IPS middle school enrollment drops by nearly 800 after district overhaul

Nearly 800 middle school students have left Indianapolis Public Schools the past year, according to state data.

The sharp enrollment decline follows a districtwide overhaul designed to consolidate resources and save money. A major part of the plan, known as Rebuilding Stronger, involved separating elementary and middle school students through grade reconfigurations and the creation of standalone middle schools.

The changes were intended to give all students equal access to academics, extracurriculars, and high-demand programs such as dual language, International Baccalaureate, Montessori, and STEM.

But fewer middle school students are now attending these overhauled programs.

This academic year, 3,845 sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are enrolled in district schools directly managed by IPS or managed by nonprofits without charters. That’s a decline of 778 students from the 2023-24 school year. This enrollment does not include charter schools that partner with the district and are exempt from the Rebuilding Stronger redesign. 

Broad Ripple Middle School, which opened in August with an International Baccalaureate curriculum, had a rocky start. WFYI reported in October that in the first weeks of the school year, more than 100 dissatisfied families left the district.

In wake of the enrollment shifts Patrick Herrel, IPS executive director of enrollment, said he is hopeful students can be retained in the coming years. He cited a rebound in high school enrollment after several IPS high schools were closed in 2018.

“We saw we did not retain as many of our students who are going into the middle grades between last year and this year, and we think that is a real opportunity despite overall steady enrollment,” Herrel said during a IPS school board meeting on Jan. 30 board. “We think that is a real opportunity for growth.”

Total IPS enrollment
Total enrollment at IPS is 31,299, including all district-managed schools, schools managed by nonprofit boards and charter schools under the district's umbrella.

While the total enrollment figure is similar to 10 years ago, there have been shifts in where students are enrolled. Fewer students than ever are now attending schools directly operated by district leadership.

Innovation charter schools—charter schools that operate independently through contracts with IPS—are considered part of the district under state reporting rules. Their enrollment and test scores are counted in districtwide data.

The percentage of IPS enrollment made up of these charter schools has grown from nearly 8% in 2016 to 35.4% this year. IPS currently partners with 24 charter schools.

Enrollment data for IPS can be confusing. The Indiana Department of Education does not consistently include innovation charter schools in state reports for academic metrics and enrollment. For example, the state's recently released public data shows IPS total enrollment at 21,055.

Impact of enrollment changes
Schools are funded through a per-student formula, meaning that when enrollment drops, so does the district’s funding. A decline in enrollment reduces the overall budget available for teacher and staff salaries, academic programs, and operations.

At IPS, when a student leaves a district-managed school and chooses to attend an IPS partner charter school or another district, the funding follows the student.

Michele Moore, an associate professor at Indiana University specializing in school funding, said she expects IPS to review its finances in the coming months.

“Their response is either going to be to increase revenues or to decrease expenses. Those are the two options,” Moore said. “So, are they going to have another referendum, or are they going to cut expenses in some way? And what is that going to look like?”

The enrollment decline comes as IPS faces multiple challenges to its independence and use of local property tax funding.

A bill recently authored by state Rep. Jake Teshka (R-North Liberty) proposes dissolving the district's elected school board and converting 50 IPS schools into charter schools due to enrollment changes. District leaders are fighting back.

Last month, a bipartisan group of city leaders and education advocates sent a letter to IPS, urging the district to share resources with charter schools and consider how to financially sustain itself as students continue leaving for charter schools.

WFYI education editor Eric Weddle contributed to this story.

WFYI education reporter Sydney Dauphinais covers Marion County schools. Contact her at sdauphinais@wfyi.org.