Enrollment
487
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Valparaiso, IN
Cooks Corners Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cooks Corners Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 181197001883
👥 S:T ratio 7
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 84
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cooks Corners Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Indiana schools.
- #7 of 15
- elementary schools in Valparaiso · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 23.2:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 21.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Cooks Corners Elementary School has class sizes larger than 97% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cooks Corners Elementary School ranks #7 of 15 elementary schools in Valparaiso, IN.
School address
District: Valparaiso Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 181197001883 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
23.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+46% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.1%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cooks Corners Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cooks Corners Elementary School
Cooks Corners Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Valparaiso, Indiana, enrolling 487 students.
Class loads run heavy: 23.2:1 is larger than about 97% of Indiana schools and 46% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.1% free-meal eligibility runs 57% below the Indiana average.
With 487 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 282 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #68.
Its student body is led by White (80%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%) (diversity index 35/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Valparaiso's elementary schools, it stands alongside Heavilin Elementary School (479 students): Cooks Corners Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (23.2:1 vs 16:1).
Valparaiso Community Schools also operates Valparaiso High School (2,089 students) and Benjamin Franklin Middle School (823 students) alongside Cooks Corners 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 Cooks Corners Elementary School compares
Cooks Corners 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 | 23.2:1 | ▲ 46% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.1% | ▼ 57% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 487 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.2:1
Leaner classes than 8% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
487
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
23.2:1
students per teacher
- 46% above state mean
Top 97% in Indiana - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
6.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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
2
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 79.5%
Hispanic or Latino 14.6%
African American 2.5%
Asian 2.1%
Two or More 1.4%
Largest group: White at 79.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 34.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 34.5, Cooks Corners Elementary School is less 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 Cooks Corners 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 Cooks Corners Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valparaiso High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Franklin Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Thomas Jefferson Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Heavilin Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Flint Lake Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cooks Corners 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
- 479
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
- Enrollment
- 476
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools in Valparaiso
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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
Washington Twp Elementary School
Standard public school
339 students 15.4:1 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 (~487 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cooks Corners Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cooks Corners 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 Cooks Corners Elementary School
How many students attend Cooks Corners Elementary School?
Cooks Corners Elementary School has 487 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cooks Corners Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cooks Corners Elementary School is 23.2:1, which is 46% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 48% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cooks Corners Elementary School?
21.1% of students at Cooks Corners Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cooks Corners Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cooks Corners Elementary School is White at 79.5% of enrollment, in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cooks Corners Elementary School?
Cooks Corners Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (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 Cooks Corners Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Valparaiso?
By Resource Investment Index, Cooks Corners Elementary School ranks #7 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 Cooks Corners Elementary School a good school?
Cooks Corners Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Valparaiso Community Schools?
Besides Cooks Corners 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.