Enrollment
727
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Indianapolis, IN
Garden City Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Garden City Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 181281002033
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Garden City Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #47 of 90
- schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 76.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Garden City Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Garden City Elementary School ranks #47 of 90 schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: Msd Wayne Township · Indiana
NCES ID 181281002033 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
50.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.7%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Garden City Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Garden City Elementary School
Garden City Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 727 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 76.7% of students qualify for free meals, 55% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 727 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 213 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #100.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and African American (32%) (diversity index 58/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 54.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Indianapolis's public schools, it stands alongside Indiana Connections Academy (5,376 students): Garden City Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 36.6:1).
Msd Wayne Township also operates Ben Davis High School (3,315 students) and Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center (1,243 students) alongside Garden City 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 Garden City Elementary School compares
Garden City 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 | 14.5:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.7% | ▲ 55% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 727 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
727
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 40% in Indiana - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
54.1%
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
$13,757
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
46
in-school suspensions + 50 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.2 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
Hispanic or Latino 55.3%
African American 31.5%
White 11.3%
Two or More 1.9%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.2, Garden City 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 Msd Wayne Township, which includes Garden City Elementary School.
$13,757
Per student
+14%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.0%
State 55.2%
Federal 15.8%
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 Garden City Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Davis High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Robey Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Garden City Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,315
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 29/100
- Enrollment
- 1,243
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,143
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,135
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 847
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar other schools in Indianapolis
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Indiana Connections Academy
Standard public school
5,376 students 36.6:1 students per teacher
Hoosier College and Career Academy
Standard public school
1,484 students 57.1:1 students per teacher
Early Learning Center
Standard public school
1,313 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Victory College Prep Academy
Standard public school
1,058 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Forest Glen Elementary School
Standard public school
971 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Indiana Connections Career Academy
Standard public school
942 students 49.6:1 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 (~727 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Garden City Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Garden City Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Msd Wayne Township'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 Garden City Elementary School
How many students attend Garden City Elementary School?
Garden City Elementary School has 727 students enrolled. It is a public school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Garden City Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Garden City Elementary School is 14.5:1, which is 9% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 8% 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 Garden City Elementary School?
76.7% of students at Garden City Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Garden City Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Garden City Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 55.3% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Garden City Elementary School?
Garden City Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 Garden City Elementary School rank among schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Garden City Elementary School ranks #47 of 90 schools in Indianapolis, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Indianapolis on the city page.
Is Garden City Elementary School a good school?
Garden City Elementary School earns 37/100 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 Msd Wayne Township?
Besides Garden City Elementary School, Msd Wayne Township also operates Ben Davis High School (3,315 students), Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center (1,243 students), and Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center (1,143 students). See the Msd Wayne Township 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.