Enrollment
715
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Carmel, IN
Prairie Trace Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Prairie Trace Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180120000991
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Prairie Trace Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Indiana schools.
- #3 of 6
- elementary schools in Carmel · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.9:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 8.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Prairie Trace Elementary School has class sizes larger than 79% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Trace Elementary School ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Carmel, IN.
School address
District: Carmel Clay Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180120000991 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
40.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.9:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
8.6%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-83% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Prairie Trace Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Prairie Trace Elementary School
Prairie Trace Elementary School is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Carmel, Indiana, enrolling 715 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.9:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 8.6% free-meal eligibility runs 83% below the Indiana average.
Enrollment of 715 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 117 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #13, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Asian (24%) (diversity index 57/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Carmel's elementary schools, it stands alongside Carmel Elementary School (700 students): Prairie Trace Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (17.9:1 vs 16.7:1).
Carmel Clay Schools also operates Carmel High School (5,239 students) and Creekside Middle School (1,428 students) alongside Prairie Trace 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 Prairie Trace Elementary School compares
Prairie Trace 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 | 17.9:1 | ▲ 13% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 8.6% | ▼ 83% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 715 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.9:1
Leaner classes than 25% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
715
Bigger than 81% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
8.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 83% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.9:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 79% in Indiana - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
7.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$12,522
per pupil, district-wide
- above 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 + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.1 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 60.7%
Asian 24.3%
Hispanic or Latino 6.3%
African American 4.6%
Two or More 3.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 60.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.5, Prairie Trace 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 Carmel Clay Schools, which includes Prairie Trace Elementary School.
$12,522
Per student
+4%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.8%
State 53.8%
Federal 5.5%
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 Prairie Trace Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carmel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Creekside Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Clay Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Carmel Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cherry Tree Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Prairie Trace Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 5,239
- Students per teacher
- 18:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 1,428
- Students per teacher
- 18.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 1,415
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 1,047
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 711
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 62/100
Similar elementary schools in Carmel
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Carmel Elementary School
Standard public school
700 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Woodbrook Elementary School
Standard public school
628 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
College Wood Elementary School
Standard public school
616 students 17.1:1 students per teacher
West Clay Elementary School
Standard public school
580 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Towne Meadow Elementary School
Standard public school
527 students 15.1:1 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 (~715 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Prairie Trace Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Prairie Trace Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Carmel Clay 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 Prairie Trace Elementary School
How many students attend Prairie Trace Elementary School?
Prairie Trace Elementary School has 715 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Carmel, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Prairie Trace Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Prairie Trace Elementary School is 17.9:1, which is 13% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 14% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Prairie Trace Elementary School?
8.6% of students at Prairie Trace Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Prairie Trace Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Prairie Trace Elementary School is White at 60.7% of enrollment, in Carmel, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Prairie Trace Elementary School?
Prairie Trace Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (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 Prairie Trace Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Carmel?
By Resource Investment Index, Prairie Trace Elementary School ranks #3 of 6 elementary schools in Carmel, 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 Carmel on the city page.
Is Prairie Trace Elementary School a good school?
Prairie Trace Elementary School earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% 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 Carmel Clay Schools?
Besides Prairie Trace Elementary School, Carmel Clay Schools also operates Carmel High School (5,239 students), Creekside Middle School (1,428 students), and Clay Middle School (1,415 students). See the Carmel Clay 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.