Enrollment
416
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Michigan City, IN
Joy Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Joy Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180657001150
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 17
📋 Attendance 12
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Joy 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.
- #3 of 4
- schools in Michigan City · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 77.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Joy Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Joy Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Michigan City, IN.
School address
District: Michigan City Area Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180657001150 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.0%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Joy Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Joy Elementary School
Joy Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Michigan City, Indiana, enrolling 416 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 77.0% of students qualify for free meals, 56% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 416 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 298 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #186.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and African American (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 416 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 35.3% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Michigan City Area Schools spends $16,466 per pupil, 36% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Michigan City's public schools, it stands alongside Knapp Elementary School (407 students): Joy Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.3:1 vs 16.3:1).
Michigan City Area Schools also operates Michigan City High School (1,506 students) and Knapp Elementary School (407 students) alongside Joy 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 Joy Elementary School compares
Joy 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 10% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.0% | ▲ 56% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 416 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
416
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 38% in Indiana - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
35.3%
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
$16,466
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 416 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 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
White 39.7%
African American 34.1%
Two or More 14.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 39.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Joy 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 Michigan City Area Schools, which includes Joy Elementary School.
$16,466
Per student
+36%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 66.9%
State 27.9%
Federal 5.3%
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 Joy Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Knapp Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barker Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Edgewood Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Joy Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,506
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 407
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 396
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 390
- Students per teacher
- 12.2:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 350
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar other schools in Michigan City
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~416 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Joy Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Joy Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Michigan City Area Schools'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 Joy Elementary School
How many students attend Joy Elementary School?
Joy Elementary School has 416 students enrolled. It is a public school in Michigan City, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Joy Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Joy Elementary School is 14.3:1, which is 10% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 9% 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 Joy Elementary School?
77.0% of students at Joy Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Joy Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Joy Elementary School is White at 39.7% of enrollment, in Michigan City, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Joy Elementary School?
Joy Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Joy Elementary School rank among schools in Michigan City?
By Resource Investment Index, Joy Elementary School ranks #3 of 4 schools in Michigan City, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Michigan City on the city page.
Is Joy Elementary School a good school?
Joy 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 Michigan City Area Schools?
Besides Joy Elementary School, Michigan City Area Schools also operates Michigan City High School (1,506 students), Knapp Elementary School (407 students), and Pine Elementary School (396 students). See the Michigan City Area Schools 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.