Enrollment
175
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Indianapolis, IN
The Nature School of Central Indiana
Federal NCES profile for The Nature School of Central Indiana, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180023002735Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 72
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
The Nature School of Central Indiana earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% of Indiana schools.
- #45 of 89
- elementary schools in Indianapolis · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 25:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 7.0%
- free-lunch eligible
The Nature School of Central Indiana has class sizes larger than 98% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, The Nature School of Central Indiana ranks #45 of 89 elementary schools in Indianapolis, IN.
School address
District: The Nature School of Central Indiana · Indiana
NCES ID 180023002735 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
25:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+57% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
7.0%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
-86% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How The Nature School of Central Indiana compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at The Nature School of Central Indiana
The Nature School of Central Indiana is a lower-poverty, small charter elementary school in Indianapolis, Indiana, enrolling 175 students.
Class loads run heavy: 25:1 is larger than about 98% of Indiana schools and 57% above the 15.9:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 7.0% free-meal eligibility runs 86% below the Indiana average.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 93% of Indiana schools, with 175 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Its student body is led by White (78%) and Two or More (14%) (diversity index 37/100).
11.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding The Nature School of Central Indiana spends $7,421 per pupil, 39% below the Indiana average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Indianapolis's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate (1,365 students): The Nature School of Central Indiana is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (25:1 vs 21:1).
The Nature School of Central Indiana is a single-school charter district, so The Nature School of Central Indiana operates independently rather than alongside district-mates. At 175 students, it is also a small operation, on the smaller end of Indiana's single-school districts.
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 The Nature School of Central Indiana compares
The Nature School of Central Indiana on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 25:1 | ▲ 57% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 7.0% | ▼ 86% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 175 | top 93% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
25:1
Leaner classes than 5% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
175
Bigger than 17% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
7.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 86% 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
25:1
students per teacher
- 57% above state mean
Top 98% in Indiana - lower ratio than 2% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
11.4%
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
$7,421
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.
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 78.3%
Two or More 13.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
African American 2.3%
Asian 1.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 78.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.6, The Nature School of Central Indiana is less mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for The Nature School of Central Indiana, which includes The Nature School of Central Indiana.
$7,421
Per student
-39%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-55%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 3.0%
State 87.2%
Federal 9.8%
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.
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 (~175 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on The Nature School of Central Indiana's federal record.
- Compare The Nature School of Central Indiana against another school. Compare schools
- The Nature School of Central Indiana'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 The Nature School of Central Indiana
How many students attend The Nature School of Central Indiana?
The Nature School of Central Indiana has 175 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at The Nature School of Central Indiana?
The student-teacher ratio at The Nature School of Central Indiana is 25:1, which is 57% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 59% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at The Nature School of Central Indiana?
7.0% of students at The Nature School of Central Indiana are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of The Nature School of Central Indiana?
The largest demographic group at The Nature School of Central Indiana is White at 78.3% of enrollment, in Indianapolis, IN.
What is the Resource Investment Index for The Nature School of Central Indiana?
The Nature School of Central Indiana has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 The Nature School of Central Indiana rank among elementary schools in Indianapolis?
By Resource Investment Index, The Nature School of Central Indiana ranks #45 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 The Nature School of Central Indiana a good school?
The Nature School of Central Indiana earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 98% 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 The Nature School of Central Indiana?
None; The Nature School of Central Indiana is a single-school charter district, and The Nature School of Central Indiana is its only campus.
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.