Indianapolis charter and innovation school enrollment reaches 61% within IPS boundaries
Each year, The Mind Trust analyzes enrollment data released by the Indiana Department of Education to understand public school enrollment and family choice trends in Indianapolis.
Charter school enrollment figures include K-12 independent charters and innovation network charter schools located within and just outside of Indianapolis Public School (IPS) boundaries. The figures also include adult charter high school enrollment from Indianapolis Excel Centers and Christel House DORS, which provide adult students who are 18 years or older with the opportunity to earn their Indiana high school diploma and support to overcome obstacles to future success.
Indianapolis charter school enrollment rose 6% from previous year
Once again, Indianapolis public charter schools saw a rise in enrollment, with a particularly notable increase of 1,381 students from the 2023-2024 school year to the 2024-2025 school year, a 6% increase. This figure includes independent and innovation network charter schools. Last year, Indianapolis charter school enrollment rose 3%.
Total enrollment for Indianapolis Public Schools remained steady due to enrollment growth for innovation network charter schools in the district. Additionally, enrollment for public schools as a whole within IPS boundaries increased for the third year in a row, showing that growing high-quality school options attracts families back to Center Township.
In the 2024-2025 school year, 61% of students who attend public schools within or close to IPS boundaries attend either a public charter or innovation network school. This percentage has increased significantly over the last few years: in the 2019-2020 school year, 51% of IPS boundary public school students attended a charter or innovation network school.
Enrollment declines for IPS were mostly driven by middle school enrollment shifts. Reporting by Chalkbeat Indiana shared that the district saw a decline of 778 students in grades 6-8.
Chart: Enrollment changes from 2023-2024 to 2024-2025 for Indianapolis charter, innovation, and IPS
| School Type | 2023-2024 | 2024-2025 | Enrollment Count Change | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All charter schools (independent and innovation network) | 24,532 | 25,913 | 1,381 | +6% |
| IPS in-LEA (non-charter district schools) | 21,134 | 20,219 | -915 | -4% |
| All IPS (innovation and district-managed) | 31,415 | 31,255 | -160 | -0.5% |
| Charter and innovation total | 26,773 | 27,951 | 1,178 | +4% |
| Total IPS boundary enrollment (all charter, innovation, and IPS district-managed) | 45,666 | 46,132 | 466 | +1% |
Indianapolis charter schools serve majority low-income, students of color
In addition to overall enrollment trends, The Mind Trust also analyzes racial and income enrollment demographics for public school types within IPS boundaries.
All public school types within IPS boundaries serve diverse student populations, with charter schools serving the highest number of Latino, Black, and low-income students.
- 88% of Indianapolis charter school students are students of color, with the majority being Black students.
- 66% of all Black public school students within IPS boundaries attend a charter or innovation network school.
- Latino students are a fast-growing group: 31% of Indianapolis charter school students are Latino. In the 2020-2021 school year, this percentage was 22%.
Chart: 2024-2025 Indianapolis charter, innovation, and IPS racial demographics
| School Type | Latino | Percentage of Enrollment | Black | Percentage of Enrollment | White | Percentage of Enrollment | Students of Color | Percentage of Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All charter schools (independent and innovation network) | 8,087 | 31% | 12,948 | 50% | 3,235 | 12% | 22,728 | 88% |
| IPS direct-managed | 7,116 | 38% | 7,065 | 37% | 3,515 | 19% | 15,448 | 82% |
| All charter and innovation | 8,772 | 31% | 13,900 | 50% | 3,510 | 13% | 24,545 | 88% |
| Total IPS boundary enrollment (all charter, innovation, and IPS district-managed) | 15,888 | 34% | 20,965 | 45% | 7,025 | 15% | 39,993 | 85% |
| All IPS (innovation and district-managed) | 12,176 | 38% | 12,516 | 39% | 5,398 | 17% | 26,728 | 83% |
Indianapolis charter schools serve the majority of low-income public school students within IPS boundaries. 72% of Indianapolis charter school students are low-income.
1 in 4 Indianapolis charter school students are English Language Learner (ELL) students. At a few Indianapolis charter schools, more than half of their students are ELL, including Enlace Academy, Global Preparatory Academy, Monarca Academy, The Match High School, and The PATH School.
Chart: 2024-2025 Indianapolis charter, innovation, and IPS income and English Language Learner (ELL) demographics
| School Type | Low-income | Percentage of Enrollment | ELL | Percentage of Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All charter schools (independent and innovation network) | 18,720 | 72% | 6,520 | 25% |
| IPS direct-managed | 11,048 | 58% | 6,035 | 32% |
| All IPS (innovation and district-managed) | 20,519 | 49% | 10,054 | 31% |
| All charter and innovation | 20,139 | 72% | 7,031 | 25% |
| Total IPS boundary enrollment (all charter, innovation, and IPS district-managed) | 31,187 | 66% | 13,066 | 28% |
By understanding our city’s enrollment trends, our community can see how families are shaping public education in Indianapolis. Together, we can work to ensure all students and families have access to great educational opportunities that best meet their needs.