Enrollment
12
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Madison, WI
Metro School
Federal NCES profile for Metro School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 59/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550852002670
👥 S:T ratio 88
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 58
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Metro School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Wisconsin schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Wisconsin.
- #4 of 33
- schools in Madison · Resource Index
- 59
- Resource Index · Higher
- 3:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 63.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Metro School has class sizes smaller than 99% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Metro School ranks #4 of 33 schools in Madison, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852002670 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
4.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
3:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-79% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
63.2%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+64% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Metro School compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Metro School
Metro School is a higher-need, small combined-grade school in Madison, Wisconsin, enrolling 12 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 3:1, Metro School is leaner than roughly 99% of Wisconsin schools and 79% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 63.2% of students qualify for free meals, 64% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
This is a small campus: fewer students than 98% of Wisconsin schools, with 12 enrolled.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 91% of the 2,202 Wisconsin schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Its student body is led by White (25%) and African American (25%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 75/100).
16.7% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Madison's public schools, it stands alongside Cesar Chavez Elementary (631 students): Metro School is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (3:1 vs 13.4:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students) and Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) alongside Metro School.
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 Metro School compares
Metro School on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 3:1 | ▼ 79% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 63.2% | ▲ 64% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 12 | top 98% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
3:1
Leaner classes than 99% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
12
Bigger than 2% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
63.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 64% 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
3:1
students per teacher
- 79% below state mean
Top 1% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 100% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
16.7%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
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 + 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 25.0%
African American 25.0%
Hispanic or Latino 25.0%
Two or More 25.0%
Largest group: Two or More at 25.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 75.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 75.0, Metro School is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison Metropolitan School District, which includes Metro School.
$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 Metro School 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 Metro School'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 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 (~12 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Metro School's federal record.
- Compare Metro School 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 Metro School
How many students attend Metro School?
Metro School has 12 students enrolled. It is an alternative school in Madison, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Metro School?
The student-teacher ratio at Metro School is 3:1, which is 79% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 81% 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 Metro School?
63.2% of students at Metro School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Metro School?
The largest demographic group at Metro School is Two or More at 25.0% of enrollment, in Madison, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 75.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Metro School?
Metro School has a Resource Investment Index of 59/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Metro School rank among schools in Madison?
By Resource Investment Index, Metro School ranks #4 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 Metro School a good school?
Metro School earns 59/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 99% of Wisconsin schools. It is also one of the smallest schools in Wisconsin. 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 Metro School, 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.