- Enrollment
- 384
- Students per teacher
- 12.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Poneto, IN
Southern Wells Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Southern Wells Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 181077001764
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 1
📋 Attendance 80
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Wells Elementary School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Indiana schools. It is also less racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 45.2%
- free-lunch eligible
- 496
- students enrolled
Southern Wells Elementary School has class sizes larger than 77% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Southern Wells Com Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 181077001764 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-10 students YoY
Southern Wells Elementary School held near 499 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 28.5 → 28.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-10 students YoY 181077001764 · Poneto, IN Elementary · SMALL · TRAD
496 enr · 17.7:1 · 45.2% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Southern Wells Jr-Sr High School (384 students)
Southern Wells Elementary School held near 499 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-10 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 28.5 → 28.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Indiana schools → · Find another →
How Southern Wells Elementary School compares
Southern Wells Elementary School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.7:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 45.2% | ▼ 9% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 496 | top 42% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.7:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
496
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
45.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 9% 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
17.7:1
students per teacher
- 11% above state mean
Top 77% in Indiana - lower ratio than 23% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
8.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,929
per pupil, district-wide
- below Indiana avg of $12,921
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 496 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 95.0%
Hispanic or Latino 4.0%
Two or More 0.8%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 95.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 9.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 9.6, Southern Wells Elementary School is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
District finance for Southern Wells Com Schools reports $10,929 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Southern Wells Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Wells Jr-Sr High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southern Wells Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
Nationwide elementary schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~496 students)
Frequently asked questions about Southern Wells Elementary School
How many students attend Southern Wells Elementary School?
Southern Wells Elementary School has 496 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Poneto, IN. CCD year-over-year: 509 (2022-23) → 499 (2023-24), nearly flat (-10).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Wells Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Wells Elementary School is 17.7:1, which is 11% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southern Wells Elementary School?
45.2% of students at Southern Wells Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Wells Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Southern Wells Elementary School is White at 95.0% of enrollment, in Poneto, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Wells Elementary School?
Southern Wells Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
What other schools are in Southern Wells Com Schools?
Besides Southern Wells Elementary School, Southern Wells Com Schools also operates Southern Wells Jr-Sr High School (384 students). See the Southern Wells Com Schools district page for the complete list.