Can I use Shelby County's school score to choose a house?

No. Use the Shelby County school score as a first-pass county screen, then verify the exact district, attendance boundary, transfer rules, and grade pathway for any address you are considering.

Does SchoolsByCounty confirm school attendance boundaries in Shelby County?

No. SchoolsByCounty publishes NCES and Census-backed public-school records. Attendance zones, magnet eligibility, charter lotteries, transportation, and transfer rules must be confirmed with local districts.

How should parents compare public schools in Shelby County?

Start with the 18 listed public schools and 6 district entries, then compare similar grade bands and confirm the address-level rules locally.

Shelby County Schools & Education

Name: Shelby County, Indiana Education Data
Creator: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

Shelby County, Indiana

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

School Score

46/100

Percentile-style score

Score Band

Midrange Signal

Graduation Rate

95.2%

National avg 87.5%

Education Statistics

Graduation Rate

95.2%

National avg 87.5%

State avg 92.6%

Per-Pupil Spending

$5,130

National avg $13,239

State avg $5,507

School Score

46/100

Percentile-style score

State avg 39/100

State Score Position

#32

of 92 counties by score

Education Data Brief: Shelby County

Measured School Summary

Shelby County performs at an average level with a school score of 46/100 and a solid graduation rate of 95.2%.

Funding Context

At $5,130 per pupil, Shelby County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.

Neighbor Context

Its school score is 18% above the Indiana average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.6 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 7% lower than the state norm.

School Data Brief

How to read Shelby 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

18 public schools and 6 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

46/100

Mixed county signal. Ranks #32 of 92 Indiana counties with school score data.

Completion

95.2%

2.6 pts above the state average

Funding context

$5,130

$377 below the state average

School coverage

6 districts represented in the county school list.

Start with measured county context

This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.

Check the local school mix

Shelby County has 18 public schools across 6 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.

View Public Schools Compare Counties

Parent decision brief

What Shelby 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.

Mixed school landscape

Shelby County has enough school-level records to compare the local mix, but no single county metric should be treated as the answer. Use district shape, grade span, and data coverage together.

State position

#32

of 92 Indiana counties with school score data. The county score is 7 points above 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.

Shelbyville Central Schools

Elementary to high school visible

4,036 students

Elementary 4Middle 1High 1Other 1

7 listed schools in this county slice.

Northwestern Con School Corp

Elementary to high school visible

1,409 students

Elementary 1Middle 1High 1Other 0

3 listed schools in this county slice.

Shelby Eastern Schools

Elementary and high visible

1,213 students

Elementary 2Middle 0High 2Other 0

4 listed schools in this county slice.

Southwestern Con Sch Shelby Co

Elementary and high visible

634 students

Elementary 1Middle 0High 1Other 0

2 listed schools in this county slice.

District reality check

Shelbyville Central Schools is the largest listed district slice, with 7 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 Shelby County?

Do the neighborhoods we like fall inside the same district, or are we comparing different Shelby 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 Shelby 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 Robust and Diverse School Network

Shelby County features a large network of 18 public schools across six districts, serving 7,433 students. This includes eight elementary schools, seven high schools, and two middle schools, plus a specialized center. This broad system provides a variety of educational environments for local families.

Leading Districts and Educational Choice

Shelbyville Central Schools is the largest district, serving 4,036 students across seven schools. Northwestern Consolidated School Corp and Shelby Eastern Schools follow with 1,409 and 1,213 students respectively. The county also hosts one charter school, offering a touch of educational diversity to the traditional mix.

Balanced Urban and Rural Learning

The school locale mix is perfectly balanced with nine town schools and nine rural schools. Average school size is 437, though Shelbyville Senior High stands out as a large campus with 1,101 students. This variety allows parents to choose between large, town-based facilities and smaller, rural elementary schools like Triton Central.

School Overview

Total Schools

in Shelby County

Reported Enrollment

7,433

18 schools reporting

School Districts

districts

Charter Schools

6% of total

School Level Breakdown

Elementary8

Middle2

High7

Other1

6 School Districts in Shelby County

Shelbyville Central Schools

Northwestern Con School Corp

3 schools

1,409 students

Shelby Eastern Schools

4 schools

1,213 students

Southwestern Con Sch Shelby Co

2 schools

634 students

Excel Center - Shelbyville

1 school

141 students

Blue River Career Programs

1 school

0 students

18 Public Schools in Shelby County

Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 1 high-enrollment school; every NCES public school remains listed here.

NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance data

Search schools

Level

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Showing 18 of 18 matching schools

Public schools in Shelby County, including district, location, profile availability, grades, type, and enrollment.
School Name	Profile	District	Location	Grades	Type / Flags	Reported Enrollment
Shelbyville Sr High School	Profile	Shelbyville Central Schools	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	9–12	High	1,101
Shelbyville Middle School	Record	Shelbyville Central Schools	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	6–8	Middle	882
William F Loper Elementary School	Record	Shelbyville Central Schools	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	672
Thomas A Hendricks Elementary Sch	Record	Shelbyville Central Schools	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	533
Triton Central Elementary School	Record	Northwestern Con School Corp	Fairland, 46126Rural: Fringe	PK–4	Primary	514
Coulston Elementary School	Record	Shelbyville Central Schools	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	KG–5	Primary	469
Triton Central High School	Record	Northwestern Con School Corp	Fairland, 46126Rural: Fringe	9–12	High	457
Triton Central Middle School	Record	Northwestern Con School Corp	Fairland, 46126Rural: Fringe	5–8	Middle	438
Southwestern Elementary School	Record	Southwestern Con Sch Shelby Co	Shelbyville, 46176Rural: Distant	PK–6	Primary	339
Golden Bear Preschool	Record	Shelbyville Central Schools	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	PK–KG	Primary	332
Morristown Jr-Sr High School	Record	Shelby Eastern Schools	Morristown, 46161Rural: Distant	6–12	High	320
Morristown Elementary School	Record	Shelby Eastern Schools	Morristown, 46161Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	307
Waldron Jr-Sr High School	Record	Shelby Eastern Schools	Waldron, 46182Rural: Distant	6–12	High	298
Southwestern High School	Record	Southwestern Con Sch Shelby Co	Shelbyville, 46176Rural: Distant	7–12	High	295
Waldron Elementary School	Record	Shelby Eastern Schools	Waldron, 46182Rural: Distant	PK–5	Primary	288
Excel Center - Shelbyville	Record	Excel Center - Shelbyville	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	9–12	Charter	141
Especially Kidz Health & Rehab Cnt	Record	Shelbyville Central Schools	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	PK–12	Other	47
Area District #38 - Blue River Career Programs	Record	Blue River Career Programs	Shelbyville, 46176Town: Distant	9–12	Vocational	0

Shelbyville Sr High School

Shelbyville Central Schools

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

Profile9–12High1,101 students

Shelbyville Middle School

Shelbyville Central Schools

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

Record6–8Middle882 students

William F Loper Elementary School

Shelbyville Central Schools

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary672 students

Thomas A Hendricks Elementary Sch

Shelbyville Central Schools

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary533 students

Triton Central Elementary School

Northwestern Con School Corp

Fairland, 46126 / Rural: Fringe

RecordPK–4Primary514 students

Coulston Elementary School

Shelbyville Central Schools

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

RecordKG–5Primary469 students

Triton Central High School

Northwestern Con School Corp

Fairland, 46126 / Rural: Fringe

Record9–12High457 students

Triton Central Middle School

Northwestern Con School Corp

Fairland, 46126 / Rural: Fringe

Record5–8Middle438 students

Southwestern Elementary School

Southwestern Con Sch Shelby Co

Shelbyville, 46176 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–6Primary339 students

Golden Bear Preschool

Shelbyville Central Schools

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–KGPrimary332 students

Morristown Jr-Sr High School

Shelby Eastern Schools

Morristown, 46161 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High320 students

Morristown Elementary School

Shelby Eastern Schools

Morristown, 46161 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary307 students

Waldron Jr-Sr High School

Shelby Eastern Schools

Waldron, 46182 / Rural: Distant

Record6–12High298 students

Southwestern High School

Southwestern Con Sch Shelby Co

Shelbyville, 46176 / Rural: Distant

Record7–12High295 students

Waldron Elementary School

Shelby Eastern Schools

Waldron, 46182 / Rural: Distant

RecordPK–5Primary288 students

Excel Center - Shelbyville

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Charter141 students

Especially Kidz Health & Rehab Cnt

Shelbyville Central Schools

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

RecordPK–12Other47 students

Area District #38 - Blue River Career Programs

Blue River Career Programs

Shelbyville, 46176 / Town: Distant

Record9–12Vocational0 students

Education Funding Detail

Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure

$5,130

State avg $5,507

Compare Nearby Counties

Review Shelby County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.

Open Compare

Browse Public Schools

See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.

View Schools

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Indiana counties have the highest graduation rates?

Boone County (97.5%), Benton County (97.0%), and Brown County (97.0%) currently lead Indiana among counties with available NCES four-year adjusted cohort graduation-rate data. This answer is generated from the same dataset used in the county table and can change when federal data refreshes.

What is per-pupil spending like in Indiana?

Across Indiana counties with available NCES district-finance data, average per-pupil spending is $5,507. The highest current county values are Ohio County ($6,794), DeKalb County ($6,730), and Vigo County ($6,496). Compare counties in the table before treating the statewide average as representative of a local district.

How should I read the school score in Shelby County?

Shelby County has a school score of 46/100, which is a midrange measured signal in this county-level index. This score is calculated from available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance data, with school-level records shown separately below.

What is the graduation rate in Shelby County?

The high school graduation rate in Shelby County is 95.2%, which is above the national average of 87.5%. This figure is based on NCES district-level data for public high schools in the county.

How much does Shelby County spend per student?

Shelby County spends $5,130 per pupil annually on public education, based on NCES district finance data. Current operating spending per fall enrollment, including instruction, support services, administration, transportation, and operations. It excludes capital outlays and debt service in the SchoolsByCounty methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions

Schools in Shelby County, Indiana — FAQ

What does the school system look like in Shelby County, Indiana?

What are the major school districts in Shelby County, Indiana?

What is the school experience like in Shelby County?

Counties with Similar School Profile

Daviess County

Indiana

0 pts

46/100

School score

Henry County

Indiana

-0 pts

46/100

School score

Hancock County

Indiana

+0 pts

46/100

School score

By Evan Brooks, Data EditorUpdated May 13, 2026Reviewed by Evan Brooks, Data Editor

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.

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