Top Rankings
Carmel Clay Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Indiana for:
Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 1%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 1%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 5%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 5%)
Graduation Rate
Highest graduation rate (Top 1%)
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 5 public preschools serving 3,268 students in Carmel Clay Schools School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 10/10, which is in the top 5% of public pre schools in Indiana.
Public Preschools in Carmel Clay Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 75% (versus the Indiana public pre school average of 43%), and reading proficiency score of 63% (versus the 39% statewide average).
The top ranked public preschools in Carmel Clay Schools School District are Smoky Row Elementary School, Clay Center Elementary School and Cherry Tree Elementary School. Overall testing rank is based on a school's combined math and reading proficiency test score ranking. Minority enrollment is 25% of the student body (majority Asian and Hispanic), which is less than the Indiana public preschool average of 36% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (IN)
# Schools
15 Schools
605 Schools
# Students
16,116 Students
264,424 Students
# Teachers
1,012 Teachers
17,629 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Carmel Clay Schools School District, which is ranked within the top 5% of all 394 school districts in Indiana (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 98% has increased from 97% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#4 out of 400 school districts
(Top 1%)
(Top 1%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
70%
38%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
70%
41%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
66%
34%
Graduation Rate
98%
88%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.52
0.56
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
17%
3%
% Hispanic
7%
15%
% Black
5%
12%
% White
67%
64%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
4%
6%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $13,178 in this school district is less than the state median of $13,222. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $13,079 is higher than the state median of $12,852. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$212 MM
$13,615 MM
Spending
$211 MM
$13,234 MM
Revenue / Student
$13,178
$13,222
Spending / Student
$13,079
$12,852
Best Carmel Clay Schools School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Smoky Row Elementary School
(Math: 83% | Reading: 72%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 1%10
900 W 136th St
Carmel, IN 46032
(317) 571-4084
Carmel, IN 46032
(317) 571-4084
Grades: PK-5
| 659 students
Rank: #22.
Clay Center Elementary School
(Math: 79% | Reading: 67%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
12025 Clay Center Rd
Carmel, IN 46032
(317) 733-6450
Carmel, IN 46032
(317) 733-6450
Grades: PK-5
| 689 students
Rank: #33.
Cherry Tree Elementary School
(Math: 80% | Reading: 66%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 5%10
13989 Hazel Dell Parkway
Carmel, IN 46033
(317) 846-3086
Carmel, IN 46033
(317) 846-3086
Grades: PK-5
| 711 students
Rank: #44.
Forest Dale Elementary School
(Math: 71% | Reading: 57%)
Rank:
Rank:
10/
Top 10%10
10721 Lakeshore Dr W
Carmel, IN 46033
(317) 844-4948
Carmel, IN 46033
(317) 844-4948
Grades: PK-5
| 653 students
Rank: #55.
Mohawk Trails Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
9/
Top 20%10
4242 E 126th St
Carmel, IN 46033
(317) 844-1158
Carmel, IN 46033
(317) 844-1158
Grades: PK-5
| 556 students
Recent Articles

Texas Schools: The Voucher/School Choice Debate
The issue of school choice and a voucher system is currently being revisited in Houston and across the state of Texas, with strong opinions on both sides of the debate.

Fuel Up to Play 60 Focuses on Integrating Fitness and Wellness into the School Day
What if NFL players came to your school? With the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, sponsored by the National Dairy Council and the NFL, nutrition and exercise are promoted during the school day. NFL players participate in the program by coming to schools and talking to students about fitness. Learn more about the program and some of the schools that are implementing it.

What Parents Need to Know About Lunch Shaming
Students all over the nation go hungry every day not because their schools don’t offer lunch, but because they refuse them to children with outstanding debts. Read on to learn about the horror that is lunch shaming and what can be done about it.