Enrollment
345
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Michigan City, IN
Lake Hills Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Lake Hills Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180657001155
👥 S:T ratio 49
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lake Hills Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #2 of 4
- elementary schools in Michigan City · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.8:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 85.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Lake Hills Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 82% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Hills Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 elementary schools in Michigan City, IN.
School address
District: Michigan City Area Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180657001155 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.8:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lake Hills Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lake Hills Elementary School
Lake Hills Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Michigan City, Indiana, enrolling 345 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 85.4% of students qualify for free meals, 73% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 345 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 180 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #89.
Its student body is led by African American (55%) and White (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 345 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 57.4% 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.
Discipline events run high: 102 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 345 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Michigan City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Edgewood Elementary School (350 students): Lake Hills Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.8:1 vs 16.7:1).
Michigan City Area Schools also operates Michigan City High School (1,506 students) and Joy Elementary School (416 students) alongside Lake Hills 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 Lake Hills Elementary School compares
Lake Hills 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 | 12.8:1 | ▼ 19% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.4% | ▲ 73% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 345 | top 70% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.8:1
Leaner classes than 68% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
345
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% 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
12.8:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 18% in Indiana - lower ratio than 82% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
57.4%
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 345 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
17
in-school suspensions + 85 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 29.6 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 55.1%
White 21.4%
Two or More 14.5%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Largest group: African American at 55.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Lake Hills 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 Lake Hills 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 Lake Hills Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Joy Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Knapp Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pine Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Barker Middle School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lake Hills 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
- 416
- Students per teacher
- 14.3:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- 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
Similar elementary schools in Michigan City
3 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~345 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lake Hills Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Lake Hills 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 Lake Hills Elementary School
How many students attend Lake Hills Elementary School?
Lake Hills Elementary School has 345 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Michigan City, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lake Hills Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lake Hills Elementary School is 12.8:1, which is 19% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 18% 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 Lake Hills Elementary School?
85.4% of students at Lake Hills Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lake Hills Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Lake Hills Elementary School is African American at 55.1% of enrollment, in Michigan City, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lake Hills Elementary School?
Lake Hills Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (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 Lake Hills Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Michigan City?
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Hills Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 elementary 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 elementary schools in Michigan City on the city page.
Is Lake Hills Elementary School a good school?
Lake Hills Elementary School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 82% of Indiana schools. 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 Lake Hills Elementary School, Michigan City Area Schools also operates Michigan City High School (1,506 students), Joy Elementary School (416 students), and Knapp Elementary School (407 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.