Enrollment
638
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Carmel, IN
Forest Dale Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Forest Dale Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 55/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180120002101
👥 S:T ratio 39
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 56
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Forest Dale Elementary School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #5 of 7
- schools in Carmel · Resource Index
- 55
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 21.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Forest Dale Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Dale Elementary School ranks #5 of 7 schools in Carmel, IN.
School address
District: Carmel Clay Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180120002101 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
42.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
21.5%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Forest Dale Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Forest Dale Elementary School
Forest Dale Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Carmel, Indiana, enrolling 638 students.
At 15.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Indiana median, within a few percentage points of the 15.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 21.5% free-meal eligibility runs 57% below the Indiana average.
Enrollment of 638 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 289 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #58.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (9%) (diversity index 42/100).
17.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Carmel's public schools, it stands alongside Cherry Tree Elementary School (711 students): Forest Dale Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.2:1 vs 16.2:1).
Carmel Clay Schools also operates Carmel High School (5,239 students) and Creekside Middle School (1,428 students) alongside Forest Dale 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 Forest Dale Elementary School compares
Forest Dale 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 | 15.2:1 | ▼ 4% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 21.5% | ▼ 57% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 638 | top 23% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
638
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
21.5%
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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 49% in Indiana - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.9 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 74.9%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
African American 6.0%
Asian 6.0%
Two or More 3.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 74.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 42.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 42.2, Forest Dale Elementary 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 Forest Dale Elementary 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 Forest Dale Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Creekside Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Clay Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carmel Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Prairie Trace Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Forest Dale Elementary 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
- 1,415
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- 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
Similar other schools in Carmel
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cherry Tree Elementary School
Standard public school
711 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Smoky Row Elementary School
Standard public school
692 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Clay Center Elementary School
Standard public school
666 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Mohawk Trails Elementary School
Standard public school
543 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Indiana Agriculture and Technology
Standard public school
441 students
Options Westfield
Standard public school
248 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~638 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Forest Dale Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Forest Dale Elementary 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 Forest Dale Elementary School
How many students attend Forest Dale Elementary School?
Forest Dale Elementary School has 638 students enrolled. It is a public school in Carmel, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Forest Dale Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Forest Dale Elementary School is 15.2:1, which is 4% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 3% 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 Forest Dale Elementary School?
21.5% of students at Forest Dale Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Forest Dale Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Forest Dale Elementary School is White at 74.9% of enrollment, in Carmel, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Forest Dale Elementary School?
Forest Dale Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 55/100 (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 Forest Dale Elementary School rank among schools in Carmel?
By Resource Investment Index, Forest Dale Elementary School ranks #5 of 7 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 schools in Carmel on the city page.
Is Forest Dale Elementary School a good school?
Forest Dale Elementary School earns 55/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. 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 Forest Dale Elementary School, Carmel Clay Schools also operates Carmel High School (5,239 students), Creekside Middle School (1,428 students), and Clay Middle School (1,415 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.