Indianapolis Public Schools, IN

Original Research by School Decision on Indianapolis Public Schools

Indianapolis Public Schools is the large urban school district serving the city of Indianapolis and some adjacent communities in Marion County. It is one of the biggest districts in Indiana, operating roughly five dozen schools spanning preschool through high school. The district sits within a county that contains many other school systems, and among those Marion County districts its overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades lands above the midpoint. That relative position matters because the district’s test results themselves are modest: on Indiana’s ILEARN assessments, roughly one in five students scored proficient or above in math, English language arts, and science for grades three through eight, and a slightly smaller share in social studies. A parent considering this district should understand that while the numbers place it in the middle of the pack locally, the absolute proficiency rates are well below what many families might expect from a typical public school district, and the district’s own data shows there is substantial room for growth in core academics.

The student body is highly diverse. Black and Hispanic students each make up a large share of enrollment, with White students composing roughly a fifth of the population. A relatively small number of Asian and multiracial students round out the mix, and the district serves a meaningful number of English learners and students with disabilities, though precise counts for those subgroups were not available in the data. The district has seen a significant enrollment decline over recent years, dropping by roughly a third from earlier reported peaks. That contraction has implications for school funding, staffing, and the long-term viability of some programs, and it is a factor families may want to explore with the district directly.

The district offers a wide array of school choice options under a zone-based enrollment system. Families are not assigned to a single neighborhood school; instead they can apply to any IPS school through a centralized application portal. The district is organized into four zones, and within each zone are schools with different educational models: Montessori, Dual Language, STEM, International Baccalaureate, and others. Additionally, the district operates Innovation Network Schools, which are run by external partners while remaining part of the district. This means a family can select from traditional district schools, innovation schools, and magnet programs, all at no tuition cost. The high school level alone offers more than thirty academic pathways. The variety is a clear strength for families who want to match a child’s interests or learning style to a specific program, but it also means the experience of an IPS student depends heavily on which school they attend.

Chronic absenteeism is a notable concern. The district’s rate sits below the midpoint among Marion County districts, meaning it is higher than many of its neighbors. Absenteeism at this level affects classroom continuity and student progress, and it is an area the district likely needs to address. On the spending side, per-pupil current expenditures are in the upper range among county districts, indicating a relatively high level of investment per student. That spending may partly reflect the costs of serving a large, high-need population and maintaining a network of many school buildings.

Housing in the district’s footprint varies widely. Home values range from modest to more expensive, depending on the neighborhood. Some inner-city zip codes have lower home values, while areas closer to the city’s north side or near downtown show higher values. Overall, the district’s weighted home value is a bit below the state average, and rents have been rising modestly. The housing market is mixed, offering options at different price points but also reflecting the economic diversity of the community.

The district brief noted that IPS has implemented a zone-based enrollment system and an Innovation Network model, both of which represent significant governance changes. It also confirmed the enrollment decline. No specific data was available on programs like AP or dual credit, discipline rates, or staffing ratios, so those are gaps a family would need to investigate on their own. The district’s academic outcomes are low in absolute terms but compare reasonably to other Marion County districts. For a family weighing options, IPS offers genuine school choice within a large urban system, but the academic challenges and attendance patterns are real factors to consider when looking at individual schools.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

21,863

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 37%

Black 37%

White 19%

Asian 1%

Two+ 6%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

13%

35%

Gr 4

15%

32%

Gr 5

14%

34%

Gr 6

14%

26%

Gr 7

12%

26%

Gr 8

16%

30%

Math

Gr 3

20%

39%

Gr 4

19%

38%

Gr 5

14%

34%

Gr 6

23%

Gr 7

10%

21%

Gr 8

11%

23%

Science

Gr 4

16%

34%

Gr 6

12%

28%

Social studies

Gr 5

29%

Schools in this District

58 schools are officially reported under this district.

Anna Brochhausen School 88

Arsenal Technical High School

Brookside School 54

Carl Wilde School 79

Charles Warren Fairbanks Sch 105

Christian Park School 82

Cold Spring School

Crispus Attucks High School

Daniel Webster School 46

Eleanor Skillen School 34

IPS/Butler Lab at Eliza Blaker 55

Emma Donnan Middle School

Emmerich Manual High School

Ernie Pyle School 90

Floro Torrence School 83

Francis W Parker School 56

Francis Bellamy Pre-School Center

George W Julian School 57

H L Harshman Middle School

James Whitcomb Riley School 43

Jonathan Jennings School 109

Lew Wallace School 107

James A Garfield School 31

Edison School of the Arts 47

Meredith Nicholson School 96

Paul I Miller School 114

Ralph Waldo Emerson School 58

Raymond F Brandes School 65

Riverside School 44

Robert Lee Frost School 106

Theodore Potter School 74

Thomas D Gregg School 15

Washington Irving Neighborhood School

IPS/Butler Lab at William Bell 60

William McKinley School 39

William Penn School 49

George S Buck School 94

Arlington Woods School 99

Center For Inquiry School 2

George Washington High School

Shortridge High School

Rousseau McClellan School 91

Center for Inquiry School 84

Clarence Farrington School 61

Frederick Douglass School 19

James Russell Lowell School 51

Merle Sidener Gifted Academy

Center for Inquiry School 27

Northwest Community Middle School

George Washington Carver School 87

Arlington Community Middle School

Center for Inquiry School 70

Gambold Pre-School

HW Longfellow Med/STEM Magnet Midl

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

21%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

21%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

21%

Grades 3-8

Social Studies

1 grade reported

16%

Grade 5

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$196,902

Year-over-year change-1.7%

Range across 20 ZIP codes$117K to $351K

vs. state typical0.77x

vs. national typical0.53x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (20 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
46218	Indianapolis	$117K	-3.5%	12.1%
46222	Indianapolis	$129K	-2.5%	11.3%
46203	Indianapolis	$172K	-0.8%	10.1%
46208	Indianapolis	$180K	-2.7%	7.8%
46205	Indianapolis	$259K	-3.0%	7.4%
46226	Indianapolis	$165K	-0.6%	7.2%
46201	Indianapolis	$156K	-5.5%	7.1%
46202	Indianapolis	$351K	+0.1%	7.0%
46219	Indianapolis	$189K	-0.2%	5.7%
46220	Indianapolis	$346K	+0.5%	5.3%

Showing top 10 of 20 ZIP codes by land area weight

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,315/mo

Year-over-year change+3.5%

Range across 20 ZIP codes$984 to $1,717/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (20 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
46218	Indianapolis	$1,146	+1.8%	12.1%
46222	Indianapolis	$1,194	+3.6%	11.3%
46203	Indianapolis	$1,487	+5.3%	10.1%
46208	Indianapolis	$1,348	+3.8%	7.8%
46205	Indianapolis	$1,407	+3.5%	7.4%
46226	Indianapolis	$1,123	+3.8%	7.2%
46201	Indianapolis	$1,205	+7.5%	7.1%
46202	Indianapolis	$1,442	-0.0%	7.0%
46219	Indianapolis	$984	+1.0%	5.7%
46220	Indianapolis	$1,548	+0.7%	5.3%

Showing top 10 of 20 ZIP codes by land area weight

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$994/mo

Home price / national median income2.4x

Annual rent / national median income18.9%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$322/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$256,584 (+3.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.