Enrollment
565
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Hobart, IN
River Forest High School
Federal NCES profile for River Forest High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 180462000781
👥 S:T ratio 25
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River Forest High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #2 of 9
- public schools in Hobart · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.8:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 77.6%
- free-lunch eligible
River Forest High School has class sizes larger than 86% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River Forest High School ranks #2 of 9 public schools in Hobart, IN.
School address
District: River Forest Community Sch Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180462000781 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
30.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.8:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.6%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River Forest High School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at River Forest High School
River Forest High School is a high-poverty, mid-sized high school in Hobart, Indiana, enrolling 565 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.8:1 is larger than about 86% of Indiana schools and 18% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 77.6% of students qualify for free meals, 57% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 565 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 291 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #26, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (42%) and White (27%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 69/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 283 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
14.5% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Hobart's high schools, it stands alongside Hobart High School (1,320 students): River Forest High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.8:1 vs 20.6:1).
River Forest Community Sch Corp also operates Henry S Evans Elementary School (400 students) and John I Meister Elementary School (373 students) alongside River Forest High 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 River Forest High School compares
River Forest High 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 | 18.8:1 | ▲ 18% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.6% | ▲ 57% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 565 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.8:1
Leaner classes than 21% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
565
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% 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
18.8:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 86% in Indiana - lower ratio than 14% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
14.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,457
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 283 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 77 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 14.0 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
Hispanic or Latino 42.1%
White 26.9%
African American 24.1%
Two or More 5.7%
Asian 1.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 42.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 68.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 68.9, River Forest High School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for River Forest Community Sch Corp, which includes River Forest High School.
$11,457
Per student
-5%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.6%
State 65.0%
Federal 11.4%
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 River Forest High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry S Evans Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| John I Meister Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| River Forest Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River Forest High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 369
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar high schools in Hobart
1 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high 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 (~565 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River Forest High School's federal record.
- Compare River Forest High School against another school. Compare schools
- River Forest Community Sch Corp'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 River Forest High School
How many students attend River Forest High School?
River Forest High School has 565 students enrolled. It is a high school in Hobart, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River Forest High School?
The student-teacher ratio at River Forest High School is 18.8:1, which is 18% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 20% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at River Forest High School?
77.6% of students at River Forest High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River Forest High School?
The largest demographic group at River Forest High School is Hispanic or Latino at 42.1% of enrollment, in Hobart, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 68.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River Forest High School?
River Forest High School has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does River Forest High School rank among public schools in Hobart?
By Resource Investment Index, River Forest High School ranks #2 of 9 public schools in Hobart, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Hobart on the city page.
Is River Forest High School a good school?
River Forest High School earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 86% 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 River Forest Community Sch Corp?
Besides River Forest High School, River Forest Community Sch Corp also operates Henry S Evans Elementary School (400 students), John I Meister Elementary School (373 students), and River Forest Middle School (369 students). See the River Forest Community Sch Corp 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.