Compared to other states, Indiana’s public education isn’t the best, but it isn’t the worst, either. In fact, it’s somewhere near the middle. However, the state is home to a handful of truly excellent public school districts. Let’s take a closer look at the five best in the state. 

The best school district in Indiana is Zionsville Community Schools, which comprises five elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school located in the town of Zionsville. The high-performing district has many achievements to its name, including a 98.2% graduation rate in 2018, and 11 National Merit Finalists. 

Indiana’s 2nd best school district is Northwest Allen County Schools, a large district consisting of 10 schools serving an enrollment of over 7,800 students. NACS regularly accomplishes a graduation rate north of 95% and its students score above state and national averages in every subject.

You don’t have to travel far to hit Indiana’s 3rd best school district Southwest Allen County Schools, which comprises six elementary schools, two middle schools, and one high school in Aboite and Lafayette Townships. Like its neighboring district in the northwest, SACS consistently performs above state and national averages in assessment tests and its students boast a high rate of reading proficiency. 

Ranking 4th in Indiana is Plainfield Community School Corporation, comprising six schools and a host of other facilities in the town of Plainfield. PCSC schools have been recognized for their excellent performance of the years, most recently with its Van Buren Elementary winning a 2019 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award. 

Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools fills out the list of Indiana’s five best school districts. The district’s five schools are all AdvancED accredited and perform above state standards in academics. 

Top School Districts in Indiana, 2020

Methodology

The following variables contributed to the ranking: number of students (K-12), graduation rate, school funding per student, student to teacher ratio, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Math test, percent of students scoring above proficient in standardized state Reading and Language test. Data from a total of 10,247 public school districts were used to compute a score for each school district. The following states were omitted due to lack of sufficient data: Hawaii, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Utah, and Virginia. Note that high schools in some states have their own independent districts.