Enrollment
138
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Madison, WI
Innovative High
Federal NCES profile for Innovative High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 550852003349
👥 S:T ratio 68
📚 AP courses 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Innovative High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #4 of 7
- high schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 8.1:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 65.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Innovative High has class sizes smaller than 97% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Innovative High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852003349 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
17.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
8.1:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.2%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+69% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Innovative High compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Innovative High
Innovative High is a higher-need, mid-sized high school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 138 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 8.1:1, Innovative High is leaner than roughly 97% of Wisconsin schools and 44% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 65.2% of students qualify for free meals, 69% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 138 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 65 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #29.
Its student body is led by African American (47%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 68/100).
No Advanced Placement courses are reported for this campus in the federal data.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 59.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Madison's high schools, it stands alongside West High (2,222 students): Innovative High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (8.1:1 vs 17.4:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students) and Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) alongside Innovative High.
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 Innovative High compares
Innovative High on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 8.1:1 | ▼ 44% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.2% | ▲ 69% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 138 | top 80% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
8.1:1
Leaner classes than 95% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
138
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 69% 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
8.1:1
students per teacher
- 44% below state mean
Top 3% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
59.4%
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
$17,181
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 5.8 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 47.1%
Hispanic or Latino 24.3%
White 16.2%
Two or More 12.5%
Largest group: African American at 47.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.7, Innovative High is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP program Not offered
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison Metropolitan School District, which includes Innovative High.
$17,181
Per student
+15%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.6%
State 18.4%
Federal 9.0%
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 Innovative High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vel Phillips Memorial High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafollette High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Innovative High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,222
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,541
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar high schools in Madison
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
West High
Standard public school
2,222 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
Vel Phillips Memorial High
Standard public school
2,004 students 16.3:1 students per teacher
East High
Standard public school
1,643 students 14.8:1 students per teacher
Lafollette High
Standard public school
1,541 students 16.4:1 students per teacher
Capital High
Alternative education program
129 students 7.2:1 students per teacher
Shabazz-City High
Alternative education program
106 students 8.2:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~138 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~8.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Innovative High's federal record.
- Compare Innovative High against another school. Compare schools
- Madison Metropolitan 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 Innovative High
How many students attend Innovative High?
Innovative High has 138 students enrolled. It is a high school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Innovative High?
The student-teacher ratio at Innovative High is 8.1:1, which is 44% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 48% 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 Innovative High?
65.2% of students at Innovative High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Innovative High?
The largest demographic group at Innovative High is African American at 47.1% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Innovative High?
Innovative High has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Innovative High rank among high schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Innovative High ranks #4 of 7 high schools in Madison, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Madison on the city page.
Is Innovative High a good school?
Innovative High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% 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 Madison Metropolitan School District?
Besides Innovative High, Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students), Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students), and East High (1,643 students). See the Madison Metropolitan 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.