B+
Southern Wells Community Schools
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 5 towns
Serves Chester, Liberty, Nottingham, Jackson and Poneto.
Students
880
Schools
2
Spent per student
$11,699
IN $13,688
Students per teacher
15:1
Free or reduced lunch
43%
Debt
$6.8M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Southern Wells Community Schools
- School Grade B+: better than 74% of Indiana districts
- Spends 15% less per student than the IN average
- 15 students per teacher
- Enrollment up 6% since 2020
- Debt of $6.8M, about $7,733 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Coesse.
PK–54 elementary schoolsWhitley County Consolidated Schools
6–8Indian Springs Middle SchoolWhitley County Consolidated Schools
9–12Columbia City High SchoolWhitley County Consolidated Schools
Test scores vs. IN
2020–21Math proficiency40%
State average 35.8%
Reading / language arts47%
State average 42.6%
Graduation rate (4-year)95%
State average 90.9% · small group: the state reports 90–100%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$11,699 per student · 15% below IN
Spending
Classroom instruction 55%Support & administration 40%Other 5%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 33%State 63%Federal 5%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
830’20
845’21
889’22
883’23
880’24
Up 6% since 2020.
Students
White 95%Hispanic 4%Two or more races <1%Asian <1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%
Schools in the district
2 public schools.
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.