An equity score of 38/100 ranks Merrill Area School District #266 of 403 districts in Wisconsin (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $13,547 per pupil, Merrill Area School District ranks #306 of 423 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending (Wisconsin districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
2,907
Total Enrollment
7
Schools
$13,547
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, High
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Merrill Area School District operates 7 public schools serving 2,907 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 3 elementary, 2 high, 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 Lincoln County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,547 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 423 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending. See how Wisconsin compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 39.3% local, 48.5% state, and 12.2% 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 38/100, ranked #266 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 1 of 7 schools offering Advanced Placement (11 AP courses district-wide), a 274.9:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 24.5% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 84.0% White, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Merrill Adult Diploma Academy, with a diversity index of 42.9/100.
Its largest campus is Merrill High, enrolling 756 students (28% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Merrill Adult Diploma Academy, at 31 students, a 24x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.
Merrill High accounts for 26.0% of all Merrill Area School District student enrollment
That concentration means Merrill Area School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the largest entity. Grade band: high. The share measures enrollment concentration only; it does not establish how the district allocates programs, capital, or staff. Enrollment-weighted aggregates give this entity more weight than any smaller peer, while an unweighted entity average treats every record equally.
Merrill Area School District school enrollment varies 24× across entities
Merrill Area School District school enrollment ranges from 31 students (lowest) to 756 students (highest), a spread of 725 students. That spread is wider than typical and predicts noticeable gaps in service quality between the highest and lowest areas. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Merrill Area School District student-counselor ratio is 275:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
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 Variation between sub-units within Merrill Area School District is typically wider than the Merrill Area School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Merrill Area School District chronic absenteeism rate is 24.5% — 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 Merrill Area School District is typically wider than the Merrill Area School District-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in Merrill Area School District?
Merrill Area School District has 7 schools, including 2 high, 2 combined, 3 elementary. Total enrollment is 2,907 students.
How much does Merrill Area School District spend per student?
Merrill Area School District spends $13,547 per student. The district has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #266 in Wisconsin.
What is the demographic composition of Merrill Area School District?
Merrill Area School District students are 84.0% White, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 1.2% African American, 0.6% Asian, averaged across 7 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Merrill Area School District?
Merrill Area School District has an equity score of 38/100, ranking #266 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin.