Enrollment
565
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Merrillville, IN
Jonas E Salk Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Jonas E Salk Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180969001585
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Jonas E Salk Elementary School earns 42/100 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 5
- schools in Merrillville · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 57.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Jonas E Salk Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Jonas E Salk Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Merrillville, IN.
School address
District: Merrillville Community School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180969001585 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.7:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.2%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Jonas E Salk Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Jonas E Salk Elementary School
Jonas E Salk Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Merrillville, Indiana, enrolling 565 students.
At 15.7:1, 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 above the state's typical profile, with 57.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 565 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 463 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #252.
Its student body is led by African American (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Merrillville's public schools, it stands alongside Homer Iddings Elementary School (535 students): Jonas E Salk Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.7:1 vs 15.7:1).
Merrillville Community School Corp also operates Merrillville High School (2,115 students) and Pierce Middle School (878 students) alongside Jonas E Salk 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 Jonas E Salk Elementary School compares
Jonas E Salk 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 | 15.7:1 | ▼ 1% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.2% | ▲ 16% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 565 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
565
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 55% in Indiana - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.0%
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
$11,764
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
42
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.3 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 57.5%
Hispanic or Latino 23.0%
White 11.5%
Two or More 6.4%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 57.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.9, Jonas E Salk 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 Merrillville Community School Corp, which includes Jonas E Salk Elementary School.
$11,764
Per student
-3%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.7%
State 55.4%
Federal 9.9%
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 Jonas E Salk Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merrillville High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pierce Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Merrillville Intermediate School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Homer Iddings Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Henry P Fieler Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Jonas E Salk Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,115
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 878
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 788
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 535
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 466
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools in Merrillville
4 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Homer Iddings Elementary School
Standard public school
535 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Henry P Fieler Elementary School
Standard public school
466 students 17.3:1 students per teacher
Edgar L Miller Elementary School
Standard public school
330 students 13.8:1 students per teacher
John Wood Elementary School
Standard public school
227 students 11.3:1 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 (~565 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Jonas E Salk Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Jonas E Salk Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Merrillville 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 Jonas E Salk Elementary School
How many students attend Jonas E Salk Elementary School?
Jonas E Salk Elementary School has 565 students enrolled. It is a public school in Merrillville, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Jonas E Salk Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Jonas E Salk Elementary School is 15.7:1, which is 1% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 0% higher 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 Jonas E Salk Elementary School?
57.2% of students at Jonas E Salk Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Jonas E Salk Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Jonas E Salk Elementary School is African American at 57.5% of enrollment, in Merrillville, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Jonas E Salk Elementary School?
Jonas E Salk Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (typical 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 Jonas E Salk Elementary School rank among schools in Merrillville?
By Resource Investment Index, Jonas E Salk Elementary School ranks #1 of 5 schools in Merrillville, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Merrillville on the city page.
Is Jonas E Salk Elementary School a good school?
Jonas E Salk Elementary School earns 42/100 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 Merrillville Community School Corp?
Besides Jonas E Salk Elementary School, Merrillville Community School Corp also operates Merrillville High School (2,115 students), Pierce Middle School (878 students), and Merrillville Intermediate School (788 students). See the Merrillville 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.