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Shell Lake, Wisconsin - 3 schools
An equity score of 58/100 ranks Shell Lake School District #155 of 403 districts in Wisconsin (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $14,667 per pupil, Shell Lake School District ranks #177 of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending (Wisconsin districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
636
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$14,667
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, Elementary
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Shell Lake School District operates 3 public schools serving 636 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined, 1 elementary 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 Washburn County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,667 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending. See how Wisconsin compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 56.1% local, 32.9% state, and 10.9% 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 58/100, ranked #155 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.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 289.3:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 17.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 91.0% White, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.2% Asian across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Shell Lake Junior/Senior High, with a diversity index of 17.5/100.
Its largest campus is Shell Lake Junior/Senior High, enrolling 300 students (51% of the district's total enrollment).
Shell Lake Junior/Senior High accounts for 47.2% of all Shell Lake School District student enrollment
That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Shell Lake School District a distant remainder — means Shell Lake School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. 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.
Shell Lake School District school enrollment varies 2.3× across entities
Shell Lake School District school enrollment ranges from 131 students (lowest) to 300 students (highest), a spread of 169 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
Shell Lake School District student-counselor ratio is 289:1 — 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 Shell Lake School District is typically wider than the Shell Lake School District-aggregate figure suggests.
Shell Lake School District chronic absenteeism rate is 17.6% — 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 Shell Lake School District is typically wider than the Shell Lake School District-aggregate figure suggests.
How many schools are in Shell Lake School District?
Shell Lake School District has 3 schools, including 2 combined, 1 elementary. Total enrollment is 636 students.
How much does Shell Lake School District spend per student?
Shell Lake School District spends $14,667 per student. The district has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #155 in Wisconsin.
What is the demographic composition of Shell Lake School District?
Shell Lake School District students are 91.0% White, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 0.2% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Shell Lake School District?
Shell Lake School District has an equity score of 58/100, ranking #155 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin.