South Adams Schools

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.

Berne, Indiana - 3 schools

An equity score of 76/100 ranks South Adams Schools #30 of 373 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,643 per pupil, South Adams Schools ranks #72 of 406 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,291
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$13,643
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

South Adams Schools operates 3 public schools serving 1,291 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 Adams County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,643 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 23.7% local, 49.6% state, and 26.6% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 76/100, ranked #30 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 (6 AP courses district-wide), a 320.5:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 9.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 83.9% White, 12.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is South Adams High School, with a diversity index of 31.0/100.

Its largest campus is South Adams Elementary School, enrolling 671 students (51% of the district's total enrollment).

South Adams Elementary School accounts for 51.1% of all South Adams Schools student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of South Adams Schools a distant remainder — means South Adams 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.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

South Adams Schools school enrollment varies 2.3× across entities

South Adams Schools school enrollment ranges from 294 students (lowest) to 671 students (highest), a spread of 377 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

South Adams Schools student-counselor ratio is 321:1 — 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 South Adams Schools is typically wider than the South Adams Schools-aggregate figure suggests.

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

South Adams Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 9.6% — 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?

26.6%
Federal
49.6%
State
23.7%
Local

Funding Equity

76
Equity Score
30 / 373
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in South Adams Schools.

White 83.9%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
African American 0.7%
Asian 0.8%
Multiracial 1.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 27.8/100

Average Simpson diversity index across South Adams Schools's schools, below the Indiana average of 39.0.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 South Adams High School 31.0
  2. 2 South Adams Middle School 28.9
  3. 3 South Adams Elementary School 23.5

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
6 AP courses total
320.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
9.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in South Adams Schools

School Enrollment
South Adams Elementary School
671
South Adams High School
347
South Adams Middle School
294

How South Adams Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Union Co/Clg Corner Joint Sch Dist Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Perry Central Com Schools Corp Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Taylor Community School Corp Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Southwestern-Jefferson Co Con Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Paoli Community School Corp Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

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

Compare South Adams Schools

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 South Adams Schools?

South Adams Schools has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,291 students.

How much does South Adams Schools spend per student?

South Adams Schools spends $13,643 per student. The district has an equity score of 76/100, ranking #30 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of South Adams Schools?

South Adams Schools students are 83.9% White, 12.5% Hispanic or Latino, 0.8% Asian, 0.7% African American, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for South Adams Schools?

South Adams Schools has an equity score of 76/100, ranking #30 out of 373 districts in Indiana.