Enrollment
176
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wabash, IN
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center
Federal NCES profile for Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 181215002729
👥 S:T ratio 22
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 36
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% of Indiana schools.
- #6 of 7
- schools in Wabash · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 19.6:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 64.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center has class sizes larger than 89% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center ranks #6 of 7 schools in Wabash, IN.
School address
District: Wabash City Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 181215002729 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
9.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.6:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+23% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
64.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Wabash, Indiana, enrolling 176 students.
Class loads run heavy: 19.6:1 is larger than about 89% of Indiana schools and 23% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 64.3% of students eligible for free meals.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of Indiana schools, with 176 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 92% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 101 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #91, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (87% of enrollment) (diversity index 24/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Wabash's public schools, it stands alongside Southwood Elementary School (458 students): Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (19.6:1 vs 16.4:1).
Wabash City Schools also operates Wabash High School (469 students) and Wabash Middle School (433 students) alongside Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center.
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 Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center compares
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 19.6:1 | ▲ 23% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 64.3% | ▲ 30% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 176 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.6:1
Leaner classes than 17% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
176
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
64.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
19.6:1
students per teacher
- 23% above state mean
Top 89% in Indiana - lower ratio than 11% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
25.6%
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
$12,051
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
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 86.9%
Hispanic or Latino 6.8%
Two or More 4.0%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.1%
Largest group: White at 86.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 23.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 23.8, Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wabash City Schools, which includes Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center.
$12,051
Per student
0%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.5%
State 62.3%
Federal 13.2%
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 Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wabash High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Wabash Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| O J Neighbours Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 469
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
- Enrollment
- 385
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 63/100
Similar other schools in Wabash
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Southwood Elementary School
Standard public school
458 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Southwood Jr-Sr High School
Standard public school
445 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Northfield Jr-Sr High School
Standard public school
429 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
O J Neighbours Elementary School
Standard public school
385 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
White's Jr-Sr High School
Standard public school
369 students 28.4:1 students per teacher
Metro North Elementary School
Standard public school
285 students 16.8:1 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 (~176 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center's federal record.
- Compare Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center against another school. Compare schools
- Wabash City 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 Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center
How many students attend Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center?
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center has 176 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wabash, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center?
The student-teacher ratio at Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center is 19.6:1, which is 23% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 25% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center?
64.3% of students at Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center?
The largest demographic group at Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center is White at 86.9% of enrollment, in Wabash, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center?
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower 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 Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center rank among schools in Wabash?
By Resource Investment Index, Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center ranks #6 of 7 schools in Wabash, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Wabash on the city page.
Is Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center a good school?
Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 89% 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 Wabash City Schools?
Besides Lh Carpenter Early Learning Center, Wabash City Schools also operates Wabash High School (469 students), Wabash Middle School (433 students), and O J Neighbours Elementary School (385 students). See the Wabash City 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.