Enrollment
340
Indiana · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Wayne, IN
South Wayne Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for South Wayne Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 180363000563
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Wayne Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools.
- #26 of 32
- schools in Fort Wayne · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Indiana
- 85.6%
- free-lunch eligible
South Wayne Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 89% of Indiana schools. Computed live against every Indiana school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Wayne Elementary School ranks #26 of 32 schools in Fort Wayne, IN.
School address
District: Fort Wayne Community Schools · Indiana
NCES ID 180363000563 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 15.9:1 Indiana avg
-26% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
85.6%
vs 49.5% Indiana avg
+73% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Wayne Elementary School compares with Indiana and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Wayne Elementary School
South Wayne Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, enrolling 340 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.7:1, South Wayne Elementary School is leaner than roughly 89% of Indiana schools and 26% under the state's 15.9:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 85.6% of students qualify for free meals, 73% above the Indiana average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 340 puts it in the smaller third of Indiana schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,862 scored Indiana schools.
Against 175 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #60.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and African American (33%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 71/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 41.8% 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 public schools, it stands alongside Southwick Elementary School (724 students): South Wayne Elementary School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 16.8:1).
Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students) and R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students) alongside South Wayne Elementary 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 Wayne Elementary School compares
South Wayne Elementary 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 | 11.7:1 | ▼ 26% | 15.9:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 85.6% | ▲ 73% | 49.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 340 | top 71% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
340
Bigger than 38% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
85.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 73% above the Indiana average of 49.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 26% below state mean
Top 11% in Indiana - lower ratio than 89% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
41.8%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 26 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.6 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 38.2%
African American 32.6%
White 17.4%
Two or More 10.0%
Asian 1.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 38.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 70.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 70.7, South Wayne Elementary School is more mixed than the Indiana school average of 39.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Fort Wayne Community Schools, which includes South Wayne Elementary 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 Wayne Elementary 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 |
| South Side High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wayne High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North Side High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Wayne Elementary 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
- 1,405
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- 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
Similar other schools in Fort Wayne
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Southwick Elementary School
Standard public school
724 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Harrison Hill Elementary School
Standard public school
612 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
J Wilbur Haley Elementary School
Standard public school
583 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Forest Park Elementary School
Standard public school
558 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Washington Center Elementary Sch
Standard public school
553 students 18.4:1 students per teacher
Northcrest Elementary School
Standard public school
536 students 17.9:1 students per teacher
Similar other 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 (~340 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Wayne Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare South Wayne Elementary 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 Wayne Elementary School
How many students attend South Wayne Elementary School?
South Wayne Elementary School has 340 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Wayne, IN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Wayne Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Wayne Elementary School is 11.7:1, which is 26% lower than the Indiana average of 15.9:1 and 25% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Wayne Elementary School?
85.6% of students at South Wayne Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Indiana average of 49.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Wayne Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at South Wayne Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 38.2% of enrollment, in Fort Wayne, IN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 70.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Wayne Elementary School?
South Wayne Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Wayne Elementary School rank among schools in Fort Wayne?
By Resource Investment Index, South Wayne Elementary School ranks #26 of 32 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 schools in Fort Wayne on the city page.
Is South Wayne Elementary School a good school?
South Wayne Elementary School earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 89% of Indiana schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Indiana schools. 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 Wayne Elementary School, Fort Wayne Community Schools also operates Northrop High School (2,145 students), R Nelson Snider High School (1,927 students), and South Side High School (1,405 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.