Enrollment
295
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · South Bend, IN
Muessel Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Muessel Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 181029001674
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Muessel Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Indiana schools.
- #10 of 15
- schools in South Bend · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.4:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 86.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Muessel Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Muessel Elementary School ranks #10 of 15 schools in South Bend, IN.
School address
District: South Bend Community School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 181029001674 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
22.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.4:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-16% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
86.7%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+75% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Muessel Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Muessel Elementary School
Muessel Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in South Bend, Indiana, enrolling 295 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 86.7% of students qualify for free meals, 75% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 295 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 131 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #56.
Its student body is led by African American (61%) and White (15%) (diversity index 57/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 81.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding South Bend Community School Corp spends $16,803 per pupil, 39% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 16.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 111 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 295 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among South Bend's public schools, it stands alongside Harrison Elementary School (555 students): Muessel Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.4:1 vs 10.5:1).
South Bend Community School Corp also operates Adams High School (1,966 students) and Riley High School (1,238 students) alongside Muessel 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 Muessel Elementary School compares
Muessel 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 | 13.4:1 | ▼ 16% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 86.7% | ▲ 75% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 295 | top 79% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.4:1
Leaner classes than 63% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
295
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
86.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 75% 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
13.4:1
students per teacher
- 16% below state mean
Top 25% in Indiana - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
81.4%
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
$16,803
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 106 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 37.6 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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 61.4%
White 14.6%
Two or More 12.2%
Hispanic or Latino 11.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 61.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.4, Muessel 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 South Bend Community School Corp, which includes Muessel Elementary School.
$16,803
Per student
+39%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
+1%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.2%
State 54.6%
Federal 16.3%
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 Muessel Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adams High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Riley High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Washington High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clay High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Jefferson Traditional School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Muessel Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,966
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 795
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 628
- Students per teacher
- 9.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 591
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar other schools in South Bend
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Harrison Elementary School
Standard public school
555 students 10.5:1 students per teacher
Clay International Academy
Standard public school
496 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Nuner Fine Arts Academy
Standard public school
489 students 14:1 students per teacher
Marquette Montessori Academy
Standard public school
431 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Marshall Traditional School
Standard public school
400 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Swanson Traditional School
Standard public school
399 students 14.3:1 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 (~295 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Muessel Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Muessel Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South Bend Community School Corp'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 Muessel Elementary School
How many students attend Muessel Elementary School?
Muessel Elementary School has 295 students enrolled. It is a public school in South Bend, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Muessel Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Muessel Elementary School is 13.4:1, which is 16% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 15% 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 Muessel Elementary School?
86.7% of students at Muessel Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Muessel Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Muessel Elementary School is African American at 61.4% of enrollment, in South Bend, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Muessel Elementary School?
Muessel Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical 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 Muessel Elementary School rank among schools in South Bend?
By Resource Investment Index, Muessel Elementary School ranks #10 of 15 schools in South Bend, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in South Bend on the city page.
Is Muessel Elementary School a good school?
Muessel Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% 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 South Bend Community School Corp?
Besides Muessel Elementary School, South Bend Community School Corp also operates Adams High School (1,966 students), Riley High School (1,238 students), and Washington High School (795 students). See the South Bend Community School Corp 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.