Wausau 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.

Wausau, Wisconsin - 20 schools

An equity score of 62/100 ranks Wausau School District #127 of 403 districts in Wisconsin (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $14,640 per pupil, Wausau School District ranks #181 of 422 Wisconsin districts by per-pupil spending (Wisconsin districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

7,899
Total Enrollment
20
Schools
$14,640
Per-Pupil Spending
Elementary, Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Wausau School District operates 20 public schools serving 7,899 students, placing it in the mid-size range in Wisconsin. The school portfolio breaks down into 10 elementary, 6 combined, 2 high, 2 middle schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage 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 Marathon County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $14,640 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 38.2% local, 51.1% state, and 10.7% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 62/100, ranked #127 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 3 of 20 schools offering Advanced Placement (44 AP courses district-wide), a 311.1:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 30.1% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 63.4% White, 18.5% Asian, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Lincoln Elementary, with a diversity index of 74.1/100.

Its largest campus is West High, enrolling 1,470 students (19% of the district's total enrollment). Its smallest is Enrich Excel Achieve Learning Academy, at 38 students, a 39x enrollment spread across the district's campuses.

West High accounts for 18.6% of all Wausau School District student enrollment

That concentration means Wausau 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

Wausau School District school enrollment varies 39× across entities

Wausau School District school enrollment ranges from 38 students (lowest) to 1,470 students (highest), a spread of 1,432 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity, the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. 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

Wausau School District student-counselor ratio is 311:1 — 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 Wausau School District is typically wider than the Wausau School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Wausau School District chronic absenteeism rate is 30.1% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)

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 Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

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

Where does the funding come from?

10.7%
Federal
51.1%
State
38.2%
Local

Funding Equity

62
Equity Score
127 / 403
State Rank
50
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 20 schools in Wausau School District.

White 63.4%
Hispanic or Latino 7.9%
African American 2.3%
Asian 18.5%
Multiracial 7.3%
Other 0.6%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 51.4/100

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

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Lincoln Elementary 74.1
  2. 2 Hawthorn Hills Elementary 71.3
  3. 3 Grant Elementary 68.4
  4. 4 Franklin Elementary 66.4
  5. 5 Thomas Jefferson Elementary 65.2

Programs & Resources

3 / 20
Schools with AP
44 AP courses total
311.1:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
30.1%
Chronically Absent

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

Schools in Wausau School District

School Enrollment
West High
1,470
John Muir Middle
967
East High
893
Horace Mann Middle
635
G D Jones Elementary
492
Riverview Elementary
445
Thomas Jefferson Elementary
372
Stettin Elementary
327
South Mountain Elementary
235
John Marshall Elementary
231
Maine Elementary
229
Hawthorn Hills Elementary
227
Lincoln Elementary
204
Rib Mountain Elementary
194
Grant Elementary
189
Franklin Elementary
181
Wausau Area Virtual Education
Charter
152
Wausau Area Montessori Charter School
Charter
121
Hewitt-Texas Elementary
85
Enrich Excel Achieve Learning Academy
Charter
38

How Wausau School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Wisconsin districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Elmbrook School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Sun Prairie Area School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
West Allis-West Milwaukee School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Stevens Point Area Public School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Wausau 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 Wausau School District →
Madison Metropolitan School District
25,237 students · 54 schools · $17,181/pupil
Compare vs Wausau School District →
Kenosha School District
19,069 students · 43 schools · $14,309/pupil
Compare vs Wausau School District →
Green Bay Area Public School District
18,922 students · 44 schools · $16,179/pupil
Compare vs Wausau School District →
Racine Unified School District
16,182 students · 26 schools · $15,577/pupil
Compare vs Wausau School District →

Compare Wausau 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 Wausau School District?

Wausau School District has 20 schools, including 2 high, 2 middle, 6 combined, 10 elementary. Total enrollment is 7,899 students.

How much does Wausau School District spend per student?

Wausau School District spends $14,640 per student. The district has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #127 in Wisconsin.

What is the demographic composition of Wausau School District?

Wausau School District students are 63.4% White, 18.5% Asian, 7.9% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American, averaged across 20 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Wausau School District?

Wausau School District has an equity score of 62/100, ranking #127 out of 403 districts in Wisconsin.