Southern Wells Com 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, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Poneto, Indiana - 2 schools

An equity score of 30/100 ranks Southern Wells Com Schools #304 of 372 districts in Indiana (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,929 per pupil, Southern Wells Com Schools ranks #331 of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending (Indiana districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

889
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$10,929
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Southern Wells Com Schools operates 2 public schools serving 889 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Indiana. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 elementary, 1 combined 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 Wells County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,929 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 405 Indiana districts by per-pupil spending. See how Indiana compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 31.4% local, 58.0% state, and 10.7% 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 30/100, ranked #304 of 372 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 2 schools offering Advanced Placement (2 AP courses district-wide), a 440:1 student-counselor ratio, above both the ASCA benchmark and the roughly 408:1 national average, and 12.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 95.2% White, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Southern Wells Elementary School, enrolling 496 students (56% of the district's total enrollment).

Southern Wells Elementary School accounts for 55.8% of all Southern Wells Com Schools student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Southern Wells Com Schools a distant remainder — means Southern Wells Com Schools-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: elementary. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Southern Wells Com Schools student-counselor ratio is 440:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Southern Wells Com Schools chronic absenteeism rate is 12.1% — 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

Where does the funding come from?

10.7%
Federal
58.0%
State
31.4%
Local

Funding Equity

30
Equity Score
304 / 372
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 2 schools in Southern Wells Com Schools.

White 95.2%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 2
Schools with AP
2 AP courses total
440:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
12.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Southern Wells Com Schools

School Enrollment
Southern Wells Elementary School
496
Southern Wells Jr-Sr High School
384

How Southern Wells Com Schools Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Indiana districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Covington Community School Corp Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
North White School Corp Similar size Higher spending Similar funding mix
Victory College Prep Academy Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Orleans Community Schools Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Clinton Central School Corporation Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Southern Wells Com 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 · $14,569/pupil
Compare vs Southern Wells Com Schools →
Indianapolis Public Schools
22,027 students · 57 schools · $23,197/pupil
Compare vs Southern Wells Com Schools →
Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp
21,739 students · 40 schools · $13,576/pupil
Compare vs Southern Wells Com Schools →
Hamilton Southeastern Schools
21,612 students · 22 schools · $12,362/pupil
Compare vs Southern Wells Com Schools →
Msd Lawrence Township
16,414 students · 17 schools · $12,332/pupil
Compare vs Southern Wells Com Schools →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Southern Wells Com 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 Southern Wells Com Schools?

Southern Wells Com Schools has 2 schools, including 1 elementary, 1 combined. Total enrollment is 889 students.

How much does Southern Wells Com Schools spend per student?

Southern Wells Com Schools spends $10,929 per student. The district has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #304 in Indiana.

What is the demographic composition of Southern Wells Com Schools?

Southern Wells Com Schools students are 95.2% White, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Southern Wells Com Schools?

Southern Wells Com Schools has an equity score of 30/100, ranking #304 out of 372 districts in Indiana.