Enrollment
245
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Madison, WI
James Wright Middle
Federal NCES profile for James Wright Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 550852000373
👥 S:T ratio 59
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 17
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Wright Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #9 of 12
- middle schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 10.2:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 62.9%
- free-lunch eligible
James Wright Middle has class sizes smaller than 87% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Wright Middle ranks #9 of 12 middle schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852000373 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
24.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-29% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.9%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+63% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Wright Middle compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Wright Middle
James Wright Middle is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 245 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 10.2:1, James Wright Middle is leaner than roughly 87% of Wisconsin schools and 29% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 62.9% of students qualify for free meals, 63% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 245 students, its enrollment sits close to the Wisconsin median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 165 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #106.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and African American (29%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 408 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Madison's middle schools, it stands alongside Hamilton Middle (790 students): James Wright Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (10.2:1 vs 15.5:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students) and Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) alongside James Wright 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 James Wright Middle compares
James Wright 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 | 10.2:1 | ▼ 29% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.9% | ▲ 63% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 245 | top 62% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
10.2:1
Leaner classes than 88% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
245
Bigger than 25% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 63% 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
10.2:1
students per teacher
- 29% below state mean
Top 13% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
33.1%
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
$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
Counselors0.6 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
27
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 11.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 49.4%
African American 29.0%
White 11.8%
Two or More 4.9%
Asian 4.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 49.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, James Wright Middle is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison Metropolitan School District, which includes James Wright Middle.
$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 James Wright Middle 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 James Wright Middle'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 middle schools in Madison
6 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Hamilton Middle
Standard public school
790 students 15.5:1 students per teacher
Sennett Middle
Standard public school
570 students 12.1:1 students per teacher
Cherokee Heights Middle
Standard public school
526 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Toki Middle
Standard public school
487 students 10.8:1 students per teacher
Jefferson Middle
Standard public school
462 students 12.8:1 students per teacher
O'keeffe Middle
Standard public school
434 students 11.4:1 students per teacher
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 (~245 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~10.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Wright Middle's federal record.
- Compare James Wright Middle 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 James Wright Middle
How many students attend James Wright Middle?
James Wright Middle has 245 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Wright Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at James Wright Middle is 10.2:1, which is 29% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 35% 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 James Wright Middle?
62.9% of students at James Wright Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Wright Middle?
The largest demographic group at James Wright Middle is Hispanic or Latino at 49.4% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Wright Middle?
James Wright Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 James Wright Middle rank among middle schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, James Wright Middle ranks #9 of 12 middle 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 middle schools in Madison on the city page.
Is James Wright Middle a good school?
James Wright Middle earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% 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 James Wright Middle, 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.