James Cole Elementary School

As a low-enrollment primary school in Lafayette, Indiana, James Cole Elementary School caters to 321 students from grades K through 5, operated by Tippecanoe School Corp. By comparison, Indiana's public schools average about 436 students each, so James Cole Elementary School sits 26% smaller than that benchmark.

Across the 20 schools in Tippecanoe School Corp (13,663 students total), James Cole Elementary School accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

For racial and ethnic makeup, James Cole Elementary School shows that nearly all students (87%) are White. Beyond that, the school lists 11% Hispanic. That is noticeably more White than the county at large, where the share is closer to 74%.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Staff filings list 20 full-time-equivalent teachers, which works out to roughly 16.1:1 students per teacher. That tracks the state average closely. Around 32% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. That share is south of Tippecanoe County's rate of about 44%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, James Cole Elementary School sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 53.0%; this one delivers 52.5%.

In the area at large, census data for Tippecanoe County shows the typical household earns roughly $60,636 per year, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 10%. In all, Tippecanoe County runs 38 public schools (combined enrollment of about 23,655 students), of which James Cole Elementary School is one.

Wainwright Middle School is the nearest neighboring public school, about 2.2 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 8 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts James Cole Elementary School at 1st of 8; the average score across the group is 39.5%.

The campus sits in a countryside setting.

Over the past 7-year window. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at James Cole Elementary School has climbed 11%, going from 290 students in 2018 to 321 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 19.3:1 in 2018 to 16.1:1 today.

On allk12, the feed for James Cole Elementary School typically covers open house dates, ride-share offers, and field-trip permission slips. Anyone with firsthand experience at this school can post or comment.