Enrollment
230
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lafayette, IN
Murdock Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Murdock Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180540000972
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Murdock Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #3 of 15
- elementary schools in Lafayette · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.5:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 77.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Murdock Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Murdock Elementary School ranks #3 of 15 elementary schools in Lafayette, IN.
School address
District: Lafayette School Corporation · Indiana
NCES ID 180540000972 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.2%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Murdock Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Murdock Elementary School
Murdock Elementary School is a high-poverty, small elementary school in Lafayette, Indiana, enrolling 230 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 77.2% of students qualify for free meals, 56% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 230 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 125 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #19.
Its student body is led by White (40%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 230 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Lafayette's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate (1,031 students): Murdock Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 13.6:1).
Lafayette School Corporation also operates Jefferson High School (2,042 students) and Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate (1,031 students) alongside Murdock 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 Murdock Elementary School compares
Murdock 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 15% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.2% | ▲ 56% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 230 | top 88% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
230
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 26% in Indiana - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
26.5%
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
$14,175
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 230 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.1 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 40.0%
Hispanic or Latino 29.6%
African American 20.9%
Two or More 9.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 40.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.0, Murdock 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 Lafayette School Corporation, which includes Murdock Elementary School.
$14,175
Per student
+17%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-15%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 58.7%
Federal 14.0%
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 Murdock Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lafayette Tecumseh Jr High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Glen Acres Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Amelia Earhart Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Murdock Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,042
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,031
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 999
- Students per teacher
- 12.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 550
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 455
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar elementary schools in Lafayette
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate
Standard public school
1,031 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
Wea Ridge Elementary School
Standard public school
609 students 16.9:1 students per teacher
Woodland Elementary School
Standard public school
601 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Mayflower Mill Elementary School
Standard public school
585 students 15.8:1 students per teacher
Hershey Elementary School
Standard public school
538 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Wyandotte Elementary
Standard public school
522 students 17.4:1 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 (~230 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Murdock Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Murdock Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lafayette School Corporation'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 Murdock Elementary School
How many students attend Murdock Elementary School?
Murdock Elementary School has 230 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lafayette, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Murdock Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Murdock Elementary School is 13.5:1, which is 15% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 14% 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 Murdock Elementary School?
77.2% of students at Murdock Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Murdock Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Murdock Elementary School is White at 40.0% of enrollment, in Lafayette, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Murdock Elementary School?
Murdock Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher 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 Murdock Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Lafayette?
By Resource Investment Index, Murdock Elementary School ranks #3 of 15 elementary schools in Lafayette, 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 Lafayette on the city page.
Is Murdock Elementary School a good school?
Murdock Elementary School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 74% 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 Lafayette School Corporation?
Besides Murdock Elementary School, Lafayette School Corporation also operates Jefferson High School (2,042 students), Lafayette Sunnyside Intermediate (1,031 students), and Lafayette Tecumseh Jr High School (999 students). See the Lafayette School Corporation 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.