Mary Nicholson School 70 Center for Inquiry

510 East 46th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46205

351 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Center for Inquiry (CFI) School 70 is a highly regarded public magnet school located in the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood of Indianapolis. Operating under the Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) district, the school is internationally recognized as an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. Its curriculum is built upon the "CFI approach," which emphasizes inquiry-based learning, critical thinking, and the integration of academic disciplines to foster a deep, conceptual understanding of the world.

Beyond its rigorous academic standards, CFI 70 is known for its strong sense of community and commitment to the "whole child." The school focuses on developing students as globally-minded citizens who are encouraged to take action, reflect on their learning, and engage with their local environment. By blending IB pedagogy with a hands-on, student-centered philosophy, CFI 70 provides a unique educational experience that prepares students for success in a diverse and interconnected society.

351

Total Students

24.5

Full-Time Teachers

14.3

Student/Teacher Ratio

21.7%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Mary Nicholson School 70 Center for Inquiry
Demographic	Student Count
White	229
Hispanic	35
Black	53
Asian	7
Two or More	25
American Indian	1
Pacific Islander	1

White
229 (65.2%)
Black
53 (15.1%)
Hispanic
35 (10.0%)
Two or More
25 (7.1%)
Asian
7 (2.0%)
American Indian
1 (0.3%)
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)226-4270
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	351
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	24.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	14.3
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	72
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	4

* 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

Pre-Kindergarten 20

Kindergarten 59

Grade 1 54

Grade 2 62

Grade 3 49

Grade 4 55

Grade 5 52