Enrollment
436
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · East Chicago, IN
Joseph Block Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Joseph Block Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 180288000370
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 56
📋 Attendance 44
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph Block Middle School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Indiana schools.
- #1 of 9
- public schools in East Chicago · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.2:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 80.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph Block Middle School has class sizes smaller than 92% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Block Middle School ranks #1 of 9 public schools in East Chicago, IN.
School address
District: School City of East Chicago · Indiana
NCES ID 180288000370 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-30% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
80.9%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph Block Middle School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph Block Middle School
Joseph Block Middle School is a high-poverty, mid-sized middle school in East Chicago, Indiana, enrolling 436 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.2:1, Joseph Block Middle School is leaner than roughly 92% of Indiana schools and 30% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
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 436 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 263 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #6, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (55%) and African American (42%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 218 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 22.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding School City of East Chicago spends $15,910 per pupil, 32% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 284 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 436 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
School City of East Chicago also operates East Chicago Central High School (1,052 students) and William Mckinley Elementary School (509 students) alongside Joseph Block Middle 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 Joseph Block Middle School compares
Joseph Block 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 | 11.2:1 | ▼ 30% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 80.9% | ▲ 63% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 436 | top 53% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
436
Bigger than 53% 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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 30% below state mean
Top 8% in Indiana - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
22.5%
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
$15,910
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 218 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
60
in-school suspensions + 224 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 13.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 65.1 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
Hispanic or Latino 54.6%
African American 41.5%
Two or More 2.8%
White 1.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 54.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.9, Joseph Block Middle School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for School City of East Chicago, which includes Joseph Block Middle School.
$15,910
Per student
+32%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.9%
State 57.9%
Federal 22.2%
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 Joseph Block Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Chicago Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| William Mckinley Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph Block Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 509
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 282
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
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 (~436 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph Block Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Joseph Block Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- School City of East Chicago'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 Joseph Block Middle School
How many students attend Joseph Block Middle School?
Joseph Block Middle School has 436 students enrolled. It is a middle school in East Chicago, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph Block Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph Block Middle School is 11.2:1, which is 30% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 29% 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 Joseph Block Middle School?
80.9% of students at Joseph Block Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph Block Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Joseph Block Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 54.6% of enrollment, in East Chicago, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph Block Middle School?
Joseph Block Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (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 Joseph Block Middle School rank among public schools in East Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Block Middle School ranks #1 of 9 public schools in East Chicago, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in East Chicago on the city page.
Is Joseph Block Middle School a good school?
Joseph Block Middle School earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% 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 School City of East Chicago?
Besides Joseph Block Middle School, School City of East Chicago also operates East Chicago Central High School (1,052 students), William Mckinley Elementary School (509 students), and George Washington Elementary Sch (433 students). See the School City of East Chicago 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.