Enrollment
235
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Station, IN
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Virgil I Bailey Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 46/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180291000381
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #1 of 4
- public schools in Lake Station · Resource Index
- 46
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 81.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 85% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Virgil I Bailey Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Lake Station, IN.
School address
District: Lake Station Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180291000381 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
19.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
81.1%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Virgil I Bailey Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at Virgil I Bailey Elementary School
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School is a high-poverty, small elementary school in Lake Station, Indiana, enrolling 235 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 12.4:1, Virgil I Bailey Elementary School is leaner than roughly 85% of Indiana schools and 22% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 81.1% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 235 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 108 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #25.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (45%) and White (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.8% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Lake Station's elementary schools, it stands alongside Alexander Hamilton Elementary Sch (200 students): Virgil I Bailey Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.4:1 vs 11.8:1).
Lake Station Community Schools also operates Thomas a Edison Jr-Sr Hs (595 students) and Alexander Hamilton Elementary Sch (200 students) alongside Virgil I Bailey 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 Virgil I Bailey Elementary School compares
Virgil I Bailey 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 | 12.4:1 | ▼ 22% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 81.1% | ▲ 64% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 235 | top 87% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
235
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
81.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 15% in Indiana - lower ratio than 85% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
32.8%
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
$11,507
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 + 10 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 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
Hispanic or Latino 45.1%
White 33.6%
African American 11.1%
Two or More 9.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 45.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.2, Virgil I Bailey 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 Lake Station Community Schools, which includes Virgil I Bailey Elementary School.
$11,507
Per student
-5%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 26.4%
State 65.8%
Federal 7.7%
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 Virgil I Bailey Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas a Edison Jr-Sr Hs | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Alexander Hamilton Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Virgil I Bailey Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 595
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 200
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
Similar elementary schools in Lake Station
1 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
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 (~235 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Virgil I Bailey Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Virgil I Bailey Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lake Station Community Schools'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 Virgil I Bailey Elementary School
How many students attend Virgil I Bailey Elementary School?
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School has 235 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Station, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Virgil I Bailey Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Virgil I Bailey Elementary School is 12.4:1, which is 22% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 21% 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 Virgil I Bailey Elementary School?
81.1% of students at Virgil I Bailey Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Virgil I Bailey Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Virgil I Bailey Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 45.1% of enrollment, in Lake Station, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Virgil I Bailey Elementary School?
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 46/100 (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 Virgil I Bailey Elementary School rank among public schools in Lake Station?
By Resource Investment Index, Virgil I Bailey Elementary School ranks #1 of 4 public schools in Lake Station, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Lake Station on the city page.
Is Virgil I Bailey Elementary School a good school?
Virgil I Bailey Elementary School earns 46/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 85% 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 Lake Station Community Schools?
Besides Virgil I Bailey Elementary School, Lake Station Community Schools also operates Thomas a Edison Jr-Sr Hs (595 students) and Alexander Hamilton Elementary Sch (200 students). See the Lake Station Community Schools 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.