Aspire Charter Academy

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Gary, Indiana - 1 schools

An equity score of 68/100 ranks Aspire Charter Academy #70 of 372 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,149 per pupil, Aspire Charter Academy ranks #12 of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

666
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$20,149
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Aspire Charter Academy operates 1 public schools serving 666 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Lake County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,149 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 41 of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.4% local, 58.7% state, and 20.9% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 68/100, ranked #70 of 372 in Indiana against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

and 32.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 81.3% African American, 10.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Aspire Charter Academy, enrolling 684 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Aspire Charter Academy accounts for 100.0% of all Aspire Charter Academy student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Aspire Charter Academy a distant remainder — means Aspire Charter Academy-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Aspire Charter Academy reports 94.6% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share is above 87.5%, so economic need is widespread across the measured student population. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Aspire Charter Academy chronic absenteeism rate is 32.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

20.9%
Federal
58.7%
State
20.4%
Local

Funding Equity

68
Equity Score
70 / 372
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 1 schools in Aspire Charter Academy.

Hispanic or Latino 10.2%
African American 81.3%
Multiracial 8.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

32.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Aspire Charter Academy

School Enrollment
Aspire Charter Academy
Charter
684

How Aspire Charter Academy Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Shoals Community School Corp Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Rock Creek Community Academy Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded
Frontier School Corporation Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
North Vermillion Com Sch Corp Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Enlace Academy Similar size Lower spending Less locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Aspire Charter Academy's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Indiana

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Fort Wayne Community Schools
28,612 students · 50 schools · $14,569/pupil
Compare vs Aspire Charter Academy →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $23,197/pupil
Compare vs Aspire Charter Academy →
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp
21,739 students · 40 schools · $13,576/pupil
Compare vs Aspire Charter Academy →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $12,362/pupil
Compare vs Aspire Charter Academy →
Msd Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $12,332/pupil
Compare vs Aspire Charter Academy →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Aspire Charter Academy

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Fort Wayne Community Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Aspire Charter Academy?

Aspire Charter Academy has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 666 students.

How much does Aspire Charter Academy spend per student?

Aspire Charter Academy spends $20,149 per student. The district has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #70 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of Aspire Charter Academy?

Aspire Charter Academy students are 81.3% African American, 10.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% White, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Aspire Charter Academy?

Aspire Charter Academy has an equity score of 68/100, ranking #70 out of 372 districts in Indiana.