Enrollment
463
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Onalaska, WI
Northern Hills Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Northern Hills Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 551101001446
👥 S:T ratio 51
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 7
📋 Attendance 52
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern Hills Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #2 of 4
- schools in Onalaska · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.2:1
- students per teacher
- 39.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern Hills Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Hills Elementary ranks #2 of 4 schools in Onalaska, WI.
School address
District: Onalaska School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551101001446 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
38.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.3%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern Hills Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern Hills Elementary
Northern Hills Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Onalaska, Wisconsin, enrolling 463 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 39.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 463 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 450 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #369, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (61%) and Asian (21%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 463 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.4% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Among Onalaska's public schools, it stands alongside Eagle Bluff Elementary (471 students): Northern Hills Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (12.2:1 vs 13.9:1).
Onalaska School District also operates Onalaska High (925 students) and Onalaska Middle (620 students) alongside Northern Hills 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 Northern Hills Elementary compares
Northern Hills 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 | 12.2:1 | ▼ 15% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.3% | ▲ 2% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 463 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.2:1
Leaner classes than 74% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
463
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
12.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 35% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 65% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
19.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$13,297
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 463 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 7 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.5 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 60.5%
Asian 21.2%
Two or More 8.9%
Hispanic or Latino 5.8%
African American 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Largest group: White at 60.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 57.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 57.7, Northern Hills Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Onalaska School District, which includes Northern Hills Elementary.
$13,297
Per student
-11%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 51.1%
State 40.3%
Federal 8.6%
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 Northern Hills Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onalaska High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Onalaska Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eagle Bluff Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Pertzsch Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Onalaska Prekindergarten Partner School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern Hills Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 925
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
- Enrollment
- 620
- Students per teacher
- 13.2:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 471
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 373
- Students per teacher
- 13.3:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 68
- Students per teacher
- 34:1
- Resource Index
- 15/100
Similar other schools in Onalaska
3 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
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 (~463 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern Hills Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Northern Hills Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Onalaska 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 Northern Hills Elementary
How many students attend Northern Hills Elementary?
Northern Hills Elementary has 463 students enrolled. It is a public school in Onalaska, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Hills Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern Hills Elementary is 12.2:1, which is 15% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 22% 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 Northern Hills Elementary?
39.3% of students at Northern Hills Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern Hills Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Northern Hills Elementary is White at 60.5% of enrollment, in Onalaska, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 57.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern Hills Elementary?
Northern Hills Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (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 Northern Hills Elementary rank among schools in Onalaska?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Hills Elementary ranks #2 of 4 schools in Onalaska, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Onalaska on the city page.
Is Northern Hills Elementary a good school?
Northern Hills Elementary earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. 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 Onalaska School District?
Besides Northern Hills Elementary, Onalaska School District also operates Onalaska High (925 students), Onalaska Middle (620 students), and Eagle Bluff Elementary (471 students). See the Onalaska 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.