Coesse School

Located at 2250 S 500 E, in Columbia City, Indiana, Coesse School is an intimate K-5 school that instructs 291 students (grades K through 5), run under Whitley County Con Schools. Compared to the state average of about 436 students per school, that is 33% below typical.

Coesse School is one of 7 schools operated by Whitley County Con Schools, a district that teaches 3,686 students overall.

In terms of who attends, Coesse School lists that nearly all students (91%) are White. The remainder breaks down as 6% Hispanic, 3% multiracial. Compared to Whitley County overall, the school's racial mix sits in roughly the same range.

Looking at school resources, Staff filings list 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 14.4:1 students per teacher. The state averages around 15.5:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. Roughly 48% of students at Coesse School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. That share is above Whitley County's rate of about 33%.

After controlling for student poverty, Coesse School tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 41.3% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 38.1%.

Zooming out to the county, the surrounding county (Whitley County) shows that median household earnings sit near $78,083, roughly 24% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Across Whitley County's 12 public schools (combined enrollment of about 5,594 students), Coesse School is one campus in the mix.

Little Turtle Elementary School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 4.5 miles from this campus. 4 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius. Among the 7 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), Coesse School ranks 6th on composite proficiency, beneath the local average of 43.5%.

The campus sits in a low-density setting.

Looking at the recent track record. Over the past 7-year window, the student count fell 7%: 314 students in 2018 compared to 291 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around school events, parent volunteer needs, and clubs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.