Enrollment
296
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Milwaukee, WI
Metcalfe Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Metcalfe Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550960002464
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Metcalfe Elementary earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #39 of 135
- schools in Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 95.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Metcalfe Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Metcalfe Elementary ranks #39 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550960002464 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
95.2%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+147% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Metcalfe Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Metcalfe Elementary
Metcalfe Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 296 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 95.2% of students qualify for free meals, 147% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 296 students, its enrollment sits close to the Wisconsin median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 88 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #33.
Its student body is predominantly African American (93% of enrollment) (diversity index 13/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 296 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 86.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Milwaukee School District spends $17,847 per pupil, 20% above the Wisconsin average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 64 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 296 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Milwaukee's public schools, it stands alongside Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students): Metcalfe Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (14.8:1 vs 30.8:1).
Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students) and Hamilton High (1,472 students) alongside Metcalfe 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 Metcalfe Elementary compares
Metcalfe 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 | 14.8:1 | ▲ 3% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 95.2% | ▲ 147% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 296 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
296
Bigger than 32% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
95.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 147% 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
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 69% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 31% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
86.5%
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
$17,847
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 296 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 64 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 21.6 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
African American 93.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.4%
Two or More 2.0%
White 1.4%
Largest group: African American at 93.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 13.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 13.0, Metcalfe Elementary is less mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Milwaukee School District, which includes Metcalfe Elementary.
$17,847
Per student
+20%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 57.7%
Federal 15.0%
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 Metcalfe Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Reagan College Preparatory High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| King International | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Obama School of Career and Technical Education | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Metcalfe Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,372
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,294
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
Similar other schools in Milwaukee
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12
Standard public school
1,974 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee Academy of Science
Standard public school
1,711 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Bruce Guadalupe
Standard public school
1,364 students 15:1 students per teacher
Obama School of Career and Technical Education
Standard public school
1,294 students 27.5:1 students per teacher
Golda Meir School
Standard public school
1,192 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee School of Languages
Standard public school
964 students 14.2:1 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 (~296 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.8:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Metcalfe Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Metcalfe Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Milwaukee 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 Metcalfe Elementary
How many students attend Metcalfe Elementary?
Metcalfe Elementary has 296 students enrolled. It is a public school in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Metcalfe Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Metcalfe Elementary is 14.8:1, which is 3% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Metcalfe Elementary?
95.2% of students at Metcalfe Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Metcalfe Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Metcalfe Elementary is African American at 93.2% of enrollment, in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Metcalfe Elementary?
Metcalfe Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Metcalfe Elementary rank among schools in Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, Metcalfe Elementary ranks #39 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Milwaukee on the city page.
Is Metcalfe Elementary a good school?
Metcalfe Elementary earns 38/100 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 Milwaukee School District?
Besides Metcalfe Elementary, Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students), Hamilton High (1,472 students), and Reagan College Preparatory High (1,372 students). See the Milwaukee 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.