Enrollment
523
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Union Mills, IN
South Central Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Central Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180219000262
👥 S:T ratio 20
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 81
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Central Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Indiana schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.1:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 34.9%
- free-lunch eligible
- 523
- students enrolled
South Central Elementary School has class sizes larger than 91% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: South Central Com School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180219000262 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.1:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.9%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Central Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Central Elementary School
South Central Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Union Mills, Indiana, enrolling 523 students.
Class loads run heavy: 20.1:1 is larger than about 91% of Indiana schools and 26% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 523 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 517 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #355.
Its student body is predominantly White (94% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 12/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 523 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 7.8% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 19 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Union Mills's public schools, it stands alongside South Central Jr-Sr High School (463 students): South Central Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (20.1:1 vs 14.5:1).
Its district, South Central Com School Corp, also runs South Central Jr-Sr High School (463 students).
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 South Central Elementary School compares
South Central 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 | 20.1:1 | ▲ 26% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.9% | ▼ 29% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 523 | top 38% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.1:1
Leaner classes than 16% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
523
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
20.1:1
students per teacher
- 26% above state mean
Top 91% in Indiana - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
7.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,156
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 523 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
13
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 19 expulsions.
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 93.9%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
Two or More 1.9%
African American 0.6%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 93.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 11.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 11.7, South Central Elementary School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Central Com School Corp, which includes South Central Elementary School.
$10,156
Per student
-16%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-39%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 64.5%
Federal 8.5%
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 South Central Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Central Jr-Sr High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Central Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 463
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Union Mills
1 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 (~523 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Central Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Central Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- South Central Com School 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 South Central Elementary School
How many students attend South Central Elementary School?
South Central Elementary School has 523 students enrolled. It is a public school in Union Mills, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Central Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Central Elementary School is 20.1:1, which is 26% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 28% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Central Elementary School?
34.9% of students at South Central Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Central Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Central Elementary School is White at 93.9% of enrollment, in Union Mills, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Central Elementary School?
South Central Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
Is South Central Elementary School a good school?
South Central Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Indiana schools. It is also less 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 South Central Com School Corp?
Besides South Central Elementary School, South Central Com School Corp also operates South Central Jr-Sr High School (463 students). See the South Central Com School 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.