Public schools in South Bend, IN

39 open public schools with an address in South Bend, operated by 9 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.

Public schools

NCES preliminary directory 2025–26

Reported students

16,158

39 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25

Median student–teacher ratio

12.5:1

Indiana median 14.8:1

Charter schools

11 magnet · 1 virtual

An overview of South Bend public schools

The federal directory lists 39 public schools in South Bend, IN: 20 elementary, 6 middle, 8 high, 5 combined or other. The 39 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 16,158 students, an average of 414 per school. The largest campus is Adams High School (1,966 students), and the largest elementary school is Success Academy Primary School (610).

South Bend Community School Corp operates the most schools here (31), plus 8 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.

Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 12.5:1, lower than the statewide school median of 14.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.

School choice options include 8 charter schools, 11 magnet schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.

Among 10 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 6 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 7 of 10 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Clay International Academy South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	PK–08	496	12.7:1
Coquillard Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	PK–04	305	9.6:1
Darden Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	KG–05	375	12.3:1
Edison Middle School South Bend Community School Corp	KG–08	551	10.3:1
Harrison Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	PK–05	555	13.1:1
Kennedy Academy South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	KG–05	443	15:1
Lincoln Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	PK–05	383	12.5:1
Madison S.T.E.A.M. Academy South Bend Community School Corp	KG–05	431	11.5:1
Marquette Montessori Academy South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	PK–08	431	15.6:1
Marshall Traditional School South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	PK–08	400	11.9:1
McKinley Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	PK–05	315	20.1:1
Monroe Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	KG–05	519	14.9:1
Muessel Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	PK–05	295	11.6:1
Nuner Fine Arts Academy South Bend Community School Corp	PK–05	489	14:1
Paramount School of Excellence South Bend Paramount School of Excellence South Bend · Charter	KG–08	476	17:1
Success Academy at Boys and Girls Club Success Academy at Boys and Girls Club · Charter	KG–05	113	16.1:1
Success Academy Primary School Success Academy Primary School · Charter	KG–05	610	17.9:1
Swanson Traditional School South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	PK–05	399	13.9:1
Warren Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	PK–05	0	0:1
Wilson Elementary School South Bend Community School Corp	PK–05	374	12.8:1

Middle schools in South Bend

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Career Academy Middle School Career Academy Middle School · Charter	06–08	414	8.3:1
Dickinson Academy South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	05–08	309	8.6:1
Jackson Middle School South Bend Community School Corp	06–08	537	12.1:1
Jefferson Traditional School South Bend Community School Corp	06–08	591	16:1
LaSalle Academy South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	06–08	461	13.8:1
Navarre Middle School South Bend Community School Corp	06–08	378	9.4:1

High schools in South Bend

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Adams High School South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	09–12	1,966	15.2:1
Career Academy High School Career Academy High School · Charter	09–12	481	10.2:1
Clay High School South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	09–12	0	0:1
Excel Center - South Bend Excel Center - South Bend · Charter	09–12	296	37:1
Purdue Polytechnic High School South Bend Purdue Polytechnic High School South Bend · Charter	09–12	138	9.9:1
Riley High School South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	09–12	1,238	12.6:1
Rise Up Academy at Eggleston South Bend Community School Corp	09–12	149	6.8:1
Washington High School South Bend Community School Corp · Magnet	09–12	795	10.9:1

Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in South Bend

School	Grades	Students	Ratio
Lafayette Early Childhood Center South Bend Community School Corp	PK–PK	6	5.3:1
South Bend SNAP South Bend Community School Corp	PK–PK	87	54.7:1
South Bend Virtual School South Bend Community School Corp · Virtual	KG–12	291	18.4:1
Studebaker Center South Bend Community School Corp	PK–12	0	0:1
The Portage School of Leaders The Portage School of Leaders · Charter	09–10	61	8.7:1

Student demographics

Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment

White25.4%
Hispanic24.6%
Black37.9%
Asian0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
Multiracial10.9%

Enrollment-weighted across 36 South Bend schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (16,158 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.

Questions about public schools in South Bend

How many public schools are in South Bend, IN?

The current NCES directory lists 39 open public schools with a location address in South Bend: 20 elementary, 6 middle, 8 high, 5 combined or other. Together they reported 16,158 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.

Which school districts serve South Bend?

Schools with an address in South Bend belong to 9 education agencies, led by South Bend Community School Corp (31 schools), Career Academy High School (1 school), Career Academy Middle School (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.

What is the largest public high school in South Bend?

Adams High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in South Bend, with 1,966 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.

Are there charter schools in South Bend?

Yes. 8 of the 39 public schools in South Bend are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Career Academy High School, Career Academy Middle School, Excel Center - South Bend. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.

What is the typical student–teacher ratio in South Bend schools?

The median reported student–teacher ratio across South Bend public schools is 12.5:1, lower than the Indiana school median of 14.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.

Does living in South Bend guarantee a seat at a specific school?

No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.

Nearby Indiana cities

Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Indiana cities