Northwestern School Corp

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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Kokomo, Indiana - 4 schools

An equity score of 22/100 ranks Northwestern School Corp #345 of 373 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,394 per pupil, Northwestern School Corp ranks #339 of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,853
Total Enrollment
4
Schools
$10,394
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Northwestern School Corp operates 4 public schools serving 1,853 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle 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 Howard County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,394 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 31.9% local, 61.5% state, and 6.6% 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 22/100, ranked #345 of 373 in Indiana against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 4 schools offering Advanced Placement (5 AP courses district-wide), a 639.6:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 9.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 88.5% White, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Howard Elementary School, with a diversity index of 26.6/100.

Its largest campus is Northwestern Elementary School, enrolling 665 students (36% of the district's total enrollment).

Northwestern Elementary School accounts for 35.9% of all Northwestern School Corp student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Northwestern School Corp-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: elementary. 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

Northwestern School Corp school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities

Northwestern School Corp school enrollment ranges from 317 students (lowest) to 665 students (highest), a spread of 348 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. 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

Northwestern School Corp student-counselor ratio is 640:1 — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

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

Northwestern School Corp chronic absenteeism rate is 9.4% — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

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

Where does the funding come from?

6.6%
Federal
61.5%
State
31.9%
Local

Funding Equity

22
Equity Score
345 / 373
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 4 schools in Northwestern School Corp.

White 88.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%
African American 1.4%
Multiracial 5.3%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 21.2/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Northwestern School Corp's schools, below the Indiana average of 39.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Howard Elementary School 26.6
  2. 2 Northwestern Elementary School 20.0
  3. 3 Northwestern Middle School 19.9
  4. 4 Northwestern Senior High School 18.3

Programs & Resources

1 / 4
Schools with AP
5 AP courses total
639.6:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
9.4%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Northwestern School Corp

School Enrollment
Northwestern Elementary School
665
Northwestern Senior High School
541
Northwestern Middle School
324
Howard Elementary School
317

How Northwestern School Corp Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Peru Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
School Town of Speedway Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
North Montgomery Com Sch Corp Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Decatur County Community Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Greencastle Community School Corp Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Northwestern School Corp'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 · $13,247/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern School Corp →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $19,511/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern School Corp →
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp
21,739 students · 40 schools · $12,310/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern School Corp →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $11,114/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern School Corp →
Msd Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $12,776/pupil
Compare vs Northwestern School Corp →

Compare Northwestern School Corp

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 Northwestern School Corp?

Northwestern School Corp has 4 schools, including 2 elementary, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,853 students.

How much does Northwestern School Corp spend per student?

Northwestern School Corp spends $10,394 per student. The district has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #345 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of Northwestern School Corp?

Northwestern School Corp students are 88.5% White, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 1.4% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 4 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Northwestern School Corp?

Northwestern School Corp has an equity score of 22/100, ranking #345 out of 373 districts in Indiana.