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Salem, Indiana - 3 schools
An equity score of 72/100 ranks Salem Community Schools #47 of 373 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $12,410 per pupil, Salem Community Schools ranks #146 of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
1,745
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$12,410
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Salem Community Schools operates 3 public schools serving 1,745 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 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 Washington County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,410 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 20.9% local, 57.9% state, and 21.2% 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 72/100, ranked #47 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 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 210.7:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 29.7% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 92.5% White, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Salem High School, with a diversity index of 15.0/100.
Its largest campus is Bradie Shrum Elementary, enrolling 748 students (47% of the district's total enrollment).
Bradie Shrum Elementary accounts for 42.9% of all Salem Community Schools student enrollment
That dominant concentration means Salem Community Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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.
Salem Community Schools school enrollment varies 2.1× across entities
Salem Community Schools school enrollment ranges from 352 students (lowest) to 748 students (highest), a spread of 396 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.
Salem Community Schools student-counselor ratio is 211:1 — low (typically associated with meeting or exceeding the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended 250:1 benchmark, which correlates with stronger college and career counseling capacity)
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 Lower values often correlate with smaller scale and population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se.
Salem Community Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 29.7% — 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 Salem Community Schools is typically wider than the Salem Community Schools-aggregate figure suggests.
Salem Community Schools has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,745 students.
How much does Salem Community Schools spend per student?
Salem Community Schools spends $12,410 per student. The district has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #47 in Indiana.
What is the demographic composition of Salem Community Schools?
Salem Community Schools students are 92.5% White, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% Asian, 0.3% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Salem Community Schools?
Salem Community Schools has an equity score of 72/100, ranking #47 out of 373 districts in Indiana.