Enrollment
237
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · La Crosse, WI
Northside Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Northside Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550753000857
👥 S:T ratio 70
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 1
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northside Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #12 of 14
- schools in La Crosse · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 7.4:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 77.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Northside Elementary has class sizes smaller than 97% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northside Elementary ranks #12 of 14 schools in La Crosse, WI.
School address
District: La Crosse School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550753000857 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
32.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
7.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-49% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
77.7%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+102% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northside Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northside Elementary
Northside Elementary is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in La Crosse, Wisconsin, enrolling 237 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 7.4:1, Northside Elementary is leaner than roughly 97% of Wisconsin schools and 49% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need is high: 77.7% of students qualify for free meals, 102% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
With 237 students, its enrollment sits close to the Wisconsin median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 95 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #30.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and Asian (23%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 296 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 39.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among La Crosse's public schools, it stands alongside Southern Bluffs Elementary (333 students): Northside Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (7.4:1 vs 13.9:1).
La Crosse School District also operates Central High (969 students) and Logan High (729 students) alongside Northside 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 Northside Elementary compares
Northside 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 | 7.4:1 | ▼ 49% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 77.7% | ▲ 102% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 237 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
7.4:1
Leaner classes than 96% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
237
Bigger than 24% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
77.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 102% 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
7.4:1
students per teacher
- 49% below state mean
Top 3% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 97% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
39.7%
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
$15,778
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.6 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 40.9%
Asian 22.8%
Two or More 18.6%
African American 9.3%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 40.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 73.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 73.1, Northside Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for La Crosse School District, which includes Northside Elementary.
$15,778
Per student
+6%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-5%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 50.4%
State 37.8%
Federal 11.8%
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 Northside Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Logan High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Longfellow Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Logan Middle | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Southern Bluffs Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northside Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 969
- Students per teacher
- 12.3:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
- Enrollment
- 729
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 631
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 424
- Students per teacher
- 10.6:1
- Resource Index
- 54/100
- Enrollment
- 333
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
Similar other schools in La Crosse
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Southern Bluffs Elementary
Standard public school
333 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Spence Elementary
Standard public school
329 students 11.3:1 students per teacher
Emerson Elementary
Standard public school
317 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Summit Environmental School
Standard public school
295 students 12.3:1 students per teacher
State Road Elementary
Standard public school
284 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
North Woods International School
Standard public school
255 students 8.8:1 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 (~237 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northside Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Northside Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- La Crosse 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 Northside Elementary
How many students attend Northside Elementary?
Northside Elementary has 237 students enrolled. It is a public school in La Crosse, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northside Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Northside Elementary is 7.4:1, which is 49% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 53% 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 Northside Elementary?
77.7% of students at Northside Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northside Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Northside Elementary is White at 40.9% of enrollment, in La Crosse, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 73.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northside Elementary?
Northside Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 45/100 (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 Northside Elementary rank among schools in La Crosse?
By Resource Investment Index, Northside Elementary ranks #12 of 14 schools in La Crosse, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in La Crosse on the city page.
Is Northside Elementary a good school?
Northside Elementary earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 97% of Wisconsin schools. 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 La Crosse School District?
Besides Northside Elementary, La Crosse School District also operates Central High (969 students), Logan High (729 students), and Longfellow Middle (631 students). See the La Crosse 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.