Enrollment
453
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Superior, WI
Northern Lights Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Northern Lights Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 551467002539
👥 S:T ratio 45
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 55
📋 Attendance 57
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northern Lights Elementary earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #3 of 7
- schools in Superior · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.7:1
- students per teacher
- 59.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Northern Lights Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Lights Elementary ranks #3 of 7 schools in Superior, WI.
School address
District: Superior School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551467002539 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
33.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.7:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
59.9%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+56% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northern Lights Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northern Lights Elementary
Northern Lights Elementary is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Superior, Wisconsin, enrolling 453 students.
At 13.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Wisconsin median, within a few percentage points of the 14.4:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 59.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 453 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 180 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #41.
Its student body is led by White (79%) and Two or More (11%) (diversity index 37/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 227 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
17.4% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
Among Superior's public schools, it stands alongside Cooper Elementary (363 students): Northern Lights Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (13.7:1 vs 15.1:1).
Superior School District also operates Superior High (1,256 students) and Superior Middle (888 students) alongside Northern Lights 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 Lights Elementary compares
Northern Lights 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 | 13.7:1 | ▼ 5% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 59.9% | ▲ 56% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 453 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.7:1
Leaner classes than 60% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
453
Bigger than 55% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
59.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 56% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
13.7:1
students per teacher
- 5% below state mean
Top 56% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 44% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
17.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$14,747
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 227 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
16
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.6 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
White 78.6%
Two or More 10.6%
African American 3.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 2.6%
Asian 1.8%
Largest group: White at 78.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 36.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 36.8, Northern Lights Elementary is about as mixed as the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Superior School District, which includes Northern Lights Elementary.
$14,747
Per student
-1%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.8%
State 52.2%
Federal 11.9%
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 Lights Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Superior Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Cooper Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Great Lakes Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Bryant Elementary | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northern Lights Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,256
- Students per teacher
- 13.5:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 888
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 363
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 348
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 53/100
- Enrollment
- 283
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Superior
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Cooper Elementary
Standard public school
363 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Great Lakes Elementary
Standard public school
348 students 15.1:1 students per teacher
Bryant Elementary
Standard public school
283 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Four Corners Elementary
Standard public school
200 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Lake Superior Elementary
Standard public school
151 students 16.8:1 students per teacher
Superior Community Preschool
Standard public school
109 students 27.3:1 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 (~453 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northern Lights Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Northern Lights Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Superior 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 Lights Elementary
How many students attend Northern Lights Elementary?
Northern Lights Elementary has 453 students enrolled. It is a public school in Superior, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northern Lights Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Northern Lights Elementary is 13.7:1, which is 5% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 13% 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 Lights Elementary?
59.9% of students at Northern Lights Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northern Lights Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Northern Lights Elementary is White at 78.6% of enrollment, in Superior, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northern Lights Elementary?
Northern Lights Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Lights Elementary rank among schools in Superior?
By Resource Investment Index, Northern Lights Elementary ranks #3 of 7 schools in Superior, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Superior on the city page.
Is Northern Lights Elementary a good school?
Northern Lights Elementary earns 47/100 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 Superior School District?
Besides Northern Lights Elementary, Superior School District also operates Superior High (1,256 students), Superior Middle (888 students), and Cooper Elementary (363 students). See the Superior 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.