Enrollment
611
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Hammond, IN
Joseph Hess Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Joseph Hess Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180432002413
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joseph Hess Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #7 of 12
- schools in Hammond · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 71.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Joseph Hess Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Hess Elementary School ranks #7 of 12 schools in Hammond, IN.
School address
District: School City of Hammond · Indiana
NCES ID 180432002413 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
71.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+44% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joseph Hess Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joseph Hess Elementary School
Joseph Hess Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Hammond, Indiana, enrolling 611 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16.5:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 71.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 611 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 330 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #210.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (43%) and African American (41%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 19.7% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Hammond's public schools, it stands alongside Warren G Harding Elementary School (755 students): Joseph Hess Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.5:1 vs 17.6:1).
School City of Hammond also operates Hammond Central High School (1,814 students) and Morton Senior High School (1,446 students) alongside Joseph Hess 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 Joseph Hess Elementary School compares
Joseph Hess 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 | 16.5:1 | ▲ 4% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 71.4% | ▲ 44% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 611 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.5:1
Leaner classes than 34% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
611
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
71.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 44% 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
16.5:1
students per teacher
- 4% above state mean
Top 65% in Indiana - lower ratio than 35% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
44.8%
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
$14,212
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
29
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.8 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
Hispanic or Latino 43.2%
African American 40.8%
White 10.8%
Two or More 4.6%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.3, Joseph Hess 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 School City of Hammond, which includes Joseph Hess Elementary School.
$14,212
Per student
+18%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-14%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.5%
State 53.8%
Federal 19.7%
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 Hess Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Morton Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Warren G Harding Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Washington Irving Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Thomas a Edison Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joseph Hess Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,814
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 1,446
- Students per teacher
- 16.6:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 17.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 754
- Students per teacher
- 16:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 19.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
Similar other schools in Hammond
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Warren G Harding Elementary School
Standard public school
755 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Washington Irving Elementary Sch
Standard public school
754 students 16:1 students per teacher
Thomas a Edison Elementary School
Standard public school
705 students 19.6:1 students per teacher
Annie Burns-Hicks Elementary School
Standard public school
622 students 18.8:1 students per teacher
Hammond Academy of Science & Tech
Standard public school
578 students 15.2:1 students per teacher
Thomas Jefferson Elementary School
Standard public school
570 students 20.4:1 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 (~611 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joseph Hess Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Joseph Hess Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- School City of Hammond'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 Hess Elementary School
How many students attend Joseph Hess Elementary School?
Joseph Hess Elementary School has 611 students enrolled. It is a public school in Hammond, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joseph Hess Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Joseph Hess Elementary School is 16.5:1, which is 4% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 5% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Joseph Hess Elementary School?
71.4% of students at Joseph Hess Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joseph Hess Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Joseph Hess Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 43.2% of enrollment, in Hammond, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joseph Hess Elementary School?
Joseph Hess Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Joseph Hess Elementary School rank among schools in Hammond?
By Resource Investment Index, Joseph Hess Elementary School ranks #7 of 12 schools in Hammond, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Hammond on the city page.
Is Joseph Hess Elementary School a good school?
Joseph Hess Elementary School earns 35/100 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 School City of Hammond?
Besides Joseph Hess Elementary School, School City of Hammond also operates Hammond Central High School (1,814 students), Morton Senior High School (1,446 students), and Warren G Harding Elementary School (755 students). See the School City of Hammond 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.