Enrollment
280
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Valparaiso, IN
John Simatovich Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for John Simatovich 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 181170002218
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 65
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
John Simatovich Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #7 of 15
- elementary schools in Valparaiso · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 40.3%
- free-lunch eligible
John Simatovich Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, John Simatovich Elementary School ranks #7 of 15 elementary schools in Valparaiso, IN.
School address
District: Union Township School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 181170002218 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
18.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How John Simatovich Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at John Simatovich Elementary School
John Simatovich Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Valparaiso, Indiana, enrolling 280 students.
At 15.6:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 280 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 311 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #106.
Its student body is led by White (73%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 42/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 280 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
13.9% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Valparaiso's elementary schools, it stands alongside Cooks Corners Elementary School (487 students): John Simatovich Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.6:1 vs 23.2:1).
Union Township School Corp also operates Wheeler High School (387 students) and Union Center Elementary School (386 students) alongside John Simatovich 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 Simatovich Elementary School compares
John Simatovich 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 | 15.6:1 | ▼ 2% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.3% | ▼ 19% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 280 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
280
Bigger than 29% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 54% in Indiana - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
13.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$12,353
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 280 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 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
White 73.2%
Hispanic or Latino 21.1%
Two or More 4.6%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 73.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.7, John Simatovich 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 Union Township School Corp, which includes John Simatovich Elementary School.
$12,353
Per student
+2%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.3%
State 53.7%
Federal 6.0%
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 John Simatovich Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Union Center Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Union Township Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to John Simatovich Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 387
- Students per teacher
- 10.8:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 386
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
Similar elementary schools in Valparaiso
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Cooks Corners Elementary School
Standard public school
487 students 23.2:1 students per teacher
Heavilin Elementary School
Standard public school
479 students 16:1 students per teacher
Flint Lake Elementary School
Standard public school
476 students 15.9:1 students per teacher
Memorial Elementary School
Standard public school
434 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
Union Center Elementary School
Standard public school
386 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Jackson Elementary School
Standard public school
348 students 16.6:1 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 (~280 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on John Simatovich Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare John Simatovich Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Union Township 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 John Simatovich Elementary School
How many students attend John Simatovich Elementary School?
John Simatovich Elementary School has 280 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at John Simatovich Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at John Simatovich Elementary School is 15.6:1, which is 2% 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 Simatovich Elementary School?
40.3% of students at John Simatovich Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of John Simatovich Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at John Simatovich Elementary School is White at 73.2% of enrollment, in Valparaiso, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for John Simatovich Elementary School?
John Simatovich Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher 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 John Simatovich Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Valparaiso?
By Resource Investment Index, John Simatovich Elementary School ranks #7 of 15 elementary schools in Valparaiso, 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 Valparaiso on the city page.
Is John Simatovich Elementary School a good school?
John Simatovich Elementary School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. 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 Union Township School Corp?
Besides John Simatovich Elementary School, Union Township School Corp also operates Wheeler High School (387 students), Union Center Elementary School (386 students), and Union Township Middle School (333 students). See the Union Township 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.