Enrollment
363
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Portage, IN
Ethel R Jones Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Ethel R Jones Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180915001510
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 48
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ethel R Jones Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #5 of 6
- elementary schools in Portage · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 55.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Ethel R Jones Elementary School has class sizes larger than 94% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ethel R Jones Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Portage, IN.
School address
District: Portage Township Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180915001510 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
55.1%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ethel R Jones Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ethel R Jones Elementary School
Ethel R Jones Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Portage, Indiana, enrolling 363 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.4:1 is larger than about 94% of Indiana schools and 35% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 55.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 363 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 460 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #425, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Portage's elementary schools, it stands alongside Rowena Kyle Elementary School (437 students): Ethel R Jones Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.4:1 vs 20.8:1).
Portage Township Schools also operates Portage High School (2,163 students) and Willowcreek Middle School (920 students) alongside Ethel R Jones 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 Ethel R Jones Elementary School compares
Ethel R Jones 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 | 21.4:1 | ▲ 35% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.1% | ▲ 11% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 363 | top 67% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
363
Bigger than 42% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
55.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 35% above state mean
Top 94% in Indiana - lower ratio than 6% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
20.9%
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
$11,452
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
6
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 54.3%
Hispanic or Latino 30.6%
African American 11.8%
Two or More 3.0%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 54.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.7, Ethel R Jones Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Portage Township Schools, which includes Ethel R Jones Elementary School.
$11,452
Per student
-5%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.8%
State 65.1%
Federal 12.2%
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 Ethel R Jones Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portage High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Willowcreek Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| William Fegely Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rowena Kyle Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Central Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ethel R Jones Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,163
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 566
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 437
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 409
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
Similar elementary schools in Portage
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Rowena Kyle Elementary School
Standard public school
437 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Central Elementary School
Standard public school
409 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Wallace Aylesworth Elementary
Standard public school
401 students 21.1:1 students per teacher
Crisman Elementary School
Standard public school
343 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
George L Myers Elementary School
Standard public school
332 students 19.5:1 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 (~363 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ethel R Jones Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Ethel R Jones Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Portage Township 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 Ethel R Jones Elementary School
How many students attend Ethel R Jones Elementary School?
Ethel R Jones Elementary School has 363 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Portage, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ethel R Jones Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Ethel R Jones Elementary School is 21.4:1, which is 35% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Ethel R Jones Elementary School?
55.1% of students at Ethel R Jones Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ethel R Jones Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Ethel R Jones Elementary School is White at 54.3% of enrollment, in Portage, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ethel R Jones Elementary School?
Ethel R Jones Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower 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 Ethel R Jones Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Portage?
By Resource Investment Index, Ethel R Jones Elementary School ranks #5 of 6 elementary schools in Portage, 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 Portage on the city page.
Is Ethel R Jones Elementary School a good school?
Ethel R Jones Elementary School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 94% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Portage Township Schools?
Besides Ethel R Jones Elementary School, Portage Township Schools also operates Portage High School (2,163 students), Willowcreek Middle School (920 students), and William Fegely Middle School (566 students). See the Portage Township 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.