Charter School of the Dunes

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 61/100 ranks Charter School of the Dunes #119 of 372 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,814 per pupil, Charter School of the Dunes ranks #170 of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

684
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$12,814
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Charter School of the Dunes operates 1 public schools serving 684 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 $12,814 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 1.3% local, 75.0% state, and 23.7% 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 61/100, ranked #119 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 39.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.7% African American, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% White across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Charter School of the Dunes, enrolling 836 students (100% of the district's total enrollment).

Charter School of the Dunes accounts for 100.0% of all Charter School of the Dunes student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Charter School of the Dunes a distant remainder — means Charter School of the Dunes-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

Charter School of the Dunes reports 96.8% 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

Charter School of the Dunes chronic absenteeism rate is 39.4% — 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?

23.7%
Federal
75.0%
State
1.3%
Local

Funding Equity

61
Equity Score
119 / 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 Charter School of the Dunes.

White 1.1%
Hispanic or Latino 8.9%
African American 84.7%
Multiracial 4.5%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

39.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Charter School of the Dunes

School Enrollment
Charter School of the Dunes
Charter
836

How Charter School of the Dunes Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Burris Laboratory School Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Argos Community Schools Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Msd Shakamak Schools Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Kipp Indy Unite Elementary Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
North Vermillion Com Sch Corp Similar size Similar spending More locally funded

Comparisons are relative to Charter School of the Dunes'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 Charter School of the Dunes →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $23,197/pupil
Compare vs Charter School of the Dunes →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $12,362/pupil
Compare vs Charter School of the Dunes →
Msd Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $12,332/pupil
Compare vs Charter School of the Dunes →

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 Charter School of the Dunes

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 Charter School of the Dunes?

Charter School of the Dunes has 1 school, including 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 684 students.

How much does Charter School of the Dunes spend per student?

Charter School of the Dunes spends $12,814 per student. The district has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #119 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of Charter School of the Dunes?

Charter School of the Dunes students are 84.7% African American, 8.9% Hispanic or Latino, 1.1% White, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Charter School of the Dunes?

Charter School of the Dunes has an equity score of 61/100, ranking #119 out of 372 districts in Indiana.