1
Best kept secret at Decatur Central High School?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,974
High
DISTRICT 721 · STATE 816
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·MSD DECATUR TOWNSHIP·NCES 180264000312
Decatur Central High School
5251 Kentucky Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46221 · (317) 856-5288 · Marion County
GRADES 09–12HIGH11-CITYTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL1,974 STUDENTS
·
allk12 Grade
Not graded
This school has no state test results for 2023-24 or 2024-25 to grade, which is common for schools that end before third grade. How grades work
Student : Teacher
15.1:1
131 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 15.3:1 · STATE 16.6:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
56%
1,110 students
DISTRICT 61% · STATE 50%
Community
5
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 507 | 26% |
| Grade 10 | 547 | 28% |
| Grade 11 | 483 | 24% |
| Grade 12 | 430 | 22% |
| Ungraded | 7 | 0% |
Student demographics
66%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 67% · STATE 57% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
School pathway
Feeds from
Based on grade levels within MSD Decatur Township. Attendance zones can vary; confirm enrollment with the district.
Schools most like Decatur Central High School
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur Central High School this school | 1,974 | 56.2% | N/A |
| Jeffersonville High School Jeffersonville | 2,202 | 57.4% | N/A |
| William Henry Harrison High School Evansville | 1,332 | 52.8% | N/A |
| New Albany Senior High School New Albany | 1,821 | 56.1% | N/A |
| Anderson High School Anderson | 1,768 | 62.0% | N/A |
| Kokomo High School Kokomo | 1,393 | 52.0% | N/A |
Matched among Indiana high schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where Decatur Central High School ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Indiana | In Marion County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,974 | #36 of 392 | #11 of 40 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 15.1:1 | #205 of 359 | #10 of 36 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 66.0% | #37 of 360 | #13 of 36 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 56.2% | #72 of 373 | #23 of 38 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked fastest growth first | +5.0% | #83 of 133 | #15 of 18 |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,974
+156 (+9%) vs 2020
+41% since 1990-91, when it was 1,403
Student : Teacher
15.1:1
was 18.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,974 | 131 | 15.1:1 | 56% (1,110) |
| 2023-24 | 2,061 | 128 | 16.1:1 | 76% (1,558) |
| 2022-23 | 2,039 | 125 | 16.3:1 | 68% (1,380) |
| 2020-21 | 1,818 | 100 | 18.2:1 | 53% (961) |
| 2017-18 | 1,880 | 96.1 | 19.6:1 | 58% (1,097) |
| 2015-16 | 1,708 | 89 | 19.2:1 | 60% (1,032) |
| 2010-11 | 1,794 | 84 | 21.4:1 | 53% (948) |
| 2000-01 | 1,407 | 87 | 16.2:1 | 31% (438) |
| 1990-91 | 1,403 | 72 | 19.5:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for Decatur Central High School.
About Decatur Central High School
In Indianapolis, Indiana, Decatur Central High School is a large high school. It educates 1,974 students in grades 9 through 12. The typical figure for high schools in Indiana is about 816 students.
A total of 9 schools make up MSD Decatur Township, with 6,485 students enrolled.
The most common group at Decatur Central High School is White students, at 48%. Enrollment also includes 29% Black, 16% Hispanic, and 6% multiracial. Pick two students at random and there is a 66% chance they belong to different racial or ethnic groups; that figure is the school's diversity index.
Federal records show a student-to-teacher ratio of 15.1:1 at Decatur Central High School, with 131 full-time-equivalent teachers. This ratio sits 1.5 below the 16.6:1 average for high schools in Indiana. Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility, a common measure of family income, is 56%.
Among Marion County residents, the median household income is $66,346, the share of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher is 35%, and roughly 12% of residents are in poverty. Besides Decatur Central High School, Marion County has 273 other public schools.
Nearest public school: Decatur Middle School, about 0.2 miles away. Within five miles are at least 8 other public schools.
The NCES locale for Decatur Central High School is City: Large, which covers schools inside a principal city with a population of 250,000 or more.
Compared with 2020-21, the school had 156 more students in 2024-25. Federal data show the ratio falling from 18.2:1 to 15.1:1.
Parents and students can post about sports schedules, lunch menus, and spirit week at Decatur Central High School. Questions from prospective families are welcome too.
Marion County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
975,809
Census ACS
Median income
$66,346
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
35%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
12%
Below federal line
Schools in county
274
161,456 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in MSD Decatur Township
- Decatur Middle SchoolMiddle · 1,000 students
- Blue AcademyElementary · 687 students
- Lynwood ElementaryElementary · 583 students
- West Newton Elementary SchoolElementary · 559 students
- Valley Mills Elementary SchoolElementary · 554 students
- Gold AcademyElementary · 529 students
Other schools in Indianapolis
- Indiana Connections AcademyCombined · 5,376 students
- North Central High SchoolHigh · 3,682 students
- Franklin Central High SchoolHigh · 3,438 students
- Warren Central High SchoolHigh · 3,391 students
- Ben Davis High SchoolHigh · 3,315 students
- Pike High SchoolHigh · 3,188 students
Nearby schools
- Decatur Middle School0.2 mi · 1,000
- Decatur High Ability Academy0.2 mi · 103
- Excel Center - Decatur0.2 mi · 259
- Valley Mills Elementary School0.3 mi · 554
- Damar Charter Academy0.7 mi · 180
- Blue Academy1.4 mi · 687
Frequently asked questions
About Decatur Central High SchoolHow large is Decatur Central High School?
Decatur Central High School enrolls approximately 1,974 students in grades 09-12.
Is Decatur Central High School an elementary, middle, or high school?
Decatur Central High School is a high school covering grades 09-12.
How many students per teacher at Decatur Central High School?
Approximately 15.1:1 students per teacher at Decatur Central High School.
How diverse is Decatur Central High School?
Decatur Central High School reports a student body of 48% White, 16% Hispanic, 29% Black, 1% Asian, 6% Two or more.
What district is Decatur Central High School in?
Decatur Central High School is part of MSD Decatur Township.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.