Enrollment
1,052
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · East Chicago, IN
East Chicago Central High School
Federal NCES profile for East Chicago Central High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 180288002272
👥 S:T ratio 45
📚 AP courses 40
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
East Chicago Central High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% of Indiana schools.
- #5 of 9
- public schools in East Chicago · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 76.2%
- free-lunch eligible
East Chicago Central High School has class sizes smaller than 72% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, East Chicago Central High School ranks #5 of 9 public schools in East Chicago, IN.
School address
District: School City of East Chicago · Indiana
NCES ID 180288002272 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
77.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.2%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How East Chicago Central High School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at East Chicago Central High School
East Chicago Central High School is a high-poverty, large high school in East Chicago, Indiana, enrolling 1,052 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 76.2% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 92% of state schools at 1,052 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 84 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #29.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and African American (42%) (diversity index 52/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 8 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 263 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding School City of East Chicago spends $15,910 per pupil, 32% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 436 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,052 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 4 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
School City of East Chicago also operates William Mckinley Elementary School (509 students) and Joseph Block Middle School (436 students) alongside East Chicago Central High 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 East Chicago Central High School compares
East Chicago Central High 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 14% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.2% | ▲ 54% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,052 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,052
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 28% in Indiana - lower ratio than 72% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
46.1%
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
$15,910
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 263 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
151
in-school suspensions + 285 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 41.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 4 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
Hispanic or Latino 54.8%
African American 42.4%
Two or More 1.9%
White 0.7%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.0, East Chicago Central High School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 8
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School City of East Chicago, which includes East Chicago Central High School.
$15,910
Per student
+32%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.9%
State 57.9%
Federal 22.2%
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 East Chicago Central High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Mckinley Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joseph Block Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| George Washington Elementary Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to East Chicago Central High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 282
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar high 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 (~1,052 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on East Chicago Central High School's federal record.
- Compare East Chicago Central High School against another school. Compare schools
- School City of East Chicago'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 East Chicago Central High School
How many students attend East Chicago Central High School?
East Chicago Central High School has 1,052 students enrolled. It is a high school in East Chicago, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at East Chicago Central High School?
The student-teacher ratio at East Chicago Central High School is 13.7:1, which is 14% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 13% 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 East Chicago Central High School?
76.2% of students at East Chicago Central High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of East Chicago Central High School?
The largest demographic group at East Chicago Central High School is Hispanic or Latino at 54.8% of enrollment, in East Chicago, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for East Chicago Central High School?
East Chicago Central High School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does East Chicago Central High School rank among public schools in East Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, East Chicago Central High School ranks #5 of 9 public schools in East Chicago, 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 East Chicago on the city page.
Is East Chicago Central High School a good school?
East Chicago Central High School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 72% 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 School City of East Chicago?
Besides East Chicago Central High School, School City of East Chicago also operates William Mckinley Elementary School (509 students), Joseph Block Middle School (436 students), and George Washington Elementary Sch (433 students). See the School City of East Chicago 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.