Peifer Elementary School

Q: Is Peifer Elementary School a good school?

Peifer Elementary School ranks 332 nd of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Peifer Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Schererville, Indiana, serving grades PK-4 with a student population of 471. The school is part of the Lake Central School Corporation, which is ranked 34th out of 381 school districts in Indiana and has a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Peifer Elementary School has shown fluctuating academic performance, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts (47.19%) and Math (54.49%) that are lower than the Lake Central School Corporation's averages. However, the school's 3rd and 4th-grade Math proficiency rates (57.89% and 51.96%) are higher than the state averages. Peifer also has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with 43.1% non-White students. The school has experienced an increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 8.2% in 2020-2021 to 15.6% in 2022-2023, which is higher than some nearby schools like Kolling Elementary School (8.9%) and James H Watson Elementary School (7.4%). Additionally, Peifer has a relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 36.94%, which is higher than the nearby Kolling Elementary School (16.83%) and James H Watson Elementary School (24.39%).

Overall, Peifer Elementary School has a unique profile within the Lake Central School Corporation, with a more diverse student population, fluctuating academic performance, and higher rates of chronic absenteeism and free/reduced-price lunch recipients. Addressing these key metrics and understanding the school's context could help the district and school leaders develop targeted strategies to support student success.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-4

1824 S Cline
Schererville, IN 46375

(219) 322-5335

District: Lake Central School Corporation

SchoolDigger Rank:
332^nd of 1,010 Indiana Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,444

Students who attend Peifer Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Hal E Clark Middle School
High:	Lake Central High School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.5

Number of students: 444

Racial breakdown:

White:

53.6%

Hispanic:

25.0%

African American:

12.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38.1%

See top rated Indiana elementary schools

Compare Peifer Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Peifer Elementary School ranks better than 67.1% of elementary schools in Indiana. It also ranks last among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Lake Central School Corporation District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.8. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Peifer Elementary School has the smallest elementary school student body size in the Lake Central School Corporation District. Student population at Peifer Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (53.6%), Hispanic (25%), African American (12.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 38.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Peifer Elementary School is 15.5, which is the 3^rd best among 6 elementary schools in the Lake Central School Corporation District. (See more...)

Compare Peifer Elementary School employs 28.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Peifer Elementary School is $11,444, which is the 3^rd highest among 6 elementary schools in the Lake Central School Corporation District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Peifer Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Lake Central School Corporation:

SchoolDigger ranks Lake Central School Corporation 34^th of 381 Indiana school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Peifer Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	IN State Percentile
2005	70.55	244^th	959	74.6%
2006	67.29	297^th	961	69.1%
2007	72.43	234^th	985	76.2%
2008	64.48	356^th	996	64.3%
2009	82.72	103^rd	1003	89.7%
2010	83.72	87^th	1009	91.4%
2011	80.68	119^th	1025	88.4%
2012	66.90	339^th	1015	66.6%
2013	62.58	441^st	1035	57.4%
2014	67.95	344^th	1036	66.8%
2015	63.84	395^th	1040	62.0%
2016	80.00	158^th	1046	84.9%
2017	87.94	69^th	1033	93.3%
2018	87.68	82^nd	1027	92.0%
2019	85.18	109^th	1031	89.4%
2021	60.77	400^th	1016	60.6%
2022	75.29	229^th	1020	77.5%
2023	69.78	306^th	1016	69.9%
2024	66.80	332^nd	1010	67.1%

See the entire list of Indiana Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Indiana Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Peifer Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	426	3	4	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	442
1989	441	0	24	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	477
1990	505	3	3	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	522
1991	521	8	7	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	561
1992	541	6	12	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	582
1993	483	5	9	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
1994	474	7	9	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	513
1995	492	4	11	44	2	n/a	n/a	5	558
1996	492	4	11	44	2	n/a	n/a	5	558
1997	515	3	14	56	0	n/a	n/a	5	593
1998	544	1	16	58	0	n/a	n/a	1	620
1999	576	1	18	50	0	n/a	n/a	0	645
2000	580	4	9	53	2	n/a	n/a	0	648
2001	591	4	11	56	4	n/a	n/a	0	666
2002	533	5	7	57	3	n/a	n/a	0	605
2003	533	5	7	57	3	n/a	n/a	0	605
2004	545	6	9	59	3	n/a	n/a	0	622
2005	547	31	19	70	7	n/a	n/a	0	674
2006	519	33	14	78	5	n/a	n/a	0	649
2007	485	30	18	72	5	n/a	n/a	32	642
2008	456	33	19	61	7	n/a	n/a	24	600
2009	389	42	13	59	3	n/a	n/a	26	532
2010	406	38	11	53	3	n/a	n/a	32	543
2011	404	47	11	67	3	0	29	0	561
2012	388	42	8	81	3	0	28	0	550
2013	380	39	6	88	2	0	22	0	537
2014	348	41	5	89	2	0	17	0	502
2015	325	35	5	105	3	0	16	0	489
2016	324	28	3	107	0	0	22	0	484
2017	292	21	5	91	1	0	16	0	426
2018	282	31	7	92	0	0	19	0	431
2019	309	35	9	99	0	0	21	0	473
2020	302	40	10	111	0	1	26	0	490
2021	272	34	11	106	0	1	25	0	449
2022	275	41	10	121	0	1	24	0	472
2023	268	55	12	112	0	1	23	0	471
2024	238	57	14	111	2	0	22	0	444

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Peifer Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	442	21.0	21.0	6.3
1989	477	22.3	21.3	4.8
1990	522	24.2	21.5	4.4
1991	561	28.0	20.0	2.3
1992	582	30.0	19.4	6.9
1993	513	27.0	19.0	2.9
1994	513	47.0	10.9	3.7
1995	558	27.0	20.7	3.8
1996	558	27.0	20.7	3.8
1997	593	36.0	16.5	4.1
1998	620	29.0	21.4	3.6
1999	645	29.0	22.2	4.3
2000	648	29.0	22.3	4.3
2001	666	31.0	21.5	5.1
2002	605	28.5	21.2	8.4
2003	605	28.5	21.2	8.4
2004	622	28.5	21.8	9.2
2005	674	30.5	22.1	14.4
2006	649	31.0	20.9	17.4
2007	642	n/a	n/a	18.2
2008	600	31.0	19.4	20.8
2009	532	31.2	17.1	21.7
2010	543	32.0	16.9	24.3
2011	561	35.3	15.8	24.2
2012	550	32.0	17.1	29.6
2013	537	26.0	20.6	30
2014	502	25.0	20.0	30.7
2015	489	25.0	19.5	31.1
2016	484	26.0	18.6	24
2017	426	25.0	17.0	25.8
2018	431	25.2	17.0	31.6
2019	473	27.0	17.5	28.8
2020	490	29.0	16.8	32.9
2021	449	44.9	9.9	34.1
2022	472	28.8	16.3	36.9
2023	471	29.8	15.7	36.9
2024	444	28.5	15.5	38.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Peifer Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	442	21.0	21.0	6.3
1989	477	22.3	21.3	4.8
1990	522	24.2	21.5	4.4
1991	561	28.0	20.0	2.3
1992	582	30.0	19.4	6.9
1993	513	27.0	19.0	2.9
1994	513	47.0	10.9	3.7
1995	558	27.0	20.7	3.8
1996	558	27.0	20.7	3.8
1997	593	36.0	16.5	4.1
1998	620	29.0	21.4	3.6
1999	645	29.0	22.2	4.3
2000	648	29.0	22.3	4.3
2001	666	31.0	21.5	5.1
2002	605	28.5	21.2	8.4
2003	605	28.5	21.2	8.4
2004	622	28.5	21.8	9.2
2005	674	30.5	22.1	14.4
2006	649	31.0	20.9	17.4
2007	642	n/a	n/a	18.2
2008	600	31.0	19.4	20.8
2009	532	31.2	17.1	21.7
2010	543	32.0	16.9	24.3
2011	561	35.3	15.8	24.2
2012	550	32.0	17.1	29.6
2013	537	26.0	20.6	30
2014	502	25.0	20.0	30.7
2015	489	25.0	19.5	31.1
2016	484	26.0	18.6	24
2017	426	25.0	17.0	25.8
2018	431	25.2	17.0	31.6
2019	473	27.0	17.5	28.8
2020	490	29.0	16.8	32.9
2021	449	44.9	9.9	34.1
2022	472	28.8	16.3	36.9
2023	471	29.8	15.7	36.9
2024	444	28.5	15.5	38.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Peifer Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$529 (5.3%)	$9,506 (94.7%)	$10,035
2020	$404 (4.3%)	$9,086 (95.7%)	$9,490
2021	$336 (3.1%)	$10,409 (96.9%)	$10,746
2022	$345 (3.0%)	$11,099 (97.0%)	$11,444

Data source: Indiana Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Peifer Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 109^th of 1031 Elementary schools	Ranks 306^th of 1016 Elementary schools	19.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Peifer Elementary School)	71.4	46.5	24.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lake Central School Corporation)	65.1	57.3	7.8%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	46.3	39.7	6.6%
3rd Grade Math (Peifer Elementary School)	79.6	65.7	13.9%
3rd Grade Math (Lake Central School Corporation)	75.1	69.4	5.7%
3rd Grade Math (Indiana)	58.7	53.1	5.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Peifer Elementary School)	60.4	46	14.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Central School Corporation)	60.3	53.2	7.1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Indiana)	45.8	40.3	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Peifer Elementary School)	65.9	59	6.9%
4th Grade Math (Lake Central School Corporation)	75	64.7	10.3%
4th Grade Math (Indiana)	54	48.8	5.2%
4th Grade Science (Peifer Elementary School)	65.9	39	26.9%
4th Grade Science (Lake Central School Corporation)	70.8	53.6	17.2%
4th Grade Science (Indiana)	46.3	37	9.3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	473	471	0.4%
African American	35	55	57.1%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	9	12	33.3%
Hispanic	99	112	13.1%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	309	268	13.3%
Two or More Races	21	23	9.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	28.8%	36.9%	8.2%

Schools Near Peifer Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				ILEARN English Language Arts (2024)				ILEARN Math (2024)				ILEARN Social Studies (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	ILEARN English Language Arts 3rd Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 4th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts 5th Grade	ILEARN English Language Arts All Grades	ILEARN Math 3rd Grade	ILEARN Math 4th Grade	ILEARN Math 5th Grade	ILEARN Math All Grades	ILEARN Social Studies 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Peifer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	1824 S Cline	Schererville	46375	Lake County	Lake Central School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 322-5335	444	29	15.5	38.1%	238 (53.6%)	57 (12.8%)	111 (25.0%)	14 (3.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (5.0%)	66.8	332^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	67.1%		69.8	306^th of 1016 public elementary schools	69.9%	26	50.0	45.1		47.2	57.9	52.0		54.5		$11,444	$345	$11,099
Homan Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	210 E Joliet	Schererville	46375	Lake County	Lake Central School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 322-4451	450	34	13.4	39.8%	245 (54.4%)	48 (10.7%)	111 (24.7%)	15 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.7%)	28 (6.2%)	74	253^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	75.0%		83.5	146^th of 1016 public elementary schools	85.6%	107	43.4	52.8		48.5	60.5	62.9		61.8		$12,811	$659	$12,152
James H Watson Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	333 W 77th St	Schererville	46375	Lake County	Lake Central School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 322-1365	655	38	17.2	23.4%	377 (57.6%)	78 (11.9%)	139 (21.2%)	22 (3.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.6%)	77.9	203^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	79.9%		81.1	169^th of 1016 public elementary schools	83.4%	34	52.7	58.3		55.4	63.6	55.3		59.6		$9,495	$483	$9,012
Kolling Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	8801 Wicker Ave	Saint John	46373	Lake County	Lake Central School Corporation	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 365-8577	630	38	16.8	16.0%	459 (72.9%)	31 (4.9%)	112 (17.8%)	10 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.9%)	84.5	136^th of 1010 public elementary schools	86.5%		80.6	177^th of 1016 public elementary schools	82.6%	41	62.4	57.5		59.6	65.0	66.0		65.6		$9,322	$115	$9,206
Beiriger Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	601 N Lillian St	Griffith	46319	Lake County	Griffith Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 924-4030	455	35	13.0	57.6%	197 (43.3%)	92 (20.2%)	143 (31.4%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.8%)	54.8	472^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	53.3%		57.4	451^st of 1016 public elementary schools	55.6%	21	28.4	28.2	46.4	34.3	51.6	38.2	47.1	46.0	60.7	$10,095	$1,747	$8,348
Elsie Wadsworth Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-2	600 N Jay St	Griffith	46319	Lake County	Griffith Public Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 923-4488	452	37	12.2	44.2%	168 (37.2%)	111 (24.6%)	150 (33.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.9%)								(n/a)										$8,908	$1,681	$7,226
Allen J Warren Elementary School	Public	K-5	2901 100th St	Highland	46322	Lake County	School Town of Highland	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 922-5660	283	16	18.2	51.9%	107 (37.8%)	61 (21.6%)	98 (34.6%)	11 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.1%)	72.9	263^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	74.0%		70.2	298^th of 1016 public elementary schools	70.7%	35	51.0	49.0	42.9	47.7	60.8	63.3	59.2	61.1	38.8	$10,023	$509	$9,514
Jonas E Salk Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	3001 W 77th Ave	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5304	593	39	15.4	59.5%	72 (12.1%)	344 (58.0%)	134 (22.6%)	7 (1.2%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (5.7%)	50.2	523^rd of 1010 public elementary schools	48.2%		44.8	588^th of 1016 public elementary schools	42.1%	65	29.0	42.8		36.1	45.4	52.6		49.1		$10,174	$1,193	$8,981
Edgar L Miller Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	5901 Waite St	Merrillville	46410	Lake County	Merrillville Community School Corp	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 650-5303	348	27	12.9	75.6%	18 (5.2%)	253 (72.7%)	56 (16.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (6.0%)	26.7	752^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	25.5%		18.8	829^th of 1016 public elementary schools	18.4%	77	26.2	22.4		23.9	43.9	31.3		36.1		$12,348	$1,888	$10,460
Longfellow New Technical Elementary School	Public	K-4	45th/Calhoun Sts	Gary	46408	Lake County	Lake Ridge New Technical Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(219) 923-7004	486	31	15.9	94.0%	160 (32.9%)	148 (30.5%)	146 (30.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.4%)	6.4	982^nd of 1010 public elementary schools	2.8%		8.1	948^th of 1016 public elementary schools	6.7%	34	12.7	12.6		12.6	10.1	10.5		10.3		$12,888	$3,529	$9,359

Frequently Asked Questions about Peifer Elementary School

How many students attend Peifer Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 444 students attended Peifer Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Peifer Elementary School?

Students at Peifer Elementary School are 54% White, 25% Hispanic, 13% African American, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Is Peifer Elementary School a good school?

Peifer Elementary School ranks 332^nd of 1010 Indiana elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Peifer Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Peifer Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Hal E Clark Middle School
High : Lake Central High School

What district is Peifer Elementary School in?

Lake Central School Corporation

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Indiana Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.