Bowler School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, the data changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.

Bowler, Wisconsin - 2 schools

An equity score of 98/100 ranks Bowler School District #1 of 403 districts in Wisconsin (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $20,977 per pupil, Bowler School District ranks #23 of 423 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending (Wisconsin districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

309
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$20,977
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Bowler School District operates 2 public schools serving 309 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Shawano County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $20,977 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the top 43 of 423 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending. See how Wisconsin compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 26.9% local, 49.0% state, and 24.1% federal, a balanced mix across local, state, and federal sources, spreading budget risk across funding cycles rather than concentrating it in one. The district's equity score is 98/100, ranked #1 of 403 in Wisconsin against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 147:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, and 51.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 39.0% White, 10.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Bowler Elementary, enrolling 156 students (53% of the district's total enrollment).

Bowler Elementary accounts for 50.5% of all Bowler School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Bowler School District a distant remainder — means Bowler School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: combined. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Because it contains a majority of the affected population, enrollment-weighted aggregates will sit closer to this entity's reported fields than to those of smaller peers; an unweighted entity count answers a different question.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Bowler School District reports 60.2% free-lunch eligibility

The reported share clears the 50% majority mark. Title I operates under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015), but its statutory allocation uses additional LEA-level counts and rules not represented by this average. This percentage is an economic-need context measure; it does not establish a Title I award, show dollars received, or describe how funds are distributed among campuses.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data

Bowler School District student-counselor ratio is 147:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

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 Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Bowler School District chronic absenteeism rate is 51.3% — well above typical (typically associated with unusually large scale or acute resource constraints)

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 Values this far above typical often signal acute resource constraints or a structurally different scale than most peers — worth reading alongside the underlying counts, not the ratio alone.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

24.1%
Federal
49.0%
State
26.9%
Local

Funding Equity

98
Equity Score
1 / 403
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Bowler School District.

White 39.0%
Hispanic or Latino 10.9%
Multiracial 15.0%
Other 34.5%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

147:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
51.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Bowler School District

School Enrollment
Bowler Elementary
156
Bowler High
138

How Bowler School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Wisconsin districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Cambria-Friesland School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Solon Springs School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Northwood School District Similar size Lower spending More locally funded
Potosi School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Shullsburg School District Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Bowler School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Wisconsin

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Milwaukee School District
67,500 students · 156 schools · $18,815/pupil
Compare vs Bowler School District →
Madison Metropolitan School District
25,237 students · 54 schools · $17,411/pupil
Compare vs Bowler School District →
Kenosha School District
19,069 students · 43 schools · $14,636/pupil
Compare vs Bowler School District →
Green Bay Area Public School District
18,922 students · 44 schools · $15,394/pupil
Compare vs Bowler School District →
Racine Unified School District
16,182 students · 26 schools · $16,095/pupil
Compare vs Bowler School District →

Nationwide districts with similar enrollment or spending

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by per-pupil expenditure, not the same-state lists above.

Compare Bowler School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Milwaukee School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Bowler School District?

Bowler School District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 309 students.

How much does Bowler School District spend per student?

Bowler School District spends $20,977 per student. The district has an equity score of 98/100, ranking #1 in Wisconsin.

What is the demographic composition of Bowler School District?

Bowler School District students are 39.0% White, 10.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.3% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Bowler School District?

Bowler School District has an equity score of 98/100, ranking #1 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin.