Enrollment
625
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Aurora, IN
South Dearborn High School
Federal NCES profile for South Dearborn High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 180024000056
👥 S:T ratio 39
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Dearborn High School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #4 of 4
- public schools in Aurora · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 15.2:1
- students per teacher
- 40.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Dearborn High School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Dearborn High School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Aurora, IN.
School address
District: South Dearborn Community Sch Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180024000056 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
41.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Dearborn High School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Dearborn High School
South Dearborn High School is a mid-sized high school in Aurora, Indiana, enrolling 625 students.
At 15.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Indiana median, within a few percentage points of the 15.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 625 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 513 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #452, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (95% of enrollment), among the less diverse in the state (diversity index 9/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 47.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
South Dearborn Community Sch Corp also operates Aurora Elementary School (524 students) and South Dearborn Middle School (288 students) alongside South Dearborn 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 South Dearborn High School compares
South Dearborn 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 | 15.2:1 | ▼ 4% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.3% | ▼ 19% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 625 | top 24% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.2:1
Leaner classes than 45% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
625
Bigger than 75% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
40.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
15.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 49% in Indiana - lower ratio than 51% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
47.2%
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
$12,424
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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
White 95.4%
Two or More 1.9%
Hispanic or Latino 1.3%
African American 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 95.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 8.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 8.9, South Dearborn High School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Dearborn Community Sch Corp, which includes South Dearborn High School.
$12,424
Per student
+3%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 33.0%
State 55.1%
Federal 11.9%
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 Dearborn High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurora Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| South Dearborn Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Dillsboro Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Manchester Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Dearborn High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 524
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 69/100
- Enrollment
- 288
- Students per teacher
- 11.5:1
- Resource Index
- 73/100
- Enrollment
- 267
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 67/100
- Enrollment
- 145
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
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 (~625 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Dearborn High School's federal record.
- Compare South Dearborn High School against another school. Compare schools
- South Dearborn 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 South Dearborn High School
How many students attend South Dearborn High School?
South Dearborn High School has 625 students enrolled. It is a high school in Aurora, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Dearborn High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Dearborn High School is 15.2:1, which is 4% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 3% 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 South Dearborn High School?
40.3% of students at South Dearborn High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Dearborn High School?
The largest demographic group at South Dearborn High School is White at 95.4% of enrollment, in Aurora, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Dearborn High School?
South Dearborn High School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Dearborn High School rank among public schools in Aurora?
By Resource Investment Index, South Dearborn High School ranks #4 of 4 public schools in Aurora, 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 Aurora on the city page.
Is South Dearborn High School a good school?
South Dearborn High School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. 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 Dearborn Community Sch Corp?
Besides South Dearborn High School, South Dearborn Community Sch Corp also operates Aurora Elementary School (524 students), South Dearborn Middle School (288 students), and Dillsboro Elementary School (267 students). See the South Dearborn 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.