Enrollment
434
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Fort Wayne, IN
Saint Joseph Central School
Federal NCES profile for Saint Joseph Central School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180363000559
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 60
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Saint Joseph Central School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #3 of 20
- elementary schools in Fort Wayne · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 13.2:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 44.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Saint Joseph Central School has class sizes smaller than 78% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Saint Joseph Central School ranks #3 of 20 elementary schools in Fort Wayne, IN.
School address
District: Fort Wayne Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180363000559 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Saint Joseph Central School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Saint Joseph Central School
Saint Joseph Central School is a mid-sized elementary school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, enrolling 434 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 44.3% lands close to the Indiana typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 434 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 557 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #43, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (58%) and Hispanic or Latino (15%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
16.1% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fort Wayne's elementary schools, it stands alongside Prince Chapman Academy (819 students): Saint Joseph Central School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.2:1 vs 14.9:1).
Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students) and R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students) alongside Saint Joseph Central 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 Saint Joseph Central School compares
Saint Joseph Central 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 | 13.2:1 | ▼ 17% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.3% | ▼ 11% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 434 | top 54% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
434
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 22% in Indiana - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,247
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
13
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.6 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
White 57.6%
Hispanic or Latino 15.2%
African American 13.6%
Two or More 8.3%
Asian 5.3%
Largest group: White at 57.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.7, Saint Joseph Central School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Wayne Community Schools, which includes Saint Joseph Central School.
$13,247
Per student
+10%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.4%
State 56.6%
Federal 21.1%
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 Saint Joseph Central School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R Nelson Snider High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South Side High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wayne High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Side High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Saint Joseph Central School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,145
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,927
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,405
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,398
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,383
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar elementary schools in Fort Wayne
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Prince Chapman Academy
Standard public school
819 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
Cedarville Elementary School
Standard public school
764 students 19.1:1 students per teacher
Covington Elementary School
Standard public school
746 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Weisser Park Elementary School
Standard public school
632 students 18.1:1 students per teacher
Fred H Croninger Elementary School
Standard public school
619 students 21.3:1 students per teacher
Jeff H Towles Intermediate School
Standard public school
600 students 14.3:1 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 (~434 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Saint Joseph Central School's federal record.
- Compare Saint Joseph Central School against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Wayne Community 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 Saint Joseph Central School
How many students attend Saint Joseph Central School?
Saint Joseph Central School has 434 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Fort Wayne, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Saint Joseph Central School?
The student-teacher ratio at Saint Joseph Central School is 13.2:1, which is 17% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 16% 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 Saint Joseph Central School?
44.3% of students at Saint Joseph Central School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Saint Joseph Central School?
The largest demographic group at Saint Joseph Central School is White at 57.6% of enrollment, in Fort Wayne, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Saint Joseph Central School?
Saint Joseph Central School has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (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 Saint Joseph Central School rank among elementary schools in Fort Wayne?
By Resource Investment Index, Saint Joseph Central School ranks #3 of 20 elementary schools in Fort Wayne, 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 Fort Wayne on the city page.
Is Saint Joseph Central School a good school?
Saint Joseph Central School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% 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 Fort Wayne Community Schools?
Besides Saint Joseph Central School, Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students), R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students), and South Side High School (1,405 students). See the Fort Wayne Community 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.