Enrollment
321
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lafayette, IN
James Cole Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for James Cole Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 181134002326
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 36
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Cole Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of Indiana schools.
- #9 of 15
- elementary schools in Lafayette · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.9:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 30.3%
- free-lunch eligible
James Cole Elementary School has class sizes larger than 70% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Cole Elementary School ranks #9 of 15 elementary schools in Lafayette, IN.
School address
District: Tippecanoe School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 181134002326 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.9:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-39% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Cole Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Cole Elementary School
James Cole Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Lafayette, Indiana, enrolling 321 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 321 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 273 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #193.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 321 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Lafayette's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate (1,031 students): James Cole Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (16.9:1 vs 13.6:1).
Tippecanoe School Corp also operates William Henry Harrison High School (2,194 students) and Mccutcheon High School (1,835 students) alongside James Cole 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 James Cole Elementary School compares
James Cole 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 | 16.9:1 | ▲ 6% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.3% | ▼ 39% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 321 | top 74% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.9:1
Leaner classes than 31% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
321
Bigger than 35% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 39% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.9:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 70% in Indiana - lower ratio than 30% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
5.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,353
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 321 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 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 86.6%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
Asian 1.2%
Two or More 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 86.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.9, James Cole Elementary School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tippecanoe School Corp, which includes James Cole Elementary School.
$10,353
Per student
-14%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-38%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.4%
State 62.3%
Federal 6.3%
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 James Cole Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Henry Harrison High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mccutcheon High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Klondike Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Burnett Creek Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Battle Ground Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Cole Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,194
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,835
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 905
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 778
- Students per teacher
- 20.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 712
- Students per teacher
- 17.8:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Lafayette
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate
Standard public school
1,031 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Wea Ridge Elementary School
Standard public school
609 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Woodland Elementary School
Standard public school
601 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Mayflower Mill Elementary School
Standard public school
585 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Hershey Elementary School
Standard public school
538 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Wyandotte Elementary
Standard public school
522 students 17.4:1 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 (~321 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Cole Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare James Cole Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tippecanoe School Corp'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 James Cole Elementary School
How many students attend James Cole Elementary School?
James Cole Elementary School has 321 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lafayette, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Cole Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Cole Elementary School is 16.9:1, which is 6% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 8% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Cole Elementary School?
30.3% of students at James Cole Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Cole Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at James Cole Elementary School is White at 86.6% of enrollment, in Lafayette, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Cole Elementary School?
James Cole Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (typical 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 James Cole Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Lafayette?
By Resource Investment Index, James Cole Elementary School ranks #9 of 15 elementary schools in Lafayette, 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 Lafayette on the city page.
Is James Cole Elementary School a good school?
James Cole Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 70% of 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 Tippecanoe School Corp?
Besides James Cole Elementary School, Tippecanoe School Corp also operates William Henry Harrison High School (2,194 students), Mccutcheon High School (1,835 students), and Klondike Elementary School (905 students). See the Tippecanoe School Corp 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.