Enrollment
1,331
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Racine, WI
Gifford School
Federal NCES profile for Gifford School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 551236002311
👥 S:T ratio 42
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 33
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gifford School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin.
- #4 of 18
- schools in Racine · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.6:1
- students per teacher
- 29.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Gifford School has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gifford School ranks #4 of 18 schools in Racine, WI.
School address
District: Racine Unified School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551236002311 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
91.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.8%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gifford School compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gifford School
Gifford School is a large combined-grade school in Racine, Wisconsin, enrolling 1,331 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 29.8% lands close to the Wisconsin typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 98% of state schools at 1,331 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 90 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #36.
Its student body is led by White (63%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 333 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 5 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Racine's public schools, it stands alongside Mitchell School (1,040 students): Gifford School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (14.6:1 vs 10.3:1).
Racine Unified School District also operates Case High (1,856 students) and Horlick High (1,212 students) alongside Gifford School.
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 Gifford School compares
Gifford School on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.6:1 | ▲ 1% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.8% | ▼ 23% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,331 | top 2% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.6:1
Leaner classes than 51% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,331
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% 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
14.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 67% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.1%
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
$15,577
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 333 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
6
in-school suspensions + 70 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 5 expulsions.
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 63.0%
Hispanic or Latino 20.7%
Two or More 8.0%
African American 6.2%
Asian 1.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 63.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 55.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 55.0, Gifford School is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Racine Unified School District, which includes Gifford School.
$15,577
Per student
+4%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-6%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.0%
State 55.0%
Federal 14.1%
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 Gifford School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Horlick High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Park High | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Starbuck - an Ib World School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mitchell School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gifford School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,856
- Students per teacher
- 14.5:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 1,212
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 1,203
- Students per teacher
- 12.7:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 1,133
- Students per teacher
- 27:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,040
- Students per teacher
- 10.3:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar other schools in Racine
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mitchell School
Standard public school
1,040 students 10.3:1 students per teacher
Jerstad-Agerholm School
Standard public school
870 students 9.5:1 students per teacher
Walden Iii High
Standard public school
692 students 16.1:1 students per teacher
Julian Thomas Elementary
Standard public school
574 students 9.7:1 students per teacher
Johnson Elementary
Standard public school
557 students 13.6:1 students per teacher
O Brown Elementary
Standard public school
540 students 15.9:1 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 (~1,331 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gifford School's federal record.
- Compare Gifford School against another school. Compare schools
- Racine Unified 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 Gifford School
How many students attend Gifford School?
Gifford School has 1,331 students enrolled. It is a public school in Racine, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gifford School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gifford School is 14.6:1, which is 1% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 7% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gifford School?
29.8% of students at Gifford School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gifford School?
The largest demographic group at Gifford School is White at 63.0% of enrollment, in Racine, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 55.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gifford School?
Gifford School has a Resource Investment Index of 44/100 (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 Gifford School rank among schools in Racine?
By Resource Investment Index, Gifford School ranks #4 of 18 schools in Racine, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Racine on the city page.
Is Gifford School a good school?
Gifford School earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin. 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 Racine Unified School District?
Besides Gifford School, Racine Unified School District also operates Case High (1,856 students), Horlick High (1,212 students), and Park High (1,203 students). See the Racine Unified 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.