Enrollment
891
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Columbus, IN
Southside Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Southside Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 42/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180036000080
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southside Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #5 of 10
- schools in Columbus · Resource Index
- 42
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.6:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 17.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Southside Elementary School has class sizes larger than 84% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Elementary School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Columbus, IN.
School address
District: Bartholomew Con School Corp · Indiana
NCES ID 180036000080 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.6:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
17.0%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-66% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Southside Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Southside Elementary School
Southside Elementary School is a lower-poverty, large combined-grade school in Columbus, Indiana, enrolling 891 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 17.0% free-meal eligibility runs 66% below the Indiana average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 90% of state schools at 891 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 170 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #131, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Asian (32%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 891 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
10.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Columbus's public schools, it stands alongside Parkside Elementary School (733 students): Southside Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.6:1 vs 16.7:1).
Bartholomew Con School Corp also operates Columbus North High School (2,360 students) and Columbus East High School (1,452 students) alongside Southside 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 Southside Elementary School compares
Southside 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 | 18.6:1 | ▲ 17% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 17.0% | ▼ 66% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 891 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.6:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
891
Bigger than 89% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
17.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 66% below the Indiana average of 49.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.6:1
students per teacher
- 17% above state mean
Top 84% in Indiana - lower ratio than 16% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
10.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$11,632
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 891 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 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 49.3%
Asian 31.6%
Hispanic or Latino 11.7%
Two or More 4.0%
African American 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 49.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.1, Southside Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bartholomew Con School Corp, which includes Southside Elementary School.
$11,632
Per student
-4%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-30%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.5%
State 52.0%
Federal 12.5%
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 Southside Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus North High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbus East High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Northside Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Central Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Parkside Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Southside Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,360
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,452
- Students per teacher
- 17.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 908
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 733
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar other schools in Columbus
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Parkside Elementary School
Standard public school
733 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Clifty Creek Elementary School
Standard public school
705 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
Lillian Schmitt Elementary School
Standard public school
704 students 17.6:1 students per teacher
W D Richards Elementary School
Standard public school
610 students 19.7:1 students per teacher
L F Smith Elementary
Standard public school
420 students 13.5:1 students per teacher
Mount Healthy Elementary School
Standard public school
365 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
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 (~891 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Southside Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Southside Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Bartholomew Con 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 Southside Elementary School
How many students attend Southside Elementary School?
Southside Elementary School has 891 students enrolled. It is a public school in Columbus, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southside Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southside Elementary School is 18.6:1, which is 17% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 18% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Southside Elementary School?
17.0% of students at Southside Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southside Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Southside Elementary School is White at 49.3% of enrollment, in Columbus, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southside Elementary School?
Southside Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 42/100 (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).
How does Southside Elementary School rank among schools in Columbus?
By Resource Investment Index, Southside Elementary School ranks #5 of 10 schools in Columbus, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Columbus on the city page.
Is Southside Elementary School a good school?
Southside Elementary School earns 42/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 84% 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 Bartholomew Con School Corp?
Besides Southside Elementary School, Bartholomew Con School Corp also operates Columbus North High School (2,360 students), Columbus East High School (1,452 students), and Northside Middle School (908 students). See the Bartholomew Con 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.