State of the District
Elkhart Community Schools held State of the District meetings in October 2025 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
- Oct. 15 – Adamsville Road Church Watch on YouTube
- Oct. 16 – Trinity on Jackson Watch on YouTube
- Oct. 20 – St. James A.M.E. Watch on YouTube
Each session will be streamed and recorded for community access.
Consolidation Communication
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.
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.
Financial Pressures
ECS is committed to financial transparency. Here are the key realities:
- In 2025, approximately 94% of the Education Fund is projected to be spent on wages and benefits ($86M / $93M = ~94%).
- A 12% reduction in these expenses would put us in the target range of 82%.
- This reduction will allow us to transfer ~ 10% of Education Fund revenue to the Operations Fund, leaving ~ 10% for other expenses, including curriculum, professional services, supplies, etc.
- District cash balance (which includes Education, Operations, and Rainy Day funds) is declining: $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).
- Approximately 70% of K-12 schools in Indiana also have declining enrollment, as Indiana is experiencing a net negative migration.
- Recent legislation (SEA 1) is going into effect in 2026; this will significantly decrease the amount of tax revenues ECS will receive.
- Federal Funding uncertainty adds to our budget challenges.
- If no changes are made, ECS could face a -$25M cash balance by the end of 2027.
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.
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.
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