Enrollment
246
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · New Castle, IN
James Whitcomb Riley Elem School
Federal NCES profile for James Whitcomb Riley Elem School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180744001286
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 51
📋 Attendance 32
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Whitcomb Riley Elem School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Indiana schools.
- #4 of 7
- schools in New Castle · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.6:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
James Whitcomb Riley Elem School has class sizes larger than 77% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Whitcomb Riley Elem School ranks #4 of 7 schools in New Castle, IN.
School address
District: New Castle Community School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180744001286 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.8%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-5% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Whitcomb Riley Elem School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Whitcomb Riley Elem School
James Whitcomb Riley Elem School is a small combined-grade school in New Castle, Indiana, enrolling 246 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 46.8% lands close to the Indiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 246 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 257 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #176.
Its student body is predominantly White (89% of enrollment) (diversity index 21/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 246 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among New Castle's public schools, it stands alongside Blue River Valley Elementary Sch (331 students): James Whitcomb Riley Elem School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.6:1 vs 15:1).
New Castle Community School Corp also operates New Castle High School (828 students) and New Castle Middle School (627 students) alongside James Whitcomb Riley Elem 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 Whitcomb Riley Elem School compares
James Whitcomb Riley Elem 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 | 17.6:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▼ 5% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 246 | top 86% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
246
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 5% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in Indiana - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
27.2%
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
$13,350
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 246 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 3 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.5 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 88.6%
Two or More 4.5%
Hispanic or Latino 2.8%
Asian 2.8%
African American 1.2%
Largest group: White at 88.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 21.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 21.1, James Whitcomb Riley Elem School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Castle Community School Corp, which includes James Whitcomb Riley Elem School.
$13,350
Per student
+11%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.4%
State 56.6%
Federal 19.0%
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 Whitcomb Riley Elem School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Castle High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| New Castle Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wilbur Wright Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parker Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Eastwood Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Whitcomb Riley Elem School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 828
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 627
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 305
- Students per teacher
- 15.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 278
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 257
- Students per teacher
- 11.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in New Castle
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Blue River Valley Elementary Sch
Standard public school
331 students 15:1 students per teacher
Wilbur Wright Elementary School
Standard public school
305 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Blue River Valley Jr-Sr High Sch
Standard public school
289 students 11.6:1 students per teacher
Parker Elementary School
Standard public school
278 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Eastwood Elementary School
Standard public school
257 students 11.7:1 students per teacher
Westwood Elementary School
Standard public school
256 students 15.1:1 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 (~246 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Whitcomb Riley Elem School's federal record.
- Compare James Whitcomb Riley Elem School against another school. Compare schools
- New Castle Community 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 Whitcomb Riley Elem School
How many students attend James Whitcomb Riley Elem School?
James Whitcomb Riley Elem School has 246 students enrolled. It is a public school in New Castle, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Whitcomb Riley Elem School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Whitcomb Riley Elem School is 17.6:1, which is 11% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 12% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Whitcomb Riley Elem School?
46.8% of students at James Whitcomb Riley Elem School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Whitcomb Riley Elem School?
The largest demographic group at James Whitcomb Riley Elem School is White at 88.6% of enrollment, in New Castle, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Whitcomb Riley Elem School?
James Whitcomb Riley Elem 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 Whitcomb Riley Elem School rank among schools in New Castle?
By Resource Investment Index, James Whitcomb Riley Elem School ranks #4 of 7 schools in New Castle, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in New Castle on the city page.
Is James Whitcomb Riley Elem School a good school?
James Whitcomb Riley Elem School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 New Castle Community School Corp?
Besides James Whitcomb Riley Elem School, New Castle Community School Corp also operates New Castle High School (828 students), New Castle Middle School (627 students), and Wilbur Wright Elementary School (305 students). See the New Castle Community 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.