- Enrollment
- 1,202
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbia City, IN
Little Turtle Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Little Turtle Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180228002135
👥 S:T ratio 33
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Little Turtle Elementary School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Columbia City · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 16.7:1
- students per teacher
- 33.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Little Turtle Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Little Turtle Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Columbia City, IN.
School address
District: Whitley County Con Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180228002135 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-7 students YoY
Little Turtle Elementary School held near 597 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-7 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 35.0 → 39.2 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-7 students YoY 180228002135 · Columbia City, IN Elementary · MID · TRAD
583 enr · 16.7:1 · 33.9% lunch · RII 44
Nearest enrollment peer: Columbia City High School (1,202 students)
Little Turtle Elementary School held near 597 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-7 headcount). Teacher FTE added 35.0 → 39.2 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Indiana schools → · Find another →
Little Turtle Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Columbia City
Columbia City High School
1,202 students
- Indian Springs
Indian Springs Middle School
797 students
- This school
Little Turtle Elementary School
583 students
- Northern Heigh
Northern Heights Elementary School
504 students
- Mary Raber Ele 297
Mary Raber Elementary School
297 students
- Coesse School 291
Coesse School
291 students
What this shows Little Turtle Elementary School reports 583 students on the CCD universe file.
How Little Turtle Elementary School compares
Little Turtle Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16.7:1 | ▲ 5% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 33.9% | ▼ 32% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 583 | top 29% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16.7:1
Leaner classes than 33% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
583
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
33.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 67% in Indiana - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
11.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$10,015
per pupil, district-wide
- below Indiana avg of $12,921
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 583 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
18
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 88.9%
Two or More 6.0%
Hispanic or Latino 3.3%
African American 1.2%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: White at 88.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 20.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 20.5, Little Turtle Elementary School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Whitley County Con Schools reports $10,015 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Little Turtle Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia City High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Indian Springs Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northern Heights Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mary Raber Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coesse School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Little Turtle Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 504
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 297
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 291
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar elementary schools in Columbia City
2 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~583 students)
Frequently asked questions about Little Turtle Elementary School
How many students attend Little Turtle Elementary School?
Little Turtle Elementary School has 583 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbia City, IN. CCD year-over-year: 604 (2022-23) → 597 (2023-24), nearly flat (-7).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Little Turtle Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Little Turtle Elementary School is 16.7:1, which is 5% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 6% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Little Turtle Elementary School?
33.9% of students at Little Turtle Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Little Turtle Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Little Turtle Elementary School is White at 88.9% of enrollment, in Columbia City, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Little Turtle Elementary School?
Little Turtle Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Little Turtle Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Columbia City?
By Resource Investment Index, Little Turtle Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Columbia 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 Columbia City on the city page.
What other schools are in Whitley County Con Schools?
Besides Little Turtle Elementary School, Whitley County Con Schools also operates Columbia City High School (1,202 students), Indian Springs Middle School (797 students), and Northern Heights Elementary School (504 students). See the Whitley County Con Schools district page for the complete list.