Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 15 schools in district

West Clay Elementary School

3495 W 126 St, Carmel, IN 46032Carmel Clay Schools →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
599
Students
Total enrolled
$16,428
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 15% vs nat'l
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 599 students in grades KG–05 in Carmel, Indiana.
15% above average funding
District spends $16,428 per pupil, 15% more than the national average of $14,347.
16.0 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

West Clay Elementary School is a large elementary in Carmel, Indiana, serving grades KG–05 with 599 students. The district invests $16,428 per student — 15% above the national average of $14,347, with a 16.0:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. With only 4% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community.

Student Body & Demographics at West Clay Elementary School

599
Total Students
16.0 : 1
Student:Teacher
4%
Free Lunch
38
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution310 male · 289 female
52%
48%
Male 52%Female 48%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility4%
National avg 52% · 25 students
Student Composition
35%
55%
Asian35%
White55%
Hispanic / Latino2%
Black4%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 180120002185

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,428Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,428
State avg
$15,078
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,228
Student Support$3,121
Administration$1,971
Operations$2,464
Other$1,643
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,428 spent per student, an estimated $7,278 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
54%
41%
State government
53.8%
Local (property tax)
40.8%
Federal programs
5.5%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 4% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
Cherry Tree Elementary SchoolPrairie Trace Elementary SchoolClay Center Elementary SchoolSmoky Row Elementary School
+6 more
↓
Middle
Clay Middle SchoolCreekside Middle SchoolCarmel Middle School
↓
High School
Carmel High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyHamilton County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictCarmel Clay Schools →
Phone: (317)733-6500
NCES ID: 180120002185
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Carmel seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing a solid, no-frills public education. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in Carmel Clay Schools
High
Carmel High School
5,192 students · 09–12
13% FRL
Mid
Clay Middle School
1,423 students · 06–08
14% FRL
Mid
Creekside Middle School
1,349 students · 06–08
8% FRL
Mid
Carmel Middle School
1,064 students · 06–08
20% FRL
Elem
Cherry Tree Elementary School
697 students · PK–05
12% FRL
Elem
Prairie Trace Elementary School
697 students · KG–05
9% FRL
Elem
Clay Center Elementary School
690 students · PK–05
15% FRL
Elem
Smoky Row Elementary School
675 students · PK–05
7% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3495 W 126 St, Carmel, IN 46032
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.