Enrollment
1,635
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Appleton, WI
North High
Federal NCES profile for North High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 550039000597
👥 S:T ratio 26
📚 AP courses 95
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 18
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Wisconsin schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin.
- #5 of 7
- high schools in Appleton · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.4:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 24.6%
- free-lunch eligible
North High has class sizes larger than 90% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North High ranks #5 of 7 high schools in Appleton, WI.
School address
District: Appleton Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550039000597 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
89.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.6%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-36% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North High compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at North High
North High is a large high school in Appleton, Wisconsin, enrolling 1,635 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.4:1 is larger than about 90% of Wisconsin schools and 28% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.6% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,635 students.
Its Resource Investment Index trails 95% of the 2,202 Wisconsin schools with a score on record, one of the lower results on this measure.
Among 71 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #70, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (66%) and Hispanic or Latino (13%) (diversity index 53/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 19 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 409 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Appleton's high schools, it stands alongside East High (1,238 students): North High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.4:1 vs 14.9:1).
Appleton Area School District also operates East High (1,238 students) and West High (1,024 students) alongside North High.
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 North High compares
North High on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.4:1 | ▲ 28% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.6% | ▼ 36% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,635 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,635
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 36% below the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 90% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
32.9%
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
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 409 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 77 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 3 expulsions.
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 66.1%
Hispanic or Latino 12.5%
Asian 10.9%
Two or More 5.0%
African American 4.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 66.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 53.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 53.1, North High is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 19
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Appleton Area School District, which includes North High.
$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 North High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| West High | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Madison Middle | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Einstein Middle | Smaller | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wisconsin Connections Academy | Smaller | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 35.4:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
Similar high schools in Appleton
6 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
East High
Standard public school
1,238 students 14.9:1 students per teacher
West High
Standard public school
1,024 students 13.1:1 students per teacher
Renaissance School
Standard public school
151 students 50.3:1 students per teacher
Tesla Engineering Charter School
Standard public school
147 students 49:1 students per teacher
Fox Cities Leadership Academy
Standard public school
78 students 39:1 students per teacher
Appleton Technical Academy
Vocational / career-technical school
68 students 22.7:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~1,635 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~18.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North High's federal record.
- Compare North High 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 North High
How many students attend North High?
North High has 1,635 students enrolled. It is a high school in Appleton, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North High?
The student-teacher ratio at North High is 18.4:1, which is 28% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North High?
24.6% of students at North High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North High?
The largest demographic group at North High is White at 66.1% of enrollment, in Appleton, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 53.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North High?
North High has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does North High rank among high schools in Appleton?
By Resource Investment Index, North High ranks #5 of 7 high 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 high schools in Appleton on the city page.
Is North High a good school?
North High earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Wisconsin schools. It is also one of the largest 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 Appleton Area School District?
Besides North High, Appleton Area School District also operates East High (1,238 students), West High (1,024 students), and Madison Middle (929 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.