Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 7 schools in district

Abraham Lincoln Elementary School

3551 Block Avenue, East Chicago, IN 46312School City of East Chicago →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–06Non-Charter
286
Students
Total enrolled
$16,489
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 15% vs nat'l
12.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 20% vs nat'l
39/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 21% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 286 students in grades KG–06 in East Chicago, Indiana.
15% above average funding
District spends $16,489 per pupil, 15% more than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 39th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

Abraham Lincoln Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary in East Chicago, Indiana, serving grades KG–06 with 286 students. The district invests $16,489 per student — 15% above the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 87% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 39/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School

286
Total Students
12.4 : 1
Student:Teacher
87%
Free Lunch
23
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–06) are served by this school
Gender Distribution156 male · 130 female
55%
45%
Male 55%Female 45%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility87%
National avg 52% · 249 students
Student Composition
16%
81%
White2%
Hispanic / Latino16%
Black81%
Multiracial1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 180288000362

Academic Outcomes at Abraham Lincoln Elementary School

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
39
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 39th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 25th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 46312

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$16,489Above avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$16,489
State avg
$15,078
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$7,255
Student Support$3,133
Administration$1,979
Operations$2,473
Other$1,649
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $16,489 spent per student, an estimated $7,305 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
58%
20%
State government
57.9%
Local (property tax)
19.9%
Federal programs
22.2%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 12.4:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 87% of students on free or reduced lunch — a high share that can indicate resource pressure
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
William McKinley Elementary SchoolGeorge Washington Elementary SchBenjamin Harrison Elementary Sch
↓
Middle
Joseph Block Middle School
↓
High School
East Chicago Central High School
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 06
Location—
CountyLake County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictSchool City of East Chicago →
Phone: (219)391-4096
NCES ID: 180288000362
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in East Chicago seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in School City of East Chicago
High
East Chicago Central High School
1,079 students · 09–12
● 39 opp77% FRL
Elem
William McKinley Elementary School
488 students · KG–06
● 39 opp80% FRL
Mid
Joseph Block Middle School
487 students · 07–08
● 39 opp82% FRL
Elem
George Washington Elementary Sch
462 students · KG–06
● 39 opp80% FRL
Elem
Benjamin Harrison Elementary Sch
396 students · KG–06
● 39 opp82% FRL
Other
Carrie Gosch PK Center
150 students · PK–PK
● 39 opp84% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
3551 Block Avenue, East Chicago, IN 46312
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.