Enrollment
420
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Schererville, IN
Peifer Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Peifer Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180545000986
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Peifer Elementary School earns 56/100 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 3
- schools in Schererville · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.5:1
- students per teacher
- 34.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Peifer Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Peifer Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Schererville, IN.
School address
District: Lake Central School Corporation · Indiana
NCES ID 180545000986 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-9% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.2%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Peifer Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Peifer Elementary School
Peifer Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Schererville, Indiana, enrolling 420 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.2% of students eligible for free meals.
With 420 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 473 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #76.
Its student body is led by White (51%) and Hispanic or Latino (28%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
17.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Schererville's public schools, it stands alongside James H Watson Elementary School (660 students): Peifer Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.5:1 vs 17.4:1).
Lake Central School Corporation also operates Lake Central High School (2,926 students) and Hal E Clark Middle School (1,032 students) alongside Peifer 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 Peifer Elementary School compares
Peifer 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 | 14.5:1 | ▼ 9% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.2% | ▼ 31% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 420 | top 56% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.5:1
Leaner classes than 52% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
420
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 31% 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
14.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% below state mean
Top 40% in Indiana - lower ratio than 60% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,785
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 51.4%
Hispanic or Latino 27.6%
African American 14.3%
Two or More 3.8%
Asian 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 51.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.7, Peifer 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 Lake Central School Corporation, which includes Peifer Elementary School.
$11,785
Per student
-2%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-29%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 36.2%
State 57.5%
Federal 6.3%
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 Peifer Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hal E Clark Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Kahler Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Michael Grimmer Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| James H Watson Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Peifer Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,926
- Students per teacher
- 19.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,032
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 971
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 814
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 660
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
Similar other schools in Schererville
2 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~420 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Peifer Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Peifer Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lake Central 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 Peifer Elementary School
How many students attend Peifer Elementary School?
Peifer Elementary School has 420 students enrolled. It is a public school in Schererville, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Peifer Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Peifer Elementary School is 14.5:1, which is 9% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 8% 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 Peifer Elementary School?
34.2% of students at Peifer Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Peifer Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Peifer Elementary School is White at 51.4% of enrollment, in Schererville, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Peifer Elementary School?
Peifer Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher 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 Peifer Elementary School rank among schools in Schererville?
By Resource Investment Index, Peifer Elementary School ranks #3 of 3 schools in Schererville, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Schererville on the city page.
Is Peifer Elementary School a good school?
Peifer Elementary School earns 56/100 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 Lake Central School Corporation?
Besides Peifer Elementary School, Lake Central School Corporation also operates Lake Central High School (2,926 students), Hal E Clark Middle School (1,032 students), and Kahler Middle School (971 students). See the Lake Central 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.