Enrollment
501
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Appleton, WI
Houdini Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Houdini Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550039002366
👥 S:T ratio 44
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 42
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Houdini Elementary earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #13 of 20
- schools in Appleton · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.9:1
- students per teacher
- 27.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Houdini Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Houdini Elementary ranks #13 of 20 schools in Appleton, WI.
School address
District: Appleton Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550039002366 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.9:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
27.1%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-30% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Houdini Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Houdini Elementary
Houdini Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Appleton, Wisconsin, enrolling 501 students.
At 13.9:1, 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 runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 27.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 501 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.
Among 489 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #356, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (12%) (diversity index 55/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 501 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Appleton's public schools, it stands alongside Wisconsin Connections Academy (743 students): Houdini Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.9:1 vs 35.4:1).
Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students) and East High (1,238 students) alongside Houdini 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 Houdini Elementary compares
Houdini 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 | 13.9:1 | ▼ 3% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 27.1% | ▼ 30% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 501 | top 21% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.9:1
Leaner classes than 58% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
501
Bigger than 62% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
27.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 30% 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
13.9:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 59% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
23.4%
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
$13,545
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 501 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.2 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 64.5%
Hispanic or Latino 11.6%
Asian 11.6%
Two or More 8.8%
African American 2.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
Largest group: White at 64.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.8, Houdini Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Appleton Area School District, which includes Houdini Elementary.
$13,545
Per student
-9%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 39.7%
State 48.8%
Federal 11.4%
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 Houdini Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| West High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Einstein Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Houdini Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,635
- Students per teacher
- 18.4:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 1,238
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 1,024
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 929
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 851
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar other schools in Appleton
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Wisconsin Connections Academy
Standard public school
743 students 35.4:1 students per teacher
Appleton Community 4k
Standard public school
672 students 21.7:1 students per teacher
Huntley Elementary
Standard public school
570 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Ferber Elementary
Standard public school
499 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
Highlands Elementary
Standard public school
417 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
Mckinley Elementary
Standard public school
380 students 10.3:1 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 (~501 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.9:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Houdini Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Houdini Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Appleton Area 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 Houdini Elementary
How many students attend Houdini Elementary?
Houdini Elementary has 501 students enrolled. It is a public school in Appleton, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Houdini Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Houdini Elementary is 13.9:1, which is 3% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 11% 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 Houdini Elementary?
27.1% of students at Houdini Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Houdini Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Houdini Elementary is White at 64.5% of enrollment, in Appleton, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Houdini Elementary?
Houdini Elementary 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 Houdini Elementary rank among schools in Appleton?
By Resource Investment Index, Houdini Elementary ranks #13 of 20 schools in Appleton, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Appleton on the city page.
Is Houdini Elementary a good school?
Houdini Elementary earns 39/100 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 Appleton Area School District?
Besides Houdini Elementary, Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students), East High (1,238 students), and West High (1,024 students). See the Appleton Area 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.