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Indianapolis, Indiana - 54 schools
An equity score of 66/100 ranks Indianapolis Public Schools #88 of 373 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $19,511 per pupil, Indianapolis Public Schools ranks #9 of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
22,027
Total Enrollment
54
Schools
$19,511
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Indianapolis Public Schools operates 54 public schools serving 22,027 students, placing it among the larger districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 37 combined, 7 elementary, 6 high, 4 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage across a sizeable portfolio before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Marion County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $19,511 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 41 of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 34.1% local, 53.5% state, and 12.3% 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 66/100, ranked #88 of 373 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.
Academic infrastructure includes 4 of 54 schools offering Advanced Placement (95 AP courses district-wide), a 306.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 37.8% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 35.6% African American, 33.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.0% White across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is James a Garfield School 31, with a diversity index of 73.4/100.
Its largest campus is Arsenal Technical High School, enrolling 2,360 students (11% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Impact Academy 3, at 50 students, a 47x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Indianapolis Public Schools school enrollment varies 47× across entities
Indianapolis Public Schools school enrollment ranges from 50 students (lowest) to 2,360 students (highest), a spread of 2,310 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.
Indianapolis Public Schools has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 67.3% 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). Eligibility here is approaching the 75% concentration-grant threshold; it does not yet unlock the extra funding tier but sits meaningfully above the baseline 50% majority mark. 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.
Indianapolis Public Schools student-counselor ratio is 306:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within Indianapolis Public Schools is typically wider than the Indianapolis Public Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Indianapolis Public Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 37.8% — 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.
How many schools are in Indianapolis Public Schools?
Indianapolis Public Schools has 54 schools, including 6 high, 4 middle, 7 elementary, 37 combined. Total enrollment is 22,027 students.
How much does Indianapolis Public Schools spend per student?
Indianapolis Public Schools spends $19,511 per student. The district has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #88 in Indiana.
What is the demographic composition of Indianapolis Public Schools?
Indianapolis Public Schools students are 35.6% African American, 33.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.0% White, 1.0% Asian, averaged across 54 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Indianapolis Public Schools?
Indianapolis Public Schools has an equity score of 66/100, ranking #88 out of 373 districts in Indiana.