Elementary school (grades K-5) · Merrillville, IN

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech

Federal NCES profile for Higher Institute of Arts & Tech, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.

2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180017802602Charter school
0/100100/10028/100
👥 S:T ratio
48
🌟 Gifted program
30
📋 Attendance
6
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 81% of Indiana schools.

#8 of 9
public schools in Merrillville · Resource Index
28
Resource Index · Lower
12.9:1
small classes for Indiana
79.8%
free-lunch eligible

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech has class sizes smaller than 81% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Higher Institute of Arts & Tech ranks #8 of 9 public schools in Merrillville, IN.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

+19 students YoY

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech grew from 208 students in 2022-23 to 227 in 2023-24 (+9.1%).

Teacher FTE lost 20.0 → 13.0 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Growing CCD campus

+19 students YoY 180017802602 · Merrillville, IN Elementary · SMALL · CHARTER

259 enr · 12.9:1 · 79.8% lunch · RII 28

Nearest enrollment peer: Mansfield Middle School (259 students)

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech grew from 208 students in 2022-23 to 227 in 2023-24 (+9.1%). Teacher FTE lost 20.0 → 13.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Indiana schools → · Find another →

How Higher Institute of Arts & Tech compares

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Indiana and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Indiana Indiana avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 12.9:1 ▼ 19% 15.9:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 79.8% ▲ 61% 49.5% 51.7%
Enrollment 259 top 84% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

12.9:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
259
Bigger than 27% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
79.8%
free-lunch eligible - 61% 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
12.9:1
students per teacher - 19% below state mean
Top 19% in Indiana - lower ratio than 81% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
37.8%
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
$17,341
per pupil, district-wide - above Indiana avg of $12,921
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
53
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 20.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 33.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

African American 85.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.2%
Two or More 5.4%
White 3.1%

Largest group: African American at 85.3% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 26.5/100

Simpson diversity index - at 26.5, Higher Institute of Arts & Tech is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.

Programs

District finance for Higher Institute of Arts & Tech reports $17,341 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

Similar elementary schools in Merrillville

1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.

Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Frequently asked questions about Higher Institute of Arts & Tech

How many students attend Higher Institute of Arts & Tech?

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech has 259 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Merrillville, IN. CCD year-over-year: 208 (2022-23) → 227 (2023-24), up 19.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Higher Institute of Arts & Tech?

The student-teacher ratio at Higher Institute of Arts & Tech is 12.9:1, which is 19% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 18% 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 Higher Institute of Arts & Tech?

79.8% of students at Higher Institute of Arts & Tech are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Higher Institute of Arts & Tech?

The largest demographic group at Higher Institute of Arts & Tech is African American at 85.3% of enrollment, in Merrillville, IN.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Higher Institute of Arts & Tech?

Higher Institute of Arts & Tech has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Higher Institute of Arts & Tech rank among public schools in Merrillville?

By Resource Investment Index, Higher Institute of Arts & Tech ranks #8 of 9 public schools in Merrillville, 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 Merrillville on the city page.

What other schools are in Higher Institute of Arts & Tech?

None; Higher Institute of Arts & Tech is a single-school charter district, and Higher Institute of Arts & Tech is its only campus.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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