Enrollment
210
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Madison, WI
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public
Federal NCES profile for Isthmus Montessori Academy Public, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 31/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550008203085Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 58
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Wisconsin schools.
- #32 of 33
- schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 31
- Resource Index · Lower
- 30:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 6.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public has class sizes larger than 97% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Isthmus Montessori Academy Public ranks #32 of 33 schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Isthmus Montessori Academy Inc. · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550008203085 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
7.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
30:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+108% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.3%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-84% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Isthmus Montessori Academy Public compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Isthmus Montessori Academy Public
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public is a lower-poverty, mid-sized charter combined-grade school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 210 students.
Class loads run heavy: 30:1 is larger than about 97% of Wisconsin schools and 108% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.3% free-meal eligibility runs 84% below the Wisconsin average.
Enrollment of 210 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Among 118 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #95, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (68%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 51/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 210 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Madison's public schools, it stands alongside Cesar Chavez Elementary (631 students): Isthmus Montessori Academy Public is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (30:1 vs 13.4:1).
Isthmus Montessori Academy Inc. is a single-school charter district, so Isthmus Montessori Academy Public operates independently rather than alongside district-mates.
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 Isthmus Montessori Academy Public compares
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 30:1 | ▲ 108% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.3% | ▼ 84% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 210 | top 68% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
30:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
210
Bigger than 21% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 84% below the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
30:1
students per teacher
- 108% above state mean
Top 97% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
26.2%
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.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 210 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 67.6%
Hispanic or Latino 14.3%
Two or More 11.4%
Asian 3.8%
African American 2.9%
Largest group: White at 67.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 50.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 50.7, Isthmus Montessori Academy Public is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Similar other schools in Madison
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cesar Chavez Elementary
Standard public school
631 students 13.4:1 students per teacher
Leopold Elementary
Standard public school
626 students 10.6:1 students per teacher
4k Pk Off Site
Standard public school
619 students 13.2:1 students per teacher
Kennedy Elementary
Standard public school
582 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Dr Virginia Henderson Elementary School
Standard public school
462 students 10.5:1 students per teacher
Milele Chikasa Anana Elementary School
Standard public school
455 students 13:1 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 (~210 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~30:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Isthmus Montessori Academy Public's federal record.
- Compare Isthmus Montessori Academy Public against another school. Compare schools
- Isthmus Montessori Academy Inc.'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 Isthmus Montessori Academy Public
How many students attend Isthmus Montessori Academy Public?
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public has 210 students enrolled. It is a public school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Isthmus Montessori Academy Public?
The student-teacher ratio at Isthmus Montessori Academy Public is 30:1, which is 108% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 91% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Isthmus Montessori Academy Public?
6.3% of students at Isthmus Montessori Academy Public are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Isthmus Montessori Academy Public?
The largest demographic group at Isthmus Montessori Academy Public is White at 67.6% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 50.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Isthmus Montessori Academy Public?
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public has a Resource Investment Index of 31/100 (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 Isthmus Montessori Academy Public rank among schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Isthmus Montessori Academy Public ranks #32 of 33 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 schools in Madison on the city page.
Is Isthmus Montessori Academy Public a good school?
Isthmus Montessori Academy Public earns 31/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of 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 Isthmus Montessori Academy Inc.?
None; Isthmus Montessori Academy Inc. is a single-school charter district, and Isthmus Montessori Academy Public is its only campus.
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.