Enrollment
504
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Columbia City, IN
Northern Heights Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Northern Heights Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180228001185
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern Heights Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Indiana schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #3 of 3
- elementary schools in Columbia City · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 29.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern Heights Elementary School has class sizes larger than 80% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Heights Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 elementary schools in Columbia City, IN.
School address
District: Whitley County Con Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180228001185 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-41% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern Heights Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern Heights Elementary School
Northern Heights Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Columbia City, Indiana, enrolling 504 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 29.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 504 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.
Among 426 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #318, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (93% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 14/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 504 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Columbia City's elementary schools, it stands alongside Little Turtle Elementary School (583 students): Northern Heights Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18:1 vs 16.7:1).
Whitley County Con Schools also operates Columbia City High School (1,202 students) and Indian Springs Middle School (797 students) alongside Northern Heights 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 Northern Heights Elementary School compares
Northern Heights 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 | 18:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.4% | ▼ 41% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 504 | top 41% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
504
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 41% 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
18:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 80% in Indiana - lower ratio than 20% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
9.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,149
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 504 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.4 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 92.7%
Two or More 3.6%
Hispanic or Latino 3.2%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 92.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.8, Northern Heights Elementary School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Whitley County Con Schools, which includes Northern Heights Elementary School.
$10,149
Per student
-16%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.3%
State 59.3%
Federal 6.4%
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 Northern Heights 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 |
| Little Turtle Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mary Raber Elementary School | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Coesse School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern Heights Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,202
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- 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.
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 (~504 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern Heights Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Northern Heights Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Whitley County Con 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 Northern Heights Elementary School
How many students attend Northern Heights Elementary School?
Northern Heights Elementary School has 504 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Columbia City, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Heights Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern Heights Elementary School is 18:1, which is 13% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Northern Heights Elementary School?
29.4% of students at Northern Heights Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern Heights Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Northern Heights Elementary School is White at 92.7% of enrollment, in Columbia City, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern Heights Elementary School?
Northern Heights Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (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 Northern Heights Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Columbia City?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Heights Elementary School ranks #3 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.
Is Northern Heights Elementary School a good school?
Northern Heights Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 80% of Indiana schools. It is also less 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 Whitley County Con Schools?
Besides Northern Heights Elementary School, Whitley County Con Schools also operates Columbia City High School (1,202 students), Indian Springs Middle School (797 students), and Little Turtle Elementary School (583 students). See the Whitley County Con 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.