Enrollment
296
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Indianapolis, IN
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School
Federal NCES profile for James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 180018802618Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% of Indiana schools.
- #18 of 22
- middle schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.4:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 76.4%
- free-lunch eligible
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School has class sizes larger than 75% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School ranks #18 of 22 middle schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
NCES ID 180018802618 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.4:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
76.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+54% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized charter middle school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 296 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 76.4% of students qualify for free meals, 54% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 296 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 198 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #175, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (32%) (diversity index 50/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 296 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School spends $20,295 per pupil, 68% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 126 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 296 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Indianapolis's middle schools, it stands alongside Franklin Central Junior High (1,797 students): James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.4:1 vs 21.4:1).
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is a single-school charter district, so James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School compares
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle 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 | 17.4:1 | ▲ 9% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 76.4% | ▲ 54% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 296 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.4:1
Leaner classes than 28% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
296
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
76.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 54% 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
17.4:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 75% in Indiana - lower ratio than 25% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
60.5%
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
$20,295
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Well above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting substantially higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 296 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 124 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 42.6 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
African American 63.2%
Hispanic or Latino 32.1%
Two or More 3.7%
White 0.3%
Asian 0.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 63.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.6, James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School, which includes James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School.
$20,295
Per student
+68%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
+22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.9%
State 36.6%
Federal 22.5%
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.
Similar middle schools in Indianapolis
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Franklin Central Junior High
Standard public school
1,797 students 21.4:1 students per teacher
Fall Creek Valley Middle School
Standard public school
1,355 students 21.2:1 students per teacher
Southport Middle School
Standard public school
1,304 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Perry Meridian Middle School
Standard public school
1,278 students 16:1 students per teacher
Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center
Standard public school
1,143 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center
Standard public school
1,135 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Similar middle 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 (~296 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School's federal record.
- Compare James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School'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 & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School
How many students attend James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School has 296 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is 17.4:1, which is 9% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 11% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?
76.4% of students at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?
The largest demographic group at James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is African American at 63.2% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School rank among middle schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School ranks #18 of 22 middle 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 middle schools in Indianapolis on the city page.
Is James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School a good school?
James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 75% 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 James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School?
None; James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is a single-school charter district, and James & Rosemary Phalen Leadership Academy Middle School is its only campus.
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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.