Enrollment
509
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · East Chicago, IN
William Mckinley Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for William Mckinley Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 180288000375
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
William Mckinley Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median.
- #1 of 6
- elementary schools in East Chicago · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 79.7%
- free-lunch eligible
William Mckinley Elementary School has class sizes near the Indiana median. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, William Mckinley Elementary School ranks #1 of 6 elementary schools in East Chicago, IN.
School address
District: School City of East Chicago · Indiana
NCES ID 180288000375 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.7%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+61% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How William Mckinley Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at William Mckinley Elementary School
William Mckinley Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in East Chicago, Indiana, enrolling 509 students.
At 15.4:1, 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 is high: 79.7% of students qualify for free meals, 61% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 509 students, its enrollment sits close to the Indiana median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Among 278 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Indiana schools statewide, it ranks #13, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (56%) and African American (37%) (diversity index 54/100).
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding School City of East Chicago spends $15,910 per pupil, 32% above the Indiana average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 22.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among East Chicago's elementary schools, it stands alongside East Chicago Lighthouse (495 students): William Mckinley Elementary School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 16.5:1).
School City of East Chicago also operates East Chicago Central High School (1,052 students) and Joseph Block Middle School (436 students) alongside William Mckinley 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 William Mckinley Elementary School compares
William Mckinley 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 | 15.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.7% | ▲ 61% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 509 | top 40% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
509
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 61% 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
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 52% in Indiana - lower ratio than 48% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.0%
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
$15,910
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.4 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 56.4%
African American 37.3%
Two or More 3.1%
White 2.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.1, William Mckinley 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 School City of East Chicago, which includes William Mckinley Elementary School.
$15,910
Per student
+32%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 19.9%
State 57.9%
Federal 22.2%
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 William Mckinley Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Chicago Central High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Joseph Block Middle School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| George Washington Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Abraham Lincoln Elementary School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to William Mckinley Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,052
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 436
- Students per teacher
- 11.2:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 433
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 400
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 282
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in East Chicago
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
East Chicago Lighthouse
Standard public school
495 students 16.5:1 students per teacher
George Washington Elementary Sch
Standard public school
433 students 14:1 students per teacher
East Chicago Urban Enterprise Academy
Standard public school
424 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch
Standard public school
400 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Abraham Lincoln Elementary School
Standard public school
282 students 12.3:1 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 (~509 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on William Mckinley Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare William Mckinley Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- School City of East Chicago'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 William Mckinley Elementary School
How many students attend William Mckinley Elementary School?
William Mckinley Elementary School has 509 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in East Chicago, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at William Mckinley Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at William Mckinley Elementary School is 15.4:1, which is 3% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 2% 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 William Mckinley Elementary School?
79.7% of students at William Mckinley Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of William Mckinley Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at William Mckinley Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 56.4% of enrollment, in East Chicago, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for William Mckinley Elementary School?
William Mckinley Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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).
How does William Mckinley Elementary School rank among elementary schools in East Chicago?
By Resource Investment Index, William Mckinley Elementary School ranks #1 of 6 elementary schools in East Chicago, 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 East Chicago on the city page.
Is William Mckinley Elementary School a good school?
William Mckinley Elementary School earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Indiana median. 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 School City of East Chicago?
Besides William Mckinley Elementary School, School City of East Chicago also operates East Chicago Central High School (1,052 students), Joseph Block Middle School (436 students), and George Washington Elementary Sch (433 students). See the School City of East Chicago 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.