Sun Prairie Area School District

Sun Prairie, Wisconsin — 16 schools

8,350
Total Enrollment
16
Schools
$23,138
Per-Pupil Spending
Other, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Sun Prairie Area School District operates 16 public schools serving 8,350 students, placing it among the smaller districts in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 other, 3 high, 3 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 8,549 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Dane County County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $23,138 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 49.0% local, 43.6% state, and 7.4% 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 $83,564 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 70/100, ranked #73 of 403 in Wisconsin against a state average of 50 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 16 schools offering Advanced Placement (21 AP courses district-wide), a 376.8:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 28.6% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 51.1% White, 14.9% African American, 12.4% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools.

Sun Prairie East High accounts for 15.7% of all Sun Prairie Area School District student enrollment

That concentration — well above the 8.4% national median for largest-entity share — means Sun Prairie Area 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

Sun Prairie Area School District school enrollment varies 15× across entities

Sun Prairie Area School District school enrollment ranges from 88 students (lowest) to 1,340 students (highest), a spread of 1,252 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

Sun Prairie Area School District student-counselor ratio is 377:1 — 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

Sun Prairie Area School District chronic absenteeism rate is 28.6% — 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 Sun Prairie Area School District is typically wider than the Sun Prairie Area 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?

7.4%
Federal
43.6%
State
49.0%
Local

Funding Equity

70
Equity Score
73 / 403
State Rank
50
State Average

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

Local Rent Costs

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

$1,268
Studio/mo
$1,482
1 BR/mo
$1,694
2 BR/mo
$2,236
3 BR/mo
$2,509
4 BR/mo

Average Teacher Salary

$83,564
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 16 schools in Sun Prairie Area School District.

White 51.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.4%
African American 14.9%
Asian 10.4%
Multiracial 10.6%
Other 0.7%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

1 / 16
Schools with AP
21 AP courses total
376.8:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
28.6%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Sun Prairie Area School District

School Enrollment
Sun Prairie East High
1,340
Sun Prairie West High
1,325
Prairie View Middle
699
Patrick Marsh Middle
581
Central Heights Middle
560
Token Springs Elementary
472
Northside Elementary
439
Westside Elementary
434
Royal Oaks Elementary
433
Eastside Elementary
408
Meadow View Elementary
401
Creekside Elementary
394
Horizon Elementary
345
C H Bird Elementary
333
Sun Prairie Four Kids
297
Prairie Phoenix Academy
88

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Sun Prairie Area School District?

Sun Prairie Area School District has 16 schools, including 3 high, 3 middle, 10 other. Total enrollment is 8,350 students.

How much does Sun Prairie Area School District spend per student?

Sun Prairie Area School District spends $23,138 per student. The district has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #73 in Wisconsin.

What is the average teacher salary in Sun Prairie Area School District?

The average teacher salary in Sun Prairie Area School District is $83,564 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.

What is the average rent near Sun Prairie Area School District?

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

What is the demographic composition of Sun Prairie Area School District?

Sun Prairie Area School District students are 51.1% White, 14.9% African American, 12.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, averaged across 16 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Sun Prairie Area School District?

Sun Prairie Area School District has an equity score of 70/100, ranking #73 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

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