Enrollment
373
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hobart, IN
John I Meister Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for John I Meister Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180462000779
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 54
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John I Meister Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #1 of 4
- elementary schools in Hobart · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 80.9%
- free-lunch eligible
John I Meister Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John I Meister Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Hobart, IN.
School address
District: River Forest Community Sch Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180462000779 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.9%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John I Meister Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at John I Meister Elementary School
John I Meister Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Hobart, Indiana, enrolling 373 students.
At 15.5:1, 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.
Economic need is high: 80.9% of students qualify for free meals, 63% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 373 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.
Among 243 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #10, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (37%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 18.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 13 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Hobart's elementary schools, it stands alongside Veterans Elementary School at Mundell (594 students): John I Meister Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.5:1 vs 22.8:1).
River Forest Community Sch Corp also operates River Forest High School (565 students) and Henry S Evans Elementary School (400 students) alongside John I Meister 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 John I Meister Elementary School compares
John I Meister 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.9% | ▲ 63% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 373 | top 65% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
373
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
80.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 53% in Indiana - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
18.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,457
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 23 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 13 expulsions.
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
Hispanic or Latino 45.0%
White 36.5%
African American 10.7%
Two or More 7.2%
Asian 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.8, John I Meister 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 River Forest Community Sch Corp, which includes John I Meister Elementary School.
$11,457
Per student
-5%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.6%
State 65.0%
Federal 11.4%
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 John I Meister Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| River Forest High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Henry S Evans Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| River Forest Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John I Meister Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 565
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar elementary schools in Hobart
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~373 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John I Meister Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare John I Meister Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- River Forest Community Sch 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 John I Meister Elementary School
How many students attend John I Meister Elementary School?
John I Meister Elementary School has 373 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hobart, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John I Meister Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at John I Meister Elementary School is 15.5:1, which is 3% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 1% 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 John I Meister Elementary School?
80.9% of students at John I Meister Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John I Meister Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at John I Meister Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.0% of enrollment, in Hobart, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John I Meister Elementary School?
John I Meister Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does John I Meister Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Hobart?
By Resource Investment Index, John I Meister Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 elementary schools in Hobart, 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 Hobart on the city page.
Is John I Meister Elementary School a good school?
John I Meister Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 River Forest Community Sch Corp?
Besides John I Meister Elementary School, River Forest Community Sch Corp also operates River Forest High School (565 students), Henry S Evans Elementary School (400 students), and River Forest Middle School (369 students). See the River Forest Community Sch 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.