 Clay Middle School compares
Clay 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 13.0% | ▼ 74% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,415 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,415
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
13.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 74% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 79% in Indiana - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
11.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,522
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 708 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
45
in-school suspensions + 13 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.1 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 71.5%
Asian 9.8%
Hispanic or Latino 9.1%
African American 4.9%
Two or More 4.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 71.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 46.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 46.7, Clay 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 Carmel Clay Schools, which includes Clay Middle School.
$12,522
Per student
+4%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.8%
State 53.8%
Federal 5.5%
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 Clay Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Creekside Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carmel Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Prairie Trace Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cherry Tree Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Clay Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 5,239
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,428
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,047
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 715
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
Similar middle schools in Carmel
2 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 (~1,415 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Clay Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Clay Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Carmel Clay 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 Clay Middle School
How many students attend Clay Middle School?
Clay Middle School has 1,415 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Carmel, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Clay Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Clay Middle School is 17.9:1, which is 13% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Clay Middle School?
13.0% of students at Clay Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Clay Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Clay Middle School is White at 71.5% of enrollment, in Carmel, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Clay Middle School?
Clay Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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 Clay Middle School rank among middle schools in Carmel?
By Resource Investment Index, Clay Middle School ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Carmel, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Carmel on the city page.
Is Clay Middle School a good school?
Clay Middle School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest 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 Carmel Clay Schools?
Besides Clay Middle School, Carmel Clay Schools also operates Carmel High School (5,239 students), Creekside Middle School (1,428 students), and Carmel Middle School (1,047 students). See the Carmel Clay 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.