Enrollment
241
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Indianapolis, IN
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58
Federal NCES profile for Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 28/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180477000883
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 91% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #68 of 90
- schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 28
- Resource Index · Lower
- 11.5:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 82.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 has class sizes smaller than 91% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 ranks #68 of 90 schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: Indianapolis Public Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180477000883 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
82.2%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 is a high-poverty, small combined-grade school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 241 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.5:1, Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 is leaner than roughly 91% of Indiana schools and 28% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 82.2% of students qualify for free meals, 66% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 241 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 93% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 110 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #89, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (48%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 46.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Indianapolis Public Schools spends $19,511 per pupil, 62% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Among Indianapolis's public schools, it stands alongside Indiana Connections Academy (5,376 students): Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.5:1 vs 36.6:1).
Indianapolis Public Schools also operates Arsenal Technical High School (2,360 students) and Crispus Attucks High School (1,269 students) alongside Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58.
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 Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 compares
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.5:1 | ▼ 28% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 82.2% | ▲ 66% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 241 | top 86% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.5:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
241
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
82.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% 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
11.5:1
students per teacher
- 28% below state mean
Top 9% in Indiana - lower ratio than 91% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
46.5%
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
$19,511
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 31 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.6 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
African American 47.7%
Hispanic or Latino 30.3%
White 13.3%
Two or More 7.9%
Asian 0.8%
Largest group: African American at 47.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.7, Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Indianapolis Public Schools, which includes Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58.
$19,511
Per student
+62%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
+18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.1%
State 53.5%
Federal 12.3%
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 Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal Technical High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Crispus Attucks High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shortridge High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George Washington High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Northwest Community Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,360
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 1,269
- Students per teacher
- 21.9:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,206
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 623
- Students per teacher
- 26:1
- Resource Index
- 8/100
Similar other schools in Indianapolis
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Indiana Connections Academy
Standard public school
5,376 students 36.6:1 students per teacher
Hoosier College and Career Academy
Standard public school
1,484 students 57.1:1 students per teacher
Early Learning Center
Standard public school
1,313 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Victory College Prep Academy
Standard public school
1,058 students 11.9:1 students per teacher
Forest Glen Elementary School
Standard public school
971 students 25.6:1 students per teacher
Indiana Connections Career Academy
Standard public school
942 students 49.6:1 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 (~241 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58's federal record.
- Compare Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 against another school. Compare schools
- Indianapolis Public 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 Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58
How many students attend Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58?
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 has 241 students enrolled. It is a public school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58?
The student-teacher ratio at Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 is 11.5:1, which is 28% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 27% 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 Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58?
82.2% of students at Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58?
The largest demographic group at Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 is African American at 47.7% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58?
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 has a Resource Investment Index of 28/100 (lower 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 Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 rank among schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 ranks #68 of 90 schools in Indianapolis, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Indianapolis on the city page.
Is Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 a good school?
Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58 earns 28/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 91% 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 Indianapolis Public Schools?
Besides Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58, Indianapolis Public Schools also operates Arsenal Technical High School (2,360 students), Crispus Attucks High School (1,269 students), and Shortridge High School (1,206 students). See the Indianapolis Public 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.