Enrollment
731
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Milwaukee, WI
Fernwood Montessori
Federal NCES profile for Fernwood Montessori, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550960001160
👥 S:T ratio 11
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 76
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Fernwood Montessori earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Wisconsin schools.
- #34 of 135
- schools in Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.2:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 23.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Fernwood Montessori has class sizes larger than 95% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Fernwood Montessori ranks #34 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550960001160 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+54% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
23.7%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-38% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Fernwood Montessori compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Fernwood Montessori
Fernwood Montessori is a large combined-grade school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 731 students.
Class loads run heavy: 22.2:1 is larger than about 95% of Wisconsin schools and 54% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 23.7% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 90% of state schools at 731 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Among 314 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #228, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 731 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.7% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Milwaukee School District spends $17,847 per pupil, 20% above the Wisconsin average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Milwaukee's public schools, it stands alongside Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students): Fernwood Montessori is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (22.2:1 vs 30.8:1).
Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students) and Hamilton High (1,472 students) alongside Fernwood Montessori.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Fernwood Montessori compares
Fernwood Montessori on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 22.2:1 | ▲ 54% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.7% | ▼ 38% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 731 | top 10% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.2:1
Leaner classes than 10% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
731
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
23.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 38% below the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
22.2:1
students per teacher
- 54% above state mean
Top 95% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
9.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$17,847
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 731 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 64.6%
Hispanic or Latino 21.1%
Two or More 7.9%
African American 4.5%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: White at 64.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.0, Fernwood Montessori is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Milwaukee School District, which includes Fernwood Montessori.
$17,847
Per student
+20%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 57.7%
Federal 15.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Fernwood Montessori Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton High | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Reagan College Preparatory High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| King International | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Obama School of Career and Technical Education | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Fernwood Montessori's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,372
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools in Milwaukee
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12
Standard public school
1,974 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee Academy of Science
Standard public school
1,711 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Bruce Guadalupe
Standard public school
1,364 students 15:1 students per teacher
Obama School of Career and Technical Education
Standard public school
1,294 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
Golda Meir School
Standard public school
1,192 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee School of Languages
Standard public school
964 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Wisconsin, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~731 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Fernwood Montessori's federal record.
- Compare Fernwood Montessori against another school. Compare schools
- Milwaukee School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Fernwood Montessori
How many students attend Fernwood Montessori?
Fernwood Montessori has 731 students enrolled. It is a public school in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Fernwood Montessori?
The student-teacher ratio at Fernwood Montessori is 22.2:1, which is 54% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 41% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Fernwood Montessori?
23.7% of students at Fernwood Montessori are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Fernwood Montessori?
The largest demographic group at Fernwood Montessori is White at 64.6% of enrollment, in Milwaukee, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Fernwood Montessori?
Fernwood Montessori has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Fernwood Montessori rank among schools in Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, Fernwood Montessori ranks #34 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Milwaukee on the city page.
Is Fernwood Montessori a good school?
Fernwood Montessori earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Wisconsin schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Milwaukee School District?
Besides Fernwood Montessori, Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students), Hamilton High (1,472 students), and Reagan College Preparatory High (1,372 students). See the Milwaukee School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.