Marion County schools lose thousands of students amid financial pressure

Indianapolis Public Schools lost 1,616 students in the 2026-27 school year. This marks an 8% decline in enrollment, according to data from the Indiana Department of Education. The drop is the steepest among the county’s major public education sectors.

Marion County charter schools lost a combined 301 students. That represents a 1.3% decrease, even though several new charter schools received approval this year. The county’s township districts also posted declines, with only two school corporations seeing growth.

Statewide, public school enrollment fell by 20,797 students, or 2%. Officials point to falling birth rates, the expansion of private school vouchers, and recent immigration policies as primary drivers of the trend.

Superintendent Aleesia Johnson of IPS said the district is working to retain students who might leave after school closures. IPS is moving away from its citywide enrollment system in favor of its own process. "The intent is to work as hard as we can to maintain enrollment, but also to support families who we know are going to be most impacted," Johnson said.

Within IPS borders, the total number of students attending public schools or using state-funded vouchers dropped to 48,260. This is a 1.2% decrease from the 48,869 students recorded in October 2025. About half of the IPS enrollment loss came from English language learners, whose numbers fell by 822.

A district spokesperson noted that the political climate is affecting families impacted by immigration policies. George Washington High School, Robert Lee Frost School 106, and Brookside School 54 experienced the steepest percentage declines. These losses will help determine which schools IPS closes in 2027.

IPS anticipates a $20 million deficit for the year. This figure could grow if voters reject the property-tax referendum on the November 3 ballot. The district has agreed to avoid widespread layoffs unless a specific school’s enrollment drops. One school closure would save an estimated $500,000, Johnson said.

Enrollment in prekindergarten dropped by 22%, falling from 691 to 537 students. IPS closed eight prekindergarten sites this year and increased tuition for the program. High school enrollment saw the largest drop among grade bands, declining by 11%.

The Metropolitan School District of Wayne Township recorded the largest decline among township districts. Enrollment fell by 4% to 15,037 students. Superintendent Shenia Suggs said the district has eliminated 108 positions to manage costs. Washington Township enrollment fell by 3% to just under 11,000 students, according to Superintendent Sean Taylor.

Beech Grove City Schools and Franklin Township Community School Corporation were the only districts to increase enrollment. Beech Grove’s growth was driven by its virtual schools, which added nearly 1,000 students. Charter school advocates warn that declining enrollment makes it harder to sustain operations. Scott Bess of the Indiana Charter Innovation Center said it is difficult to run a school with 150 or 200 students without growing its base.

Voters in several districts will decide on referendums to maintain funding. Washington Township is seeking $24 million in property taxes to maintain 300 positions. Taylor said the district plans to provide strong support services for its students regardless of the enrollment decline.