Enrollment
456
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Appleton, WI
Kaleidoscope Academy
Federal NCES profile for Kaleidoscope Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 550039002759Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 53
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 43
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Kaleidoscope Academy earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #1 of 4
- middle schools in Appleton · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.7:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 39.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Kaleidoscope Academy has class sizes smaller than 71% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Kaleidoscope Academy ranks #1 of 4 middle schools in Appleton, WI.
School address
District: Appleton Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550039002759 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-19% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.5%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Kaleidoscope Academy compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Kaleidoscope Academy
Kaleidoscope Academy is a mid-sized charter middle school in Appleton, Wisconsin, enrolling 456 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 39.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 456 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 458 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #411, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 285 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 45.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Discipline events run high: 107 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 456 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Appleton's middle schools, it stands alongside Madison Middle (929 students): Kaleidoscope Academy is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.7:1 vs 19.8:1).
Appleton Area School District also operates North High (1,635 students) and East High (1,238 students) alongside Kaleidoscope Academy.
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 Kaleidoscope Academy compares
Kaleidoscope Academy on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.7:1 | ▼ 19% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.5% | ▲ 3% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 456 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.7:1
Leaner classes than 78% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
456
Bigger than 56% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.7:1
students per teacher
- 19% below state mean
Top 29% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 71% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
45.4%
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
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 285 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
66
in-school suspensions + 41 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 14.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 23.5 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 56.8%
Hispanic or Latino 19.1%
Two or More 9.9%
Asian 7.7%
African American 6.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 56.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.1, Kaleidoscope Academy is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Appleton Area School District, which includes Kaleidoscope Academy.
$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 Kaleidoscope Academy Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| West High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Einstein Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Kaleidoscope Academy'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 middle schools in Appleton
3 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 (~456 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Kaleidoscope Academy's federal record.
- Compare Kaleidoscope Academy 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 Kaleidoscope Academy
How many students attend Kaleidoscope Academy?
Kaleidoscope Academy has 456 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Appleton, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Kaleidoscope Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Kaleidoscope Academy is 11.7:1, which is 19% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 25% 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 Kaleidoscope Academy?
39.5% of students at Kaleidoscope Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Kaleidoscope Academy?
The largest demographic group at Kaleidoscope Academy is White at 56.8% of enrollment, in Appleton, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Kaleidoscope Academy?
Kaleidoscope Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Kaleidoscope Academy rank among middle schools in Appleton?
By Resource Investment Index, Kaleidoscope Academy ranks #1 of 4 middle 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 middle schools in Appleton on the city page.
Is Kaleidoscope Academy a good school?
Kaleidoscope Academy earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 71% 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 Appleton Area School District?
Besides Kaleidoscope Academy, 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.