Budget Committee
Indiana · corporation 4145 · Johnson County

Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation

District briefing, fall 2026: enrollment, achievement, attendance, finances and property taxes.

On the ballot · November 3, 2026

Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation: one referendum question

Shall Clark-Pleasant Community School Corporation continue to increase property taxes paid to the school corporation for no more than eight (8) years for the purpose of funding and maintaining school safety initiatives, including the Clark-Pleasant police department, student support services and programming in response to reductions in property tax revenue by imposing a property tax rate that does not exceed $0.09 and results in a maximum annual amount that does not exceed $4,400,000. If this operating referendum public question is NOT approved by the voters, for a median residence of $300,000, the property's annual property tax bill would decrease by $127 per year. If this operating referendum public question is approved by the voters, it would be a renewal of the most recent operating referendum public question passed in 2018 with a property tax rate of $0.10.

Source: Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, final determination 26-010-REF

Enrollment
7,095
2025-26
Fall ADM
6,848
2023-24 funding count
Enrollment, 5 yr
+2.7%
headcount change · regional −0.4%
Chronic absence
19.2%
2024-25
Spending / pupil
$11,398
FY2024
School tax rate
$1.2668
pay 2026
Home value
+10%
5-yr avg vs. 12 nearby districts
Enrollment

7,095 students in 2025-26, +2.7% over five years; the regional peer median moved −0.4%.

Achievement

46.0% proficient in ELA and 47.1% in math on ILEARN 2025 (median corporation 38.2% and 40.7%), 65th of 290 statewide in ELA. Graduation rate 95.4%.

Attendance

19.2% of students were chronically absent in 2024-25, against 13.2% for the median corporation.

Spending

$11,398 current spending per pupil in FY2024, above the peer median of $11,174 and below the statewide median of $11,831.

Property tax

The school tax rate payable 2026 totals $1.2668 per $100 of assessed value on a $41.5M levy; $4.2M of it is the operating referendum.

Referendum

The November 3, 2026 ballot asks for renewing the operating referendum at a rate of up to $0.0900 per $100 of assessed value for up to 8 years, raising at most $4.4 million a year (the 2018 question set $0.1000). If it fails, the county auditor estimates the tax bill on a median home ($300,000 assessed value) would fall by $127 a year.

Clark-Pleasant enrolled 7,095 students in 2025-26. Since 2005-06 enrollment has grown 52%; the regional peer median grew 5% and the median Indiana corporation shrank 11%. The chart indexes each series to its 2005-06 level.

Clark-PleasantRegional peers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
162142121101812005-062009-102013-142017-182021-222025-26

Enrollment and the funding count

Indiana's tuition support formula pays on average daily membership (ADM), counted each September and again in the spring; ADM excludes pre-kindergarten, which the enrollment count includes. Clark-Pleasant's fall ADM was 6,848 in 2023-24, 0.98 per enrolled student.

School yearEnrolled studentsFall ADMPer enrolled student
2018-196,8666,6340.97
2019-206,9796,7490.97
2020-216,9096,7660.98
2021-226,8116,7200.99
2022-236,3716,8051.07
2023-247,0126,8480.98

IDOE State Tuition Support Annual Reports, Appendix A (fall count, non-virtual plus virtual ADM), and IDOE enrollment (October count).

Students, 2025-26

Student groupClark-PleasantPeers (median)Indiana (median)
Eligible for free or reduced-price meals58.7%57.6%46.4%
Receiving special education services18.4%18.5%18.4%
English learners14.1%13.4%2.1%
White55.4%47.1%87.6%
Hispanic or Latino6.9%28.4%6.1%
Black or African American9.0%9.5%1.0%
Asian22.0%0.9%0.4%
Two or more races6.5%5.3%3.4%

Home values against nearby districts

Across the five most recent Census releases (2016–20 to 2020–24), the median owner-occupied home in Clark-Pleasant averaged $216,100, 10% above the median of the 12 districts within 25 miles ($196,790). That ranks 5th of 13 in the area and at the 83rd percentile of Indiana districts (state median $158,850).

ACS 5-year releaseClark-PleasantNearby medianDifferenceIndiana median
2016–20$157,300$159,200−1%$132,200
2017–21$177,200$169,450+5%$141,050
2018–22$222,100$199,700+11%$160,550
2019–23$246,400$220,250+12%$175,600
2020–24$277,500$237,750+17%$187,600
Five-release average$216,100$196,790+10%$158,850

U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, median value of owner-occupied homes (table B25077), in nominal dollars. Consecutive releases share four of their five survey years, so the average is a smoothed level rather than five independent years. Nearby districts are those whose NCES office address lies within 25 miles of Clark-Pleasant's: Plainfield (19 mi, $247,760); Avon (22 mi, $247,400); MSD Lawrence Township (23 mi, $220,520); Franklin Township Com Sch Corp (9 mi, $219,600); Franklin (4 mi, $204,260); Mooresville Con (17 mi, $200,380); MSD Martinsville (20 mi, $193,200); Greenwood Community Sch Corp (4 mi, $191,720); Perry Township (9 mi, $189,180); MSD Decatur Township (14 mi, $167,760); MSD Warren Township (16 mi, $156,600); Shelbyville Central (17 mi, $147,140).

Where resident students go, fall 2025

Of 8,190 students who live in the district, 6,701 attend Clark-Pleasant schools: a retention rate of 81.8%, 159th of 290 statewide. 1,489 leave: 472 on Choice Scholarships to private schools, 153 to charter schools and 864 to other public corporations. 191 students transfer in. The largest destinations:

AttendsStudentson Choice Scholarshipsat charters
Greenwood Community Sch Corp29900
Center Grove Community School Corp15300
Franklin Community School Corp14400
Greenwood Christian Academy1031030
Indiana Connections Academy 7-1298098
Our Lady of the Greenwood School75750

IDOE enrollment (October count) and fall 2025-26 transfer report. Retention = resident students enrolled in the corporation as a share of all students who live there (“settled”).

On the spring 2025 ILEARN, 46.0% of Clark-Pleasant students were proficient in English/language arts and 47.1% in math, against 38.2% and 40.7% for the median Indiana corporation. That ranks 65th and 90th among 290 corporations. It is at or above the peer median on every measure below.

MeasureClark-PleasantPeer medianregional beneathIndiana (median)Statewide rank
ILEARN English/language arts, grades 3–8 (2025)46.0%32.0%regional 36.8%38.2%65th of 290
ILEARN math (2025)47.1%33.5%regional 41.3%40.7%90th of 290
ILEARN science (2025)45.8%32.5%regional 44.8%43.2%121st of 290
ILEARN, proficient in both ELA and math (2025)35.4%23.5%regional 29.0%28.1%77th of 290
IREAD-3 pass rate (2026)91.7%84.5%regional 88.3%91.3%139th of 290
SAT, met both benchmarks, grade 11 (2026)19.4%14.4%regional 20.2%19.3%142nd of 289
Graduation rate (2025 cohort)95.4%93.2%regional 95.9%95.1%135th of 289
Schools rated Meets or Exceeds Expectations (2025)62%22%regional 42%33%86th of 290

IDOE assessment, graduation and federal accountability files. Rank is among Indiana's public school corporations with a reported result (1st = highest). Only the 2025 ILEARN release is on file, so there is no trend line here.

In 2024-25, 19.2% of Clark-Pleasant students were chronically absent (missing 10% or more of the school year), against 18.7% in the peer median and 13.2% in the median Indiana corporation. That is 228th lowest of 290. Before the pandemic, in 2018-19, the rate was 11.4%.

Clark-PleasantPeers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
30%24%17%10%3%2012-132014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232024-25

IDOE chronic absenteeism file, 2012-13 to 2024-25. A student is chronically absent after missing 10% or more of enrolled days.

Clark-Pleasant spent $11,398 per pupil on current operations in FY2024, against $11,174 for the peer median and $11,831 for the median Indiana corporation. Local property tax provided 31% of revenue (peer median 21%, Indiana median 25%) and state aid 52% (Indiana median 55%).

Clark-PleasantPeers (median)Indiana (median corporation)
$12,608$11,164$9,720$8,276$6,832FY2006FY2010FY2014FY2018FY2024

U.S. Census Bureau annual school finance survey (F-33), current spending per pupil, nominal dollars, excluding the teacher-retirement payments the state makes on corporations' behalf (reported inconsistently in FY2023). Capital and debt payments are not current spending.

For taxes payable in 2026 the corporation certified $41.5M across its funds, at a combined rate of $1.2668 per $100 of net assessed value. The operating referendum adds $4.2M ($0.1000 per $100). Indiana's property-tax caps do not apply to referendum levies, which makes an operating referendum the one local operating revenue source outside the caps.

DLGF certified levyPay 2022Pay 2023Pay 2024Pay 2025Pay 2026
Total certified school levy$30.8M$36.9M$38.8M$37.2M$41.5M
Operations fund$9.7M$10.5M$10.9M$11.4M$11.7M
Debt service$19.1M$24.2M$25.1M$22.6M$25.5M
Operating referendum$2.0M$2.2M$2.8M$3.2M$4.2M
Referendum debt (capital)$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M$0.0M
Total school tax rate per $100$1.6112$1.5481$1.4692$1.2896$1.2668
Operating referendum rate per $100$0.0858$0.0773$0.0856$0.0888$0.1000

Clark-Pleasant and its regional peers, pay 2026

CorporationTotal school rate per $100Operating referendum rateTotal levy
Avon Community School Corp$1.5078$0.3100$78.1M
Perry Township Schools$1.4139$0.4212$83.2M
MSD Warren Township$1.4079$0.3000$63.0M
Clark-Pleasant Community Sch Corp$1.2668$0.1000$41.5M
Franklin Community School Corp$1.2346$0.2300$32.9M
MSD Decatur Township$1.1958$0.2277$33.9M
Shelbyville Central Schools$1.1787$0.0000$17.4M
MSD Lawrence Township$1.0877$0.0000$83.5M
Franklin Township Com Sch Corp$1.0524$0.0000$52.3M
MSD Martinsville Schools$0.7920$0.0000$17.9M
Mooresville Con School Corp$0.7874$0.0000$14.8M
Plainfield Community School Corp$0.7487$0.0000$28.7M
Greenwood Community Sch Corp$0.7475$0.0000$12.3M

Clark-Pleasant's operating referendum rate is the 6th highest of these 13 corporations. Statewide, 66 of 290 school units levied an operating referendum for taxes payable 2026.

Indiana Department of Local Government Finance, Certified Budget, Levy, CNAV and Rate by Fund files. Operating referendum = funds 0022, 0023 and 0025; referendum debt = 0187 and 0287. Rates are per $100 of net assessed value; referendum funds are levied on a different assessed-value base from the other funds, so the rates are summed as published.

The November 3, 2026 question asks for renewing the operating referendum at a rate of up to $0.0900 per $100 of assessed value for up to 8 years, raising at most $4.4 million a year (the 2018 question set $0.1000). If it fails, the county auditor estimates the tax bill on a median home ($300,000 assessed value) would fall by $127 a year.

For taxes payable 2026, Clark-Pleasant levies $4.2M through an operating referendum, at $0.1000 per $100 of assessed value. The question's ceiling of $0.0900 is $0.0100 below that rate.

Clark-Pleasant's only school referendum since 2009 was in November 2018, and it passed. Statewide, DLGF records 190 operating referendum questions from 2009 through 2025, and 133 passed (70%).

ElectionTypeResult
November 2018OperatingPassed

Ballot terms: the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance's final determination on each question, which quotes the approved wording and the county auditor's certified median-home estimate. Past results: DLGF historic referenda records (outcome only; DLGF does not publish vote counts). Current levy: DLGF certified levy by fund.

Wherever this briefing sets Clark-Pleasant beside other school corporations, it uses the groups below. A group figure is the middle value across its members, each counted equally, so one large member cannot dominate it.

Peers 12 school corporations

The 12 Indiana districts (public school corporations) most like Clark-Pleasant on four equally weighted factors: total enrollment (compared as a ratio), current spending per pupil, students per teacher and the share of students eligible for free or reduced-price meals, each difference scaled by how much the factor varies across districts, and none more than two standard deviations away on any one. The group starts with nearby districts that match closely (within half a standard deviation on average) and fills the rest from anywhere in the state. Peers carry the achievement, spending and staffing comparisons.

School corporationCountyMilesEnrollmentSpending per pupilStudents per teacherFree/reduced-price meals
Greenwood Community Sch CorpJohnson44,011$10,73816.849.6%
Seymour Community SchoolsJackson435,255$11,01716.359.9%
Maconaquah School CorpMiami761,845$11,11517.258.5%
Logansport Community Sch CorpCass844,467$11,02416.459.2%
Greater Clark County SchoolsClark8710,627$11,23315.457.7%
East Allen County SchoolsAllen11910,061$11,53215.651.3%
Goshen Community SchoolsElkhart1416,008$11,52315.464.8%
Concord Community SchoolsElkhart1445,129$10,50016.860.2%
Merrillville Community School CorpLake1505,864$11,57815.054.6%
Portage Township SchoolsPorter1506,419$11,92215.850.7%
School City of HobartLake1503,992$11,04119.156.3%
School City of HammondLake1619,705$13,14916.857.4%

Regional peers 12 school corporations

The 12 districts (public school corporations) within 25 miles of Clark-Pleasant, straight line between district offices, whose profile on the same four factors is comparable: on average within one standard deviation. They carry enrollment, property taxes and home values, and their median sits beneath the peer median elsewhere. A district in both groups appears in both lists.

School corporationCountyMilesEnrollmentSpending per pupilStudents per teacherFree/reduced-price meals
Greenwood Community Sch CorpJohnson44,011$10,73816.849.6%
Franklin Community School CorpJohnson45,001$12,08016.146.1%
Perry Township SchoolsMarion915,726$12,63816.368.5%
Franklin Township Com Sch CorpMarion911,572$10,31618.548.9%
MSD Decatur TownshipMarion146,503$12,49415.564.8%
MSD Warren TownshipMarion1611,502$13,96615.660.1%
Mooresville Con School CorpMorgan174,190$11,48519.047.2%
Shelbyville Central SchoolsShelby173,860$11,97716.546.5%
Plainfield Community School CorpHendricks195,698$10,32917.537.5%
MSD Martinsville SchoolsMorgan203,848$12,21314.051.2%
Avon Community School CorpHendricks2210,735$12,16315.849.1%
MSD Lawrence TownshipMarion2316,709$13,09118.858.6%

“Indiana median” is the middle value across Indiana's public school corporations. Corporations that enroll mostly virtual students are left out of both groups. Spending is F-33 current spending excluding state on-behalf payments; students per teacher is the NCES Common Core of Data count.