Mcfarland 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, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Mcfarland, Wisconsin - 9 schools

An equity score of 12/100 ranks Mcfarland School District #396 of 403 districts in Wisconsin (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $12,381 per pupil, Mcfarland School District ranks #382 of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending (Wisconsin districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

5,484
Total Enrollment
9
Schools
$12,381
Per-Pupil Spending
High, Elementary
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Mcfarland School District operates 9 public schools serving 5,484 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 4 high, 2 elementary, 2 combined, 1 middle schools, a compact enough portfolio that families can compare every campus directly before they move, rent, or enrol. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Dane County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $12,381 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, among the bottom 43 of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending. See how Wisconsin compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 71.4% local, 23.7% state, and 4.9% federal, a local-revenue-heavy mix that leaves the district more exposed to property-tax swings and local ballot measures than state-funded peers. The district's equity score is 12/100, ranked #396 of 403 in Wisconsin against a state average of 50, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 3 of 9 schools offering Advanced Placement (26 AP courses district-wide), a 400.4:1 student-counselor ratio, well above the ASCA benchmark though still under the roughly 408:1 national average, and 19.3% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 68.8% White, 10.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Wisconsin Virtual Academy K-8 (Wiva), with a diversity index of 69.7/100.

Its largest campus is Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (Wiva), enrolling 1,566 students (26% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is 4k Mcfarland, at 138 students, a 11x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (Wiva) accounts for 26.4% of all Mcfarland School District student enrollment

That concentration means Mcfarland School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: high. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

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

Mcfarland School District school enrollment varies 11× across entities

Mcfarland School District school enrollment ranges from 138 students (lowest) to 1,566 students (highest), a spread of 1,428 students. That spread reflects typical mixed-portfolio variation between specialty programs and large neighbourhood schools. 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

Mcfarland School District student-counselor ratio is 400:1 — 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

Mcfarland School District chronic absenteeism rate is 19.3% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

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 Variation between sub-units within Mcfarland School District is typically wider than the Mcfarland School District-aggregate figure suggests.

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

Where does the funding come from?

4.9%
Federal
23.7%
State
71.4%
Local

Funding Equity

12
Equity Score
396 / 403
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 9 schools in Mcfarland School District.

White 68.8%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
African American 8.2%
Asian 2.9%
Multiracial 8.5%
Other 1.0%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 47.3/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Mcfarland School District's schools, above the Wisconsin average of 35.7.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Wisconsin Virtual Academy K-8 (Wiva) 69.7
  2. 2 Insight School of Wisconsin High 66.5
  3. 3 Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (Wiva) 59.9
  4. 4 Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin High 57.7
  5. 5 4k Mcfarland 43.5

Programs & Resources

3 / 9
Schools with AP
26 AP courses total
400.4:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
19.3%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Mcfarland School District

School Enrollment
Wisconsin Virtual Academy High (Wiva)
Charter
1,566
Wisconsin Virtual Academy K-8 (Wiva)
Charter
1,393
Mcfarland High
727
Indian Mound Middle
534
Waubesa Intermediate
489
Conrad Elvehjem Primary School
449
Destinations Career Academy of Wisconsin High
Charter
423
Insight School of Wisconsin High
Charter
202
4k Mcfarland
138

How Mcfarland School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Wisconsin districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Hudson School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
West Bend School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Howard-Suamico School District Similar size Similar spending Less locally funded
Beloit School District Similar size Higher spending Less locally funded
Verona Area School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Mcfarland 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 · $17,847/pupil
Compare vs Mcfarland School District →
Kenosha School District
19,069 students · 43 schools · $14,309/pupil
Compare vs Mcfarland School District →
Racine Unified School District
16,182 students · 26 schools · $15,577/pupil
Compare vs Mcfarland School District →

Compare Mcfarland 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 Mcfarland School District?

Mcfarland School District has 9 schools, including 4 high, 2 elementary, 1 middle, 2 combined. Total enrollment is 5,484 students.

How much does Mcfarland School District spend per student?

Mcfarland School District spends $12,381 per student. The district has an equity score of 12/100, ranking #396 in Wisconsin.

What is the demographic composition of Mcfarland School District?

Mcfarland School District students are 68.8% White, 10.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.2% African American, 2.9% Asian, averaged across 9 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Mcfarland School District?

Mcfarland School District has an equity score of 12/100, ranking #396 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin.