Enrollment
534
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Waukesha, WI
Horning Middle
Federal NCES profile for Horning Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 44/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 551578002015
👥 S:T ratio 60
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Horning Middle earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #2 of 3
- middle schools in Waukesha · Resource Index
- 44
- Resource Index · Typical
- 9.9:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 48.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Horning Middle has class sizes smaller than 90% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Horning Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Waukesha, WI.
School address
District: Waukesha School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551578002015 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
54.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-31% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
48.1%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+25% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Horning Middle compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Horning Middle
Horning Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, enrolling 534 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.9:1, Horning Middle is leaner than roughly 90% of Wisconsin schools and 31% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 48.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 534 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 272 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #100.
Its student body is led by White (42%) and Hispanic or Latino (39%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 66/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 267 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 150 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 534 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Waukesha's middle schools, it stands alongside Butler Middle (786 students): Horning Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.9:1 vs 13.8:1).
Waukesha School District also operates West High (1,167 students) and North High (911 students) alongside Horning Middle.
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 Horning Middle compares
Horning Middle on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.9:1 | ▼ 31% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 48.1% | ▲ 25% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 534 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.9:1
Leaner classes than 89% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
534
Bigger than 66% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
48.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 25% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
9.9:1
students per teacher
- 31% below state mean
Top 10% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 90% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
40.6%
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
$12,813
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 267 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
26
in-school suspensions + 124 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 4.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 28.1 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 41.6%
Hispanic or Latino 38.6%
African American 9.4%
Two or More 6.2%
Asian 3.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 41.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.4, Horning Middle is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waukesha School District, which includes Horning Middle.
$12,813
Per student
-14%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.8%
State 36.8%
Federal 8.4%
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 Horning Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| South High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Butler Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eachieve Academy - Wisconsin | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Horning Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,167
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 911
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 833
- Students per teacher
- 11.4:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 786
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 639
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
Similar middle schools in Waukesha
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~534 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~9.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Horning Middle's federal record.
- Compare Horning Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Waukesha 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 Horning Middle
How many students attend Horning Middle?
Horning Middle has 534 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Waukesha, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Horning Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Horning Middle is 9.9:1, which is 31% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 37% 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 Horning Middle?
48.1% of students at Horning Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Horning Middle?
The largest demographic group at Horning Middle is White at 41.6% of enrollment, in Waukesha, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Horning Middle?
Horning Middle 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 Horning Middle rank among middle schools in Waukesha?
By Resource Investment Index, Horning Middle ranks #2 of 3 middle schools in Waukesha, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Waukesha on the city page.
Is Horning Middle a good school?
Horning Middle earns 44/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 90% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Waukesha School District?
Besides Horning Middle, Waukesha School District also operates West High (1,167 students), North High (911 students), and South High (833 students). See the Waukesha 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.