Marion County Schools & Education
Marion County, Indiana
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
20/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
83.7%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
83.7%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 92.6%
Per-Pupil Spending
$6,296
National avg $13,239
State avg $5,507
School Score
20/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 39/100
State Score Position
#85
of 92 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Marion County
Measured School Summary
Marion County faces educational challenges with a school score of 20/100 and a graduation rate of 83.7%, falling below typical benchmarks.
Funding Context
At $6,296 per pupil, Marion County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 48% below the Indiana average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 8.9 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 14% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Marion County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
255 public schools and 80 districts are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
20/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #85 of 92 Indiana counties with school score data.
Completion
83.7%
8.9 pts below the state average
Funding context
$6,296
$789 above the state average
School coverage
255
80 districts represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Marion County has 255 public schools across 80 districts, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Marion County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Choice-program county
Marion County has a visible charter, magnet, or virtual-school layer in NCES records. The practical question is eligibility, lottery timing, and transportation, not just whether a school appears nearby.
State position
#85
of 92 Indiana counties with school score data. The county score is 19 points below the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
Indianapolis Public Schools
Elementary to high school visible
22,027 students
57 listed schools in this county slice.
MSD Lawrence Township
Elementary to high school visible
16,414 students
17 listed schools in this county slice.
Perry Township Schools
Elementary to high school visible
16,222 students
17 listed schools in this county slice.
MSD Wayne Township
Elementary to high school visible
16,017 students
19 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
Indianapolis Public Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 57 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Marion County?
Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Marion County district systems?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Marion County, Indiana
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Vast Education Network in Indianapolis
Marion County operates the state's largest education infrastructure with 255 total public schools across 80 districts. This massive network serves 158,453 students, supported by 153 elementary, 35 middle, and 45 high schools.
Graduation Rates and Local Investment
The county's 83.7% graduation rate currently trails both the Indiana state average of 92.6% and the national 87.0% benchmark. While the $6,296 per-pupil expenditure exceeds the state average of $5,507, it remains significantly below the $13,000 national spending average.
Leading Districts and Charter Presence
Indianapolis Public Schools is the largest provider with 22,027 students, followed by MSD Lawrence Township and MSD Wayne Township. Charter schools are a major pillar here, with 67 campuses representing over 26% of all public schools in the county.
Urban Centers and Massive Campus Sizes
With 229 schools in city settings, the average school size is 644 students, though specialized campuses like Indiana Connections Academy serve over 5,700 students. Traditional high schools like North Central and Warren Central also operate at scale, each enrolling over 3,400 students.
School Overview
Total Schools
255
in Marion County
Reported Enrollment
158,453
255 schools reporting
School Districts
80
districts
Charter Schools
67
26% of total
School Level Breakdown
80 School Districts in Marion County
Indianapolis Public Schools
GuideMSD Lawrence Township
GuidePerry Township Schools
GuideMSD Wayne Township
GuideMSD Warren Township
GuideFranklin Township Com Sch Corp
GuideMSD Pike Township
GuideMSD Washington Township
GuideMSD Decatur Township
GuideIndiana Connections Academy
Guide255 Public Schools in Marion County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 32 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 255 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana Connections Academy | Profile | Indiana Connections Academy | Indianapolis, 46278City: Large | KG–12 | CharterVirtual | 5,784 |
| North Central High School | Profile | MSD Washington Township | Indianapolis, 46240City: Large | 9–12 | High | 3,628 |
| Warren Central High School | Profile | MSD Warren Township | Indianapolis, 46229City: Large | 9–12 | High | 3,414 |
| Ben Davis High School | Profile | MSD Wayne Township | Indianapolis, 46214City: Large | 10–12 | High | 3,392 |
| Franklin Central High School | Profile | Franklin Township Com Sch Corp | Indianapolis, 46259City: Large | 9–12 | High | 3,319 |
| Pike High School | Profile | MSD Pike Township | Indianapolis, 46268City: Large | 9–12 | High | 3,286 |
| Lawrence North High School | Profile | MSD Lawrence Township | Indianapolis, 46256City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,861 |
| Arsenal Technical High School | Profile | Indianapolis Public Schools | Indianapolis, 46201City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,366 |
| Southport High School | Profile | Perry Township Schools | Indianapolis, 46227City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,355 |
| Perry Meridian High School | Profile | Perry Township Schools | Indianapolis, 46217City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,350 |
| Lawrence Central High School | Profile | MSD Lawrence Township | Indianapolis, 46226Suburb: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,317 |
| Decatur Central High School | Profile | MSD Decatur Township | Indianapolis, 46221City: Large | 9–12 | High | 2,039 |
| Franklin Central Junior High | Profile | Franklin Township Com Sch Corp | Indianapolis, 46259City: Large | 7–8 | Middle | 1,711 |
| Fall Creek Valley Middle School | Profile | MSD Lawrence Township | Indianapolis, 46236Suburb: Large | 7–8 | Middle | 1,351 |
| Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center | Profile | MSD Wayne Township | Indianapolis, 46214City: Large | 9 | Other | 1,307 |
| Early Learning Center | Profile | MSD Lawrence Township | Indianapolis, 46236Suburb: Large | PK–KG | Primary | 1,298 |
| Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate | Profile | Franklin Township Com Sch Corp | Indianapolis, 46259City: Large | 4–6 | Middle | 1,296 |
| Perry Meridian Middle School | Profile | Perry Township Schools | Indianapolis, 46217City: Large | 7–8 | Middle | 1,292 |
| Edgewood Intermediate School | Profile | Franklin Township Com Sch Corp | Indianapolis, 46239City: Large | 4–6 | Middle | 1,260 |
| Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center | Profile | MSD Wayne Township | Indianapolis, 46214City: Large | 7–8 | Middle | 1,237 |
Indiana Connections Academy
Indiana Connections Academy
Indianapolis, 46278 / City: Large
North Central High School
MSD Washington Township
Indianapolis, 46240 / City: Large
Warren Central High School
MSD Warren Township
Indianapolis, 46229 / City: Large
Ben Davis High School
MSD Wayne Township
Indianapolis, 46214 / City: Large
Franklin Central High School
Franklin Township Com Sch Corp
Indianapolis, 46259 / City: Large
Pike High School
MSD Pike Township
Indianapolis, 46268 / City: Large
Lawrence North High School
MSD Lawrence Township
Indianapolis, 46256 / City: Large
Arsenal Technical High School
Indianapolis Public Schools
Indianapolis, 46201 / City: Large
Southport High School
Perry Township Schools
Indianapolis, 46227 / City: Large
Perry Meridian High School
Perry Township Schools
Indianapolis, 46217 / City: Large
Lawrence Central High School
MSD Lawrence Township
Indianapolis, 46226 / Suburb: Large
Decatur Central High School
MSD Decatur Township
Indianapolis, 46221 / City: Large
Franklin Central Junior High
Franklin Township Com Sch Corp
Indianapolis, 46259 / City: Large
Fall Creek Valley Middle School
MSD Lawrence Township
Indianapolis, 46236 / Suburb: Large
Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center
MSD Wayne Township
Indianapolis, 46214 / City: Large
Early Learning Center
MSD Lawrence Township
Indianapolis, 46236 / Suburb: Large
Lillie Idella Kitley Intermediate
Franklin Township Com Sch Corp
Indianapolis, 46259 / City: Large
Perry Meridian Middle School
Perry Township Schools
Indianapolis, 46217 / City: Large
Edgewood Intermediate School
Franklin Township Com Sch Corp
Indianapolis, 46239 / City: Large
Chapel Hill 7th & 8th Grade Center
MSD Wayne Township
Indianapolis, 46214 / City: Large
Additional School Profiles
Dedicated profile pages are generated for a subset of public schools with broad enrollment coverage. All other schools remain listed in the county table.
- Excel Center For Adult Learners
- Lynhurst 7th & 8th Grade Center
- Southport Middle School
- Crispus Attucks High School
- Belzer Middle School
- Stonybrook Intermediate & Middle
- Creston Intermediate & Middle Schl
- Shortridge High School
- Decatur Middle School
- Raymond Park Intermediate & Middle
- Herron High School
- Irvington Community School
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$6,296
State avg $5,507
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Marion County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Indiana counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Indiana?
How should I read the school score in Marion County?
What is the graduation rate in Marion County?
How much does Marion County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Marion County, Indiana — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Marion County, Indiana?
Marion County operates the state's largest education infrastructure with 255 total public schools across 80 districts. This massive network serves 158,453 students, supported by 153 elementary, 35 middle, and 45 high schools.
How do schools in Marion County perform academically?
The county's 83.7% graduation rate currently trails both the Indiana state average of 92.6% and the national 87.0% benchmark. While the $6,296 per-pupil expenditure exceeds the state average of $5,507, it remains significantly below the $13,000 national spending average.
What are the major school districts in Marion County, Indiana?
Indianapolis Public Schools is the largest provider with 22,027 students, followed by MSD Lawrence Township and MSD Wayne Township. Charter schools are a major pillar here, with 67 campuses representing over 26% of all public schools in the county.
What is the school experience like in Marion County?
With 229 schools in city settings, the average school size is 644 students, though specialized campuses like Indiana Connections Academy serve over 5,700 students. Traditional high schools like North Central and Warren Central also operate at scale, each enrolling over 3,400 students.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.