Enrollment
446
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Mishawaka, IN
Liberty Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Liberty Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180684001285
👥 S:T ratio 34
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 78
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Liberty Elementary School earns 45/100 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 7
- elementary schools in Mishawaka · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.5:1
- students per teacher
- 74.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Liberty Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Liberty Elementary School ranks #3 of 7 elementary schools in Mishawaka, IN.
School address
District: School City of Mishawaka · Indiana
NCES ID 180684001285 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
74.1%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Liberty Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Liberty Elementary School
Liberty Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Mishawaka, Indiana, enrolling 446 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 is high: 74.1% of students qualify for free meals, 50% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 446 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 342 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #88.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and African American (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 112 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 44.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 15.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Mishawaka's elementary schools, it stands alongside Walt Disney Elementary School (512 students): Liberty Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (16.5:1 vs 16.5:1).
School City of Mishawaka also operates Mishawaka High School (1,327 students) and John J Young Middle School (709 students) alongside Liberty 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 Liberty Elementary School compares
Liberty 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 | 74.1% | ▲ 50% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 446 | top 51% | - | - |
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.
446
Bigger than 54% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
74.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
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
44.2%
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
$11,173
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 112 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
24
in-school suspensions + 44 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 5.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.2 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 55.2%
African American 21.3%
Two or More 12.3%
Hispanic or Latino 10.8%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 55.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.3, Liberty 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 Mishawaka, which includes Liberty Elementary School.
$11,173
Per student
-8%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 18.4%
State 65.7%
Federal 15.9%
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 Liberty Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mishawaka High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| John J Young Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Lasalle Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Beiger Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Emmons Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Liberty Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,327
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 709
- Students per teacher
- 13.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 519
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 504
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 422
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
Similar elementary schools in Mishawaka
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Walt Disney Elementary School
Standard public school
512 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
Emmons Elementary School
Standard public school
422 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Meadow's Edge Elementary School
Standard public school
382 students 15.3:1 students per teacher
Fred J Hums Elementary School
Standard public school
327 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Twin Branch Elementary School
Standard public school
300 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Battell Elementary School
Standard public school
291 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~446 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Liberty Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Liberty Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- School City of Mishawaka'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 Liberty Elementary School
How many students attend Liberty Elementary School?
Liberty Elementary School has 446 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Mishawaka, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Liberty Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Liberty 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 Liberty Elementary School?
74.1% of students at Liberty Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Liberty Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Liberty Elementary School is White at 55.2% of enrollment, in Mishawaka, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Liberty Elementary School?
Liberty Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Liberty Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Mishawaka?
By Resource Investment Index, Liberty Elementary School ranks #3 of 7 elementary schools in Mishawaka, 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 Mishawaka on the city page.
Is Liberty Elementary School a good school?
Liberty Elementary School earns 45/100 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 Mishawaka?
Besides Liberty Elementary School, School City of Mishawaka also operates Mishawaka High School (1,327 students), John J Young Middle School (709 students), and Lasalle Elementary School (519 students). See the School City of Mishawaka 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.