Enrollment
641
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Milwaukee, WI
Gaenslen Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Gaenslen Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 30/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550960001169
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gaenslen Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #74 of 135
- schools in Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 30
- Resource Index · Lower
- 12.6:1
- students per teacher
- 93.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Gaenslen Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gaenslen Elementary ranks #74 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550960001169 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
93.0%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+142% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gaenslen Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gaenslen Elementary
Gaenslen Elementary is a high-poverty, large combined-grade school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 641 students.
At 12.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Wisconsin median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need is high: 93.0% of students qualify for free meals, 142% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 641 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 56 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #23.
Its student body is predominantly African American (81% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 641 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 76.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
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): Gaenslen Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.6:1 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 Gaenslen Elementary.
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 Gaenslen Elementary compares
Gaenslen Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.6:1 | ▼ 13% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 93.0% | ▲ 142% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 641 | top 12% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.6:1
Leaner classes than 70% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
641
Bigger than 76% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
93.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 142% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12.6:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 41% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 59% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
76.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
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 641 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 73 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 11.4 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
African American 81.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.0%
Two or More 5.8%
White 3.0%
Asian 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 81.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 32.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 32.7, Gaenslen Elementary is less 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 Gaenslen Elementary.
$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 Gaenslen Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Reagan College Preparatory High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| King International | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Obama School of Career and Technical Education | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gaenslen Elementary'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 (~641 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gaenslen Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Gaenslen Elementary 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 Gaenslen Elementary
How many students attend Gaenslen Elementary?
Gaenslen Elementary has 641 students enrolled. It is a public school in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gaenslen Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Gaenslen Elementary is 12.6:1, which is 13% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 20% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gaenslen Elementary?
93.0% of students at Gaenslen Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gaenslen Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Gaenslen Elementary is African American at 81.3% of enrollment, in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gaenslen Elementary?
Gaenslen Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 30/100 (lower 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 Gaenslen Elementary rank among schools in Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, Gaenslen Elementary ranks #74 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 Gaenslen Elementary a good school?
Gaenslen Elementary earns 30/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. 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 Gaenslen Elementary, 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.