39 public K-12 schools in Appleton from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.
39 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2024-25 data.
The highest-ranked of Appleton's 39 public schools is North High, scoring 23/100, against a city average of 37.2/100. Computed live across every Appleton campus reporting to NCES.
How the Appleton Public-School Landscape Breaks Down
Appleton, WI enrolls 16,072 students across 39 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, 12 are charter schools, giving families genuine alternatives to the traditional neighbourhood assignment model. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 17.8:1, and the composite quality score, derived from student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted-program availability, and CRDC attendance data, averages 37.2/100. Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.
The most-resourced campus in Appleton on this index is North High, at 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index with 1,635 enrolled students. What the index does and doesn't measure; click any school below for its full component breakdown.
Appleton spans 2 districts, each filing its own NCES F-33 return, per-pupil spending can vary between neighbouring campuses. Sort the table below by enrollment, level, or district; click any school for its full profile.
Appleton school enrollment varies 56× across entities
Appleton school enrollment ranges from 29 students (lowest) to 1,635 students (highest), a spread of 1,606 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme heterogeneity inside a single city, small specialty programs sit alongside large comprehensive campuses, often serving very different family demographics inside walking distance. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape, a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.
Appleton student-teacher ratio is 17.8:1 — near the typical range (US average ~15.7) — aligned with the U.S. average of approximately 15.7:1
student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment, push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Variation between sub-units within Appleton is typically wider than the Appleton-aggregate figure suggests.
Appleton has higher-than-average charter school authorisation eligibility — 30.8% of the population qualifies for charter-school enrollment options
charter-school enrollment options eligibility is the federal threshold for charter school authorisation funding allocations, established under the state-specific charter law. Areas above 30% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic charter school authorisation formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
Most racially and ethnically mixed schools in Appleton
Ranked by the Simpson student-body diversity index (0-100) from NCES race and ethnicity data, where higher means a more evenly mixed student body. It measures mix, not quality.
The highest-ranked school in Appleton is North High with a quality score of 23/100. There are 39 public schools in Appleton with 16,072 total students.
How many schools are in Appleton, WI? ▼
Appleton has 39 public schools with a total enrollment of 16,072 students. 12 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 17.8:1.
Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio,
counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology, which explains how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
