Fort Wayne Community Schools

Fort Wayne, Indiana — 50 schools

28,612
Total Enrollment
50
Schools
$15,804
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, Middle
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Fort Wayne Community Schools operates 50 public schools serving 28,612 students, placing it among the larger districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 25 other, 10 middle, 10 elementary, 5 high schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 28,562 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Allen County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $15,804 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 22.4% local, 56.6% state, and 21.1% 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 $65,120 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 75/100, ranked #28 of 373 in Indiana against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 5 of 50 schools offering Advanced Placement (32 AP courses district-wide), a 452.4:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 27.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 33.7% White, 25.1% African American, 23.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Fort Wayne Community Schools school enrollment varies 86× across entities

Fort Wayne Community Schools school enrollment ranges from 25 students (lowest) to 2,145 students (highest), a spread of 2,120 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Fort Wayne Community Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 65.5% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Fort Wayne Community Schools student-counselor ratio is 452:1 — 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

Fort Wayne Community Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 27.7% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Fort Wayne Community Schools is typically wider than the Fort Wayne Community Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

21.1%
Federal
56.6%
State
22.4%
Local

Funding Equity

75
Equity Score
28 / 373
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Local Rent Costs

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

$892
Studio/mo
$916
1 BR/mo
$1,113
2 BR/mo
$1,381
3 BR/mo
$1,512
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$65,120
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 50 schools in Fort Wayne Community Schools.

White 33.7%
Hispanic or Latino 23.9%
African American 25.1%
Asian 6.3%
Multiracial 10.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

5 / 50
Schools with AP
32 AP courses total
452.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
27.7%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Fort Wayne Community Schools

School Enrollment
Northrop High School
2,145
R Nelson Snider High School
1,927
South Side High School
1,405
Wayne High School
1,398
North Side High School
1,383
Blackhawk Middle School
814
Jefferson Middle School
658
Lane Middle School
644
Weisser Park Elementary School
632
Memorial Park Middle School
627
Shawnee Middle School
624
Fred H Croninger Elementary School
619
Harrison Hill Elementary School
612
Jeff H Towles Intermediate School
600
Lincoln Elementary School
590
Northwood Middle School
585
J Wilbur Haley Elementary School
583
Forest Park Elementary School
558
Washington Center Elementary Sch
553
Northcrest Elementary School
536
Mabel K Holland Elementary School
533
Glenwood Park Elementary School
532
Kekionga Middle School
527
Miami Middle School
496
Fairfield Elementary School
481
Maplewood Elementary School
477
Merle J Abbett Elementary School
467
Lakeside Middle School
452
Saint Joseph Central School
434
Levan R Scott Academy
419
Arlington Elementary School
418
Franke Park Elementary School
416
Brentwood Elementary School
415
Francis M Price Elementary School
405
Waynedale Elementary School
383
Portage Middle School
380
Robert C Harris Elementary School
360
South Wayne Elementary School
340
Bloomingdale Elementary School
331
Indian Village Elementary School
331
Lindley Elementary School
330
Fort Wayne Virtual Academy
315
Adams Elementary School
308
John S Irwin Elementary School
302
Study Elementary School
268
Willard Shambaugh Elementary Sch
266
Bunche Elementary School
234
Whitney M Young Early Childhood
218
Washington Elementary School
206
Allen Co Juvenile Center
25

Nearby Districts in Indiana

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

Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $26,790/pupil
Compare vs Fort Wayne Community Schools →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $13,097/pupil
Compare vs Fort Wayne Community Schools →
MSD Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $14,366/pupil
Compare vs Fort Wayne Community Schools →
Perry Township Schools
16,222 students · 17 schools · $13,927/pupil
Compare vs Fort Wayne Community Schools →

Compare Fort Wayne Community Schools

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

Compare vs Indianapolis Public Schools →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Fort Wayne Community Schools?

Fort Wayne Community Schools has 50 schools, including 5 high, 10 middle, 10 elementary, 25 other. Total enrollment is 28,612 students.

How much does Fort Wayne Community Schools spend per student?

Fort Wayne Community Schools spends $15,804 per student. The district has an equity score of 75/100, ranking #28 in Indiana.

What is the average teacher salary in Fort Wayne Community Schools?

The average teacher salary in Fort Wayne Community Schools is $65,120 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Fort Wayne Community Schools?

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

What is the demographic composition of Fort Wayne Community Schools?

Fort Wayne Community Schools students are 33.7% White, 25.1% African American, 23.9% Hispanic or Latino, 6.3% Asian, averaged across 50 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Fort Wayne Community Schools?

Fort Wayne Community Schools has an equity score of 75/100, ranking #28 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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Federal

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