Enrollment
300
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Kendallville, IN
South Side Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Side Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180297000888
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 40
📋 Attendance 59
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Side Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #2 of 3
- schools in Kendallville · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.3:1
- students per teacher
- 57.7%
- free-lunch eligible
South Side Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Side Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Kendallville, IN.
School address
District: East Noble School Corporation · Indiana
NCES ID 180297000888 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.3:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-10% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
57.7%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Side Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Side Elementary School
South Side Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Kendallville, Indiana, enrolling 300 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.3:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 57.7% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 300 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 336 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #99.
Its student body is predominantly White (82% of enrollment) (diversity index 31/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 300 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
16.3% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Kendallville's public schools, it stands alongside Wayne Center Elem School (346 students): South Side Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.3:1 vs 13.8:1).
East Noble School Corporation also operates East Noble High School (1,019 students) and East Noble Middle School (767 students) alongside South Side Elementary 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 Side Elementary School compares
South Side 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 | 14.3:1 | ▼ 10% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 57.7% | ▲ 17% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 300 | top 78% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.3:1
Leaner classes than 54% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
300
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
57.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.3:1
students per teacher
- 10% below state mean
Top 38% in Indiana - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
16.3%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$11,383
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 300 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.3 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 82.3%
Hispanic or Latino 13.0%
Two or More 2.7%
African American 1.7%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 82.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.5, South Side 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 East Noble School Corporation, which includes South Side Elementary School.
$11,383
Per student
-6%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.6%
State 62.8%
Federal 9.6%
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 Side Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Noble High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Noble Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Avilla Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wayne Center Elem School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Side Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Side Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,019
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 767
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 422
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 346
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 308
- Students per teacher
- 18.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Similar other schools in Kendallville
2 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 (~300 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Side Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Side Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- East Noble School Corporation'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 Side Elementary School
How many students attend South Side Elementary School?
South Side Elementary School has 300 students enrolled. It is a public school in Kendallville, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Side Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Side Elementary School is 14.3:1, which is 10% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 9% 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 Side Elementary School?
57.7% of students at South Side Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Side Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Side Elementary School is White at 82.3% of enrollment, in Kendallville, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Side Elementary School?
South Side Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (higher 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).
How does South Side Elementary School rank among schools in Kendallville?
By Resource Investment Index, South Side Elementary School ranks #2 of 3 schools in Kendallville, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Kendallville on the city page.
Is South Side Elementary School a good school?
South Side Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. 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 East Noble School Corporation?
Besides South Side Elementary School, East Noble School Corporation also operates East Noble High School (1,019 students), East Noble Middle School (767 students), and Avilla Elementary School (422 students). See the East Noble School Corporation 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.