State of the District
Elkhart Community Schools held State of the District meetings in October to share updates with families, staff, students, and community members. These sessions highlight our current realities, celebrate accomplishments, and outline plans for the future.
Facilities • Staffing • Enrollment • Finances
State of the District Presentation
Three nights, three locations, or watch online, choose the option that works best for you. Each meeting will be streamed live and recorded.
Resolution Approved Oct 14, 2025 board meeting
- October 15 – Adamsville Road Church Watch on YouTube
- October 16 – Trinity on Jackson Watch on YouTube
- October 20 – St James A.M.E. Watch on YouTube
Each session will be streamed and recorded for community access.
Celebrating Success
Elkhart students and staff continue to achieve at high levels:
- Graduation rate: 94.5% and expected to climb past 95%.
- Scholarships: Nearly $16 million in offers generated for ECS students last year.
- Career center: Recognized as one of the strongest in Indiana and the Midwest.
- Arts and athletics: State-recognized music programs, multiple Division I athletes, and over 2,300 student athletes grades 5–12.
- Staff excellence: Indiana Counselor of the Year, award-winning educators and coaches, and two schools honored as Family Friendly Schools.
Our District Footprint
- 30 buildings across 80+ square miles.
- Over 3.1 million square feet of facilities and $1.1 billion in assets.
- District capacity for 17,000 students — but currently serving just over 10,100.
- Nearly 42% of elementary classrooms are unoccupied, equivalent to 5–7 empty schools.
Enrollment Realities
Student enrollment has declined steadily over the last decade, with ECS now 2–3 years ahead of projected decline:
- Past enrollment: ~14,000 students.
- Current enrollment: ~10,100 students.
- Forecast: Numbers lower than even the “low end” projections from the last feasibility study.
This impacts not only classrooms, but also staffing, facilities use, and state funding.
Financial Pressures
ECS is committed to financial transparency. Here are the key realities:
- In 2025, approximately 95% of the Education Fund is expected to be spent on wages and benefits ($88M / $93M = ~ 95%).
- District reserves: $33M (2023) → projected $7M (2026).
- ECS has experienced declining enrollment* which negatively impacts per pupil state revenue (estimated $3.2M - $4M loss in Fall 2025 alone)
- SEA 1 legislation freezes operational fund growth at 0% and shifts costs to local taxpayers, creating additional pressure on schools.
Challenges We Face
- Declining enrollment across the district.
- Staffing not fully aligned with student numbers.
- Underutilized facilities that still require full upkeep.
- Budget deficits that will quickly outpace reserves.
Next Steps
To meet these challenges, ECS will:
- Explore rightsizing options to better match facilities and staffing to enrollment.
- Continue transparent community engagement around finances and facilities.
- Protect classroom learning while making responsible, district-wide adjustments.
- Plan for long-term sustainability so that today’s students — and tomorrow’s — have strong opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
These FAQs were based on questions submitted to our feedback form.
How will the district continue to communicate updates and involve staff and families in the process?
See the answer
about How will the district continue to communicate updates and involve staff and families in the process?
What is the timeline for making key decisions related to consolidation?
See the answer
about What is the timeline for making key decisions related to consolidation?
Are EACC students included in ECS student counts, and how does that affect the accuracy of staff-to-student ratio data?
See the answer
about Are EACC students included in ECS student counts, and how does that affect the accuracy of staff-to-student ratio data?
How can the district claim a 14:1 student-to-staff ratio when most classrooms have 25+ students?
See the answer
about How can the district claim a 14:1 student-to-staff ratio when most classrooms have 25+ students?
Are special education services at risk of being reduced?
See the answer
about Are special education services at risk of being reduced?
How will the district ensure that Special Education and English Learner students continue to receive the services they need?
See the answer
about How will the district ensure that Special Education and English Learner students continue to receive the services they need?
Could improving student retention reduce the need for consolidation?
See the answer
about Could improving student retention reduce the need for consolidation?
What have we learned from those findings, and how will we address the reasons students are leaving?
See the answer
about What have we learned from those findings, and how will we address the reasons students are leaving?
Has the district studied why families are leaving for charter schools or homeschooling?
See the answer
about Has the district studied why families are leaving for charter schools or homeschooling?
What is the district’s plan to attract and retain students?
See the answer
about What is the district’s plan to attract and retain students?
Why should the community bear the financial burden through referendums when the issues stem from administrative decisions?
See the answer
about Why should the community bear the financial burden through referendums when the issues stem from administrative decisions?
How will those savings be reinvested to benefit students?
See the answer
about How will those savings be reinvested to benefit students?
How many building administrators are at each school of study?
See the answer
about How many building administrators are at each school of study?
The staff-to-student ratio appears high. How will the district reduce staffing costs while maintaining quality instruction?
See the answer
about The staff-to-student ratio appears high. How will the district reduce staffing costs while maintaining quality instruction?
How will leadership positions be determined in each building?
See the answer
about How will leadership positions be determined in each building?
What will happen to custodians and other support staff at schools that close?
See the answer
about What will happen to custodians and other support staff at schools that close?
How many support staff members are expected to lose their jobs due to consolidation?
See the answer
about How many support staff members are expected to lose their jobs due to consolidation?
How will the district decide which staff members are retained or reassigned?
See the answer
about How will the district decide which staff members are retained or reassigned?
How will staffing decisions be made if buildings are consolidated?
See the answer
about How will staffing decisions be made if buildings are consolidated?
Do you anticipate a reduction in force for staff?
See the answer
about Do you anticipate a reduction in force for staff?
Are there plans to decentralize the Elementary High Ability program currently located at Roosevelt?
See the answer
about Are there plans to decentralize the Elementary High Ability program currently located at Roosevelt?
Has there been any thought about housing all Alternative Education programs in one location?
See the answer
about Has there been any thought about housing all Alternative Education programs in one location?
Why not close and shut down unused school spaces now, especially before heating season?
See the answer
about Why not close and shut down unused school spaces now, especially before heating season?
Are you considering closing one of the three middle schools?
See the answer
about Are you considering closing one of the three middle schools?
Will academic excellence be considered when deciding which schools to close?
See the answer
about Will academic excellence be considered when deciding which schools to close?
What criteria will be used to determine which schools are closed?
See the answer
about What criteria will be used to determine which schools are closed?
How many schools do you anticipate needing to consolidate or close?
See the answer
about How many schools do you anticipate needing to consolidate or close?
Questions?
Parent and community members are invited to contribute to the discussion by asking questions. Questions will be answered in the FAQs.
ECS is proud of our accomplishments and realistic about our challenges. The State of the District is one way we ensure families, staff, and community partners are informed and engaged as we plan for the future of Elkhart students.
In the News
