Enrollment
559
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · West Newton, IN
West Newton Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for West Newton Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 61/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180264000317
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 74
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Newton Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- 61
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.5:1
- students per teacher
- 62.3%
- free-lunch eligible
- 559
- students enrolled
West Newton Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Msd Decatur Township · Indiana
NCES ID 180264000317 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.5:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.3%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Newton Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Newton Elementary School
West Newton Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in West Newton, Indiana, enrolling 559 students.
At 15.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Indiana median, within a few percentage points of the 15.9:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 62.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 559 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 94% of the 1,862 Indiana schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 427 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #10, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by African American (43%) and White (34%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
10.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Msd Decatur Township also operates Decatur Central High School (1,974 students) and Decatur Middle School (1,000 students) alongside West Newton 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 West Newton Elementary School compares
West Newton 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 | 15.5:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.3% | ▲ 26% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 559 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.5:1
Leaner classes than 42% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
559
Bigger than 69% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
15.5:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 53% in Indiana - lower ratio than 47% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.6%
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
$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
African American 43.3%
White 34.0%
Hispanic or Latino 15.6%
Two or More 6.3%
Asian 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: African American at 43.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, West Newton 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 West Newton 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 West Newton Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Decatur Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blue Academy | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lynwood Elementary | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Valley Mills Elementary School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Newton 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
- 554
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
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 (~559 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Newton Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare West Newton 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 West Newton Elementary School
How many students attend West Newton Elementary School?
West Newton Elementary School has 559 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in West Newton, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Newton Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at West Newton Elementary School is 15.5:1, which is 3% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 1% 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 West Newton Elementary School?
62.3% of students at West Newton Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Newton Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at West Newton Elementary School is African American at 43.3% of enrollment, in West Newton, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Newton Elementary School?
West Newton Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 61/100 (higher 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).
Is West Newton Elementary School a good school?
West Newton Elementary School earns 61/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. 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 West Newton 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.