Joseph J. Bingham School 84 Center for Inquiry

360 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Center for Inquiry (CFI) School 84 is a unique K-8 magnet school in the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) district that distinguishes itself through an inquiry-based, interdisciplinary curriculum. As an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, it emphasizes the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP). The school’s pedagogical approach focuses on student-led investigation, critical thinking, and global citizenship, encouraging students to connect their classroom learning to real-world issues through collaborative projects and research-driven inquiry.

Located in the Broad Ripple area, CFI 84 is highly regarded for its rigorous academic culture and its commitment to fostering "thinkers" who are socially responsible. The school culture is built on the IB Learner Profile, which encourages students to be reflective, principled, and open-minded. By integrating arts, humanities, and sciences into cohesive thematic units, the school aims to develop students who are not only academically proficient but also capable of navigating complex challenges in an increasingly interconnected world.

360

Total Students

27.0

Full-Time Teachers

13.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

11.9%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Joseph J. Bingham School 84 Center for Inquiry
Demographic	Student Count
White	263
Hispanic	21
Black	31
Asian	7
Two or More	37
Pacific Islander	1

White
263 (73.1%)
Two or More
37 (10.3%)
Black
31 (8.6%)
Hispanic
21 (5.8%)
Asian
7 (1.9%)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.3%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Indianapolis Public Schools
Phone:	(317)226-4284
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	360
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	27.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	13.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	42
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	1

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 72

Grade 1 69

Grade 2 59

Grade 3 57

Grade 4 51

Grade 5 52