Enrollment
453
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Wayne, IN
Hickory Center Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Hickory Center Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180825000937
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 9
📋 Attendance 92
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Hickory Center Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #4 of 32
- schools in Fort Wayne · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 22.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Hickory Center Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Center Elementary School ranks #4 of 32 schools in Fort Wayne, IN.
School address
District: Northwest Allen County Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180825000937 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
31.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-8% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
22.5%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-55% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Hickory Center Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Hickory Center Elementary School
Hickory Center Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, enrolling 453 students.
At 14.6:1, 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, 22.5% free-meal eligibility runs 55% below the Indiana average.
With 453 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 291 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #87.
Its student body is led by White (74%) and Hispanic or Latino (8%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 453 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 3.3% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Fort Wayne's public schools, it stands alongside Southwick Elementary School (724 students): Hickory Center Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.6:1 vs 16.8:1).
Northwest Allen County Schools also operates Carroll High School (2,623 students) and Maple Creek Middle School (1,024 students) alongside Hickory Center 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 Hickory Center Elementary School compares
Hickory Center 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 | 14.6:1 | ▼ 8% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 22.5% | ▼ 55% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 49% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
22.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 55% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 8% below state mean
Top 41% in Indiana - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
3.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$10,309
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 453 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
11
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.6 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 73.5%
Hispanic or Latino 8.4%
Asian 7.1%
Two or More 5.5%
African American 4.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 73.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 44.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 44.2, Hickory Center 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 Northwest Allen County Schools, which includes Hickory Center Elementary School.
$10,309
Per student
-15%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.9%
State 60.3%
Federal 7.8%
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 Hickory Center Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Maple Creek Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Carroll Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Aspen Meadow Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Huntertown Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Hickory Center Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,623
- Students per teacher
- 20:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,004
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 600
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 563
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Fort Wayne
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Southwick Elementary School
Standard public school
724 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Harrison Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
612 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
J Wilbur Haley Elementary School
Standard public school
583 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Forest Park Elementary School
Standard public school
558 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Washington Center Elementary Sch
Standard public school
553 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Northcrest Elementary School
Standard public school
536 students 17.9:1 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 (~453 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Hickory Center Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Hickory Center Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Northwest Allen County 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 Hickory Center Elementary School
How many students attend Hickory Center Elementary School?
Hickory Center Elementary School has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Wayne, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Hickory Center Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Hickory Center Elementary School is 14.6:1, which is 8% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 7% 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 Hickory Center Elementary School?
22.5% of students at Hickory Center Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Hickory Center Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Hickory Center Elementary School is White at 73.5% of enrollment, in Fort Wayne, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Hickory Center Elementary School?
Hickory Center Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Hickory Center Elementary School rank among schools in Fort Wayne?
By Resource Investment Index, Hickory Center Elementary School ranks #4 of 32 schools in Fort Wayne, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fort Wayne on the city page.
Is Hickory Center Elementary School a good school?
Hickory Center Elementary School earns 53/100 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 Northwest Allen County Schools?
Besides Hickory Center Elementary School, Northwest Allen County Schools also operates Carroll High School (2,623 students), Maple Creek Middle School (1,024 students), and Carroll Middle School (1,004 students). See the Northwest Allen County 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.