Appleton Area School District

Appleton, Wisconsin — 37 schools

15,270
Total Enrollment
37
Schools
$14,757
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Appleton Area School District operates 37 public schools serving 15,270 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 22 other, 7 high, 4 middle, 4 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 14,971 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Outagamie County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,757 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 39.7% local, 48.8% state, and 11.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $75,175 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 31/100, ranked #317 of 403 in Wisconsin against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 9 of 37 schools offering Advanced Placement (160 AP courses district-wide), a 480.5:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 33.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 62.4% White, 13.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian across the district's schools.

Appleton Area School District school enrollment varies 56× across entities

Appleton Area School District 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 enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Appleton Area School District student-counselor ratio is 481:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Appleton Area School District chronic absenteeism rate is 33.6% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

11.4%
Federal
48.8%
State
39.7%
Local

Funding Equity

31
Equity Score
317 / 403
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores below average on funding equity. High reliance on local revenue or lower spending may contribute.

Local Rent Costs

Fair Market Rents in Outagamie County county, where this district is located.

$858
Studio/mo
$960
1 BR/mo
$1,236
2 BR/mo
$1,701
3 BR/mo
$1,776
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$75,175
Average annual teacher salary

Source: NCES CCD F-33 (Finance Survey).

Teacher salary data from NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 37 schools in Appleton Area School District.

White 62.4%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
African American 4.9%
Asian 10.5%
Multiracial 7.4%
Other 0.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

9 / 37
Schools with AP
160 AP courses total
480.5:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
33.6%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Appleton Area School District

School Enrollment
North High
1,635
East High
1,238
West High
1,024
Madison Middle
929
Einstein Middle
851
Wisconsin Connections Academy
Charter
743
Appleton Community 4k
672
Wilson Middle
587
Huntley Elementary
570
Houdini Elementary
501
Ferber Elementary
499
Classical School
Charter
487
Kaleidoscope Academy
Charter
456
Highlands Elementary
417
Mckinley Elementary
380
Berry Elementary
368
Ronald C Dunlap Elementary School
314
Johnston Elementary
286
Franklin Elementary
277
Horizons Elementary
264
Badger Elementary
258
Richmond Elementary
245
Edison Elementary
242
Odyssey-Magellan
214
Jefferson Elementary
212
Stephen Foster Elementary Charter
Charter
200
Renaissance School
Charter
151
Fox River Academy
Charter
150
Appleton Public Montessori
Charter
149
Tesla Engineering Charter School
Charter
147
Appleton Bilingual School
Charter
139
Columbus Elementary
88
Fox Cities Leadership Academy
Charter
78
Appleton Technical Academy
Charter
68
Valley New School
Charter
68
Appleton Eschool
Charter
35
Appleview
29

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Appleton Area School District?

Appleton Area School District has 37 schools, including 7 high, 4 middle, 22 other, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 15,270 students.

How much does Appleton Area School District spend per student?

Appleton Area School District spends $14,757 per student. The district has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #317 in Wisconsin.

What is the average teacher salary in Appleton Area School District?

The average teacher salary in Appleton Area School District is $75,175 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Appleton Area School District?

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Outagamie County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.

What is the demographic composition of Appleton Area School District?

Appleton Area School District students are 62.4% White, 13.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.5% Asian, 4.9% African American, averaged across 37 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Appleton Area School District?

Appleton Area School District has an equity score of 31/100, ranking #317 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.

Federal data Last updated 2026 Free public data

Coverage

50 states + DC

Full national footprint

Update cadence

Quarterly

Refreshed within 30 days of upstream release

Source agency

Federal

Authoritative data, no third-party aggregation

Page reliability score 94.0%
Industry baseline

Composite score weighing source authority, update freshness, and methodological transparency. 1.0 = full federal-source coverage with documented methodology and recent update.