Penn-Harris-Madison 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.

Mishawaka, Indiana - 15 schools

An equity score of 24/100 ranks Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp #335 of 373 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,274 per pupil, Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp ranks #349 of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

11,360
Total Enrollment
15
Schools
$10,274
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp operates 15 public schools serving 11,360 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 6 elementary, 5 combined, 3 middle, 1 high schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly 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 St. Joseph County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,274 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 25.8% local, 64.9% state, and 9.3% 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 24/100, ranked #335 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 15 schools offering Advanced Placement (25 AP courses district-wide), a 297.2:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 13.2% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 70.4% White, 8.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Walt Disney Elementary School, with a diversity index of 72.7/100.

Its largest campus is Penn High School, enrolling 3,687 students (33% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Madison Elementary School, at 117 students, a 32x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Penn High School accounts for 32.5% of all Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp student enrollment

That dominant concentration means Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp-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

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp school enrollment varies 32× across entities

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp school enrollment ranges from 117 students (lowest) to 3,687 students (highest), a spread of 3,570 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

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp student-counselor ratio is 297:1 — 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 Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp is typically wider than the Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp chronic absenteeism rate is 13.2% — 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?

9.3%
Federal
64.9%
State
25.8%
Local

Funding Equity

24
Equity Score
335 / 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 15 schools in Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp.

White 70.4%
Hispanic or Latino 8.6%
African American 8.3%
Asian 5.1%
Multiracial 7.2%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 45.9/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp's schools, above the Indiana average of 39.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Walt Disney Elementary School 72.7
  2. 2 Meadow's Edge Elementary School 63.3
  3. 3 Northpoint Elementary School 54.6
  4. 4 Schmucker Middle School 51.7
  5. 5 Virgil I Grissom Middle School 50.6

Programs & Resources

1 / 15
Schools with AP
25 AP courses total
297.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
13.2%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp

School Enrollment
Penn High School
3,687
Schmucker Middle School
1,041
Discovery Middle School
941
Horizon Elementary School
679
Virgil I Grissom Middle School
662
Northpoint Elementary School
577
Prairie Vista Elementary School
513
Walt Disney Elementary School
512
Elm Road Elementary School
503
Bittersweet Elementary School
494
Mary Frank Harris Elementary Sch
471
Moran Elementary School
389
Meadow's Edge Elementary School
382
Elsie Rogers Elementary School
361
Madison Elementary School
117

How Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Elkhart Community Schools Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
New Albany-Floyd Co Con Sch Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
School City of Hammond Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Franklin Township Com Sch Corp Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Bartholomew Con School Corp Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Penn-Harris-Madison 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 Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $19,511/pupil
Compare vs Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $11,114/pupil
Compare vs Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp →
Msd Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $12,776/pupil
Compare vs Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp →

Compare Penn-Harris-Madison 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 Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp?

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp has 15 schools, including 1 high, 3 middle, 5 combined, 6 elementary. Total enrollment is 11,360 students.

How much does Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp spend per student?

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp spends $10,274 per student. The district has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #335 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp?

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp students are 70.4% White, 8.6% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% African American, 5.1% Asian, averaged across 15 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp?

Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp has an equity score of 24/100, ranking #335 out of 373 districts in Indiana.