Enrollment
1,405
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Fort Wayne, IN
South Side High School
Federal NCES profile for South Side High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 180363000562
👥 S:T ratio 27
📚 AP courses 5
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Side High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana.
- #7 of 8
- high schools in Fort Wayne · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.2:1
- large classes for Indiana
- 70.8%
- free-lunch eligible
South Side High School has class sizes larger than 82% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Side High School ranks #7 of 8 high schools in Fort Wayne, IN.
School address
District: Fort Wayne Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180363000562 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
77.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
+14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
70.8%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+43% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Side High School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Side High School
South Side High School is a higher-need, large high school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, enrolling 1,405 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the larger third of Indiana schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 70.8% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Indiana, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,405 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 47 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #26.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (37%) and African American (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 74/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 1 Advanced Placement course.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 234 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.1% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Fort Wayne's high schools, it stands alongside Carroll High School (2,623 students): South Side High School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.2:1 vs 20:1).
Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students) and R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students) alongside South Side High School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How South Side High School compares
South Side High School on the metrics families compare, against Indiana and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Indiana | Indiana avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▲ 14% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 70.8% | ▲ 43% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,405 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,405
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
70.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 43% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 14% above state mean
Top 82% in Indiana - lower ratio than 18% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
39.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,247
per pupil, district-wide
- above Indiana avg of $12,079
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 234 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
62
in-school suspensions + 39 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 37.1%
African American 29.0%
White 16.2%
Two or More 9.0%
Asian 8.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.7, South Side High School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
AP courses offered 1
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Wayne Community Schools, which includes South Side High School.
$13,247
Per student
+10%
vs Indiana
Avg $12,079
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.4%
State 56.6%
Federal 21.1%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How South Side High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northrop High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| R Nelson Snider High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wayne High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| North Side High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Blackhawk Middle School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Side High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,145
- Students per teacher
- 20.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,927
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,398
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 1,383
- Students per teacher
- 16.1:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 814
- Students per teacher
- 17.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar high schools in Fort Wayne
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Carroll High School
Standard public school
2,623 students 20:1 students per teacher
Homestead High School
Standard public school
2,382 students 19.5:1 students per teacher
Northrop High School
Standard public school
2,145 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
R Nelson Snider High School
Standard public school
1,927 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Wayne High School
Standard public school
1,398 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
North Side High School
Standard public school
1,383 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Indiana, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,405 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Side High School's federal record.
- Compare South Side High School against another school. Compare schools
- Fort Wayne Community Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about South Side High School
How many students attend South Side High School?
South Side High School has 1,405 students enrolled. It is a high school in Fort Wayne, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Side High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Side High School is 18.2:1, which is 14% higher than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 16% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Side High School?
70.8% of students at South Side High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Side High School?
The largest demographic group at South Side High School is Hispanic or Latino at 37.1% of enrollment, in Fort Wayne, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Side High School?
South Side High School has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Side High School rank among high schools in Fort Wayne?
By Resource Investment Index, South Side High School ranks #7 of 8 high schools in Fort Wayne, IN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Fort Wayne on the city page.
Is South Side High School a good school?
South Side High School earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 82% of Indiana schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Indiana. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Fort Wayne Community Schools?
Besides South Side High School, Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students), R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students), and Wayne High School (1,398 students). See the Fort Wayne Community Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.