Carmel Clay Schools

Carmel, Indiana — 15 schools

16,072
Total Enrollment
15
Schools
$16,428
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Other
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Carmel Clay Schools operates 15 public schools serving 16,072 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 5 other, 3 middle, 1 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 16,145 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Hamilton County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $16,428 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 40.8% local, 53.8% state, and 5.5% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $72,789 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 38/100, ranked #270 of 373 in Indiana against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 15 schools offering Advanced Placement (37 AP courses district-wide), a 571.2:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 11.0% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 66.5% White, 17.2% Asian, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Carmel High School accounts for 32.4% of all Carmel Clay Schools student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Carmel Clay Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Carmel Clay Schools school enrollment varies 9.9× across entities

Carmel Clay Schools school enrollment ranges from 527 students (lowest) to 5,239 students (highest), a spread of 4,712 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Carmel Clay Schools student-counselor ratio is 571:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Carmel Clay Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 11.0% — low (typically associated with lower-than-average attendance disruption; districts in this range often have attendance interventions, robust transportation, or smaller catchments that reduce barriers)

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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

5.5%
Federal
53.8%
State
40.8%
Local

Funding Equity

38
Equity Score
270 / 373
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Hamilton County county, where this district is located.

$1,118
Studio/mo
$1,267
1 BR/mo
$1,473
2 BR/mo
$1,907
3 BR/mo
$2,338
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$72,789
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 15 schools in Carmel Clay Schools.

White 66.5%
Hispanic or Latino 7.4%
African American 4.3%
Asian 17.2%
Multiracial 4.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 15
Schools with AP
37 AP courses total
571.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
11.0%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Carmel Clay Schools

School Enrollment
Carmel High School
5,239
Creekside Middle School
1,428
Clay Middle School
1,415
Carmel Middle School
1,047
Prairie Trace Elementary School
715
Cherry Tree Elementary School
711
Carmel Elementary School
700
Smoky Row Elementary School
692
Clay Center Elementary School
666
Forest Dale Elementary School
638
Woodbrook Elementary School
628
College Wood Elementary School
616
West Clay Elementary School
580
Mohawk Trails Elementary School
543
Towne Meadow Elementary School
527

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 · $15,804/pupil
Compare vs Carmel Clay Schools →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $26,790/pupil
Compare vs Carmel Clay Schools →
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp
21,739 students · 40 schools · $13,917/pupil
Compare vs Carmel Clay Schools →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $13,097/pupil
Compare vs Carmel Clay Schools →
MSD Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $14,366/pupil
Compare vs Carmel Clay Schools →

Compare Carmel Clay Schools

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 Carmel Clay Schools?

Carmel Clay Schools has 15 schools, including 1 high, 3 middle, 6 elementary, 5 other. Total enrollment is 16,072 students.

How much does Carmel Clay Schools spend per student?

Carmel Clay Schools spends $16,428 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #270 in Indiana.

What is the average teacher salary in Carmel Clay Schools?

The average teacher salary in Carmel Clay Schools is $72,789 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Carmel Clay Schools?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Hamilton County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Carmel Clay Schools?

Carmel Clay Schools students are 66.5% White, 17.2% Asian, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 4.3% African American, averaged across 15 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Carmel Clay Schools?

Carmel Clay Schools has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #270 out of 373 districts in Indiana. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

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