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Financial Dashboard

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We take our role as stewards of your taxpayer dollars very seriously and are committed to financial transparency. Our Financial Information page provides an in-depth look at Elkhart Community Schools’ finances. It’s your resource for understanding how Indiana schools are funded and for staying up to date on the district’s revenue, expenditures, cash balances, and financial challenges and initiatives.

Financial Highlights

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ECS is home to 10,109 students as of the October 2025 official Count Day.

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In 2025, ECS received approximately $93M in State Revenue, primarily funded by Tuition Support.

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State Revenue/Tuition Support is ECS’ largest revenue source (60% of budget).

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ECS receives about $45M in property tax-supported revenue (29% of budget).

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Property Tax-supported funds include: Operations, Debt Service, School Pension and Capital Referendum Debt Funds

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In 2025, ECS received about $10M in Federal Funding (6% of budget)

School Finance in Indiana

School finance is unique due to funding and legal requirements. Practices used in personal or business finances may not always apply under the rules schools are required to follow. In Indiana, school districts are funded through three main revenue sources:

Federal

Elkhart Federal Dollars

Elkhart Community Schools receives only a small portion of its funding from federal grants. These dollars are passed through the State of Indiana and are generally designated for specific programs or student needs. Federal support makes up a very limited share of the district’s overall budget.
 

State

Elkhart State Dollars

The State of Indiana provides funding to school districts through a formula that changes each year. The calculation considers factors such as student enrollment, special education needs, and poverty levels. State funding is the district’s largest single source of revenue, accounting for over half of its budget.

Local

Elkhart Local Dollars

Local taxpayers contribute to school funding primarily through property taxes. These funds support transportation, daily operations, and long-term capital improvements. In addition, communities have the option to pass a referendum, which can provide extra dollars to enhance programs and services for students.

How Must Funds Be Spent?

By law, school money is divided into different “buckets” known as funds. Each bucket can only be used for certain things. That’s why a district might have money to buy new buses or fix buildings, but not enough to increase teacher pay. At Elkhart Community Schools, each bucket has its own purpose, source of funding, and rules for how it can be spent.

Our Budgeted Revenue  2025

  • ECS’ Adjusted Revenue for 2025 totals over $156M.
  • The funds that comprise this budget are shown here.

ECS Funds: Purpose and Detail

Budget Vs Spend

Education Fund

Operations Fund

Our Challenges

Declining Enrollment

  • Student Levels: since 2019, ECS has lost over 2,005 students x $7,400 (average tuition support) = $14.8M
  • Staffing Levels have not decreased proportionately with our enrollment decline, causing ECS to deficit spend, deplete its cash balances, and issue debt to balance the budget.

Senate Enrolled Act 1

  • Indiana legislation calls for increased deductions (savings) for homeowners, agricultural and long-term care properties, and will require ECS to begin sharing its property tax revenues with charter schools.
  • ECS could lose millions of dollars each year in tax revenue. We are actively monitoring the effects of SEA 1 with Policy Analytics.

2025 SEA 1 Property Tax Cuts

Other Challenges

  • Federal Funding Uncertainty

  • Right-sizing our large district footprint to better align with our declining enrollment

Addressing the Challenges

These initiatives highlight the district’s ongoing efforts to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and ensure resources are aligned with student and staff needs. Each strategy contributes to long-term financial stability while supporting high-quality educational services.

Board of Trustees Financial Updates

The Board of Trustees receives regular updates on the district’s finances. These updates, presented publicly at board meetings, provide a snapshot of revenues, expenses, and key financial trends. Sharing them here ensures our community has the same clear, timely information our board relies on to make decisions.