Enrollment
485
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Indianapolis, IN
Sunny Heights Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Sunny Heights Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 25/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 181236001971
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 3
📋 Attendance 20
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Sunny Heights Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 74% of Indiana schools.
- #63 of 89
- elementary schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 25
- Resource Index · Lower
- 13.5:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 72.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Sunny Heights Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 74% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Sunny Heights Elementary School ranks #63 of 89 elementary schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: Msd Warren Township · Indiana
NCES ID 181236001971 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
72.7%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Sunny Heights Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Sunny Heights Elementary School
Sunny Heights Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 485 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 13.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 72.7% of students eligible for free meals.
With 485 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 363 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #323, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (62%) and Hispanic or Latino (26%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 485 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.0% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 18.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Indianapolis's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate (1,365 students): Sunny Heights Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.5:1 vs 21:1).
Msd Warren Township also operates Warren Central High School (3,391 students) and Creston Intermediate & Middle Schl (1,106 students) alongside Sunny Heights 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 Sunny Heights Elementary School compares
Sunny Heights 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 | 13.5:1 | ▼ 15% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 72.7% | ▲ 47% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 485 | top 45% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.5:1
Leaner classes than 62% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
485
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
72.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
13.5:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 26% in Indiana - lower ratio than 74% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
32.0%
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
$13,727
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 485 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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
African American 62.3%
Hispanic or Latino 26.0%
Two or More 7.2%
White 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Asian 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: African American at 62.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.8, Sunny Heights Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Msd Warren Township, which includes Sunny Heights Elementary School.
$13,727
Per student
+14%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 23.1%
State 58.9%
Federal 18.0%
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 Sunny Heights Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warren Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Creston Intermediate & Middle Schl | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Raymond Park Intermediate & Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Stonybrook Intermediate & Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Pleasant Run Elementary School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Sunny Heights Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,391
- Students per teacher
- 18.3:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,106
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,079
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,043
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 561
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
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 (~485 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Sunny Heights Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Sunny Heights Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Msd Warren 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 Sunny Heights Elementary School
How many students attend Sunny Heights Elementary School?
Sunny Heights Elementary School has 485 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Sunny Heights Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Sunny Heights Elementary School is 13.5:1, which is 15% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 14% 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 Sunny Heights Elementary School?
72.7% of students at Sunny Heights Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Sunny Heights Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Sunny Heights Elementary School is African American at 62.3% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Sunny Heights Elementary School?
Sunny Heights Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 25/100 (lower 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 Sunny Heights Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, Sunny Heights Elementary School ranks #63 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 Sunny Heights Elementary School a good school?
Sunny Heights Elementary School earns 25/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 74% of 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 Warren Township?
Besides Sunny Heights Elementary School, Msd Warren Township also operates Warren Central High School (3,391 students), Creston Intermediate & Middle Schl (1,106 students), and Raymond Park Intermediate & Middle (1,079 students). See the Msd Warren 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.