Enrollment
496
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Indianapolis, IN
Stephen Decatur Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Stephen Decatur Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 43/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180264000315
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Stephen Decatur Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #22 of 89
- elementary schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 43
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.7:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 75.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Stephen Decatur Elementary School has class sizes larger than 77% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Stephen Decatur Elementary School ranks #22 of 89 elementary schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: Msd Decatur Township · Indiana
NCES ID 180264000315 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.7:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+11% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
75.4%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Stephen Decatur Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Stephen Decatur Elementary School
Stephen Decatur Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 496 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.7:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 75.4% of students qualify for free meals, 52% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 496 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 332 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #104.
Its student body is led by White (55%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Indianapolis's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate (1,365 students): Stephen Decatur Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (17.7:1 vs 21:1).
Msd Decatur Township also operates Decatur Central High School (1,974 students) and Decatur Middle School (1,000 students) alongside Stephen Decatur 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 Stephen Decatur Elementary School compares
Stephen Decatur 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 | 17.7:1 | ▲ 11% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 75.4% | ▲ 52% | 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 (what these measure)
Economic need
75.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; 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
28.2%
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
$12,052
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
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 55.0%
Hispanic or Latino 24.4%
African American 12.1%
Two or More 8.1%
Asian 0.4%
Largest group: White at 55.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.7, Stephen Decatur 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 Msd Decatur Township, which includes Stephen Decatur Elementary School.
$12,052
Per student
0%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-27%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 30.4%
State 57.1%
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 Stephen Decatur Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur Central High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Decatur Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Blue Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lynwood Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West Newton Elementary School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Stephen Decatur Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,000
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 687
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 583
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 559
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 61/100
Similar elementary schools in Indianapolis
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate
Standard public school
1,365 students 21:1 students per teacher
Edgewood Intermediate School
Standard public school
1,300 students 18.6:1 students per teacher
Creston Intermediate & Middle Schl
Standard public school
1,106 students 14.7:1 students per teacher
Raymond Park Intermediate & Middle
Standard public school
1,079 students 14:1 students per teacher
Stonybrook Intermediate & Middle
Standard public school
1,043 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Paramount Brookside
Standard public school
843 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~496 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Stephen Decatur Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Stephen Decatur Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Msd Decatur Township'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 Stephen Decatur Elementary School
How many students attend Stephen Decatur Elementary School?
Stephen Decatur Elementary School has 496 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Stephen Decatur Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Stephen Decatur 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 Stephen Decatur Elementary School?
75.4% of students at Stephen Decatur Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Stephen Decatur Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Stephen Decatur Elementary School is White at 55.0% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Stephen Decatur Elementary School?
Stephen Decatur Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Stephen Decatur Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Stephen Decatur Elementary School ranks #22 of 89 elementary schools in Indianapolis, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Indianapolis on the city page.
Is Stephen Decatur Elementary School a good school?
Stephen Decatur Elementary School earns 43/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 77% 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 Msd Decatur Township?
Besides Stephen Decatur Elementary School, Msd Decatur Township also operates Decatur Central High School (1,974 students), Decatur Middle School (1,000 students), and Blue Academy (687 students). See the Msd Decatur Township 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.