Enrollment
529
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Eau Claire, WI
Northstar Middle
Federal NCES profile for Northstar Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 45/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 550405000645
👥 S:T ratio 46
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Northstar Middle earns 45/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median.
- #3 of 3
- middle schools in Eau Claire · Resource Index
- 45
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.6:1
- students per teacher
- 37.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Northstar Middle has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Northstar Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Eau Claire, WI.
School address
District: Eau Claire Area School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550405000645 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
39.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
13.6:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
37.7%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-2% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Northstar Middle compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Northstar Middle
Northstar Middle is a mid-sized middle school in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, enrolling 529 students.
At 13.6:1, 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.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 37.7% lands close to the Wisconsin typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
Enrollment of 529 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 406 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #154.
Its student body is led by White (77%) and Asian (13%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 331 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Eau Claire's middle schools, it stands alongside Delong Middle (893 students): Northstar Middle is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (13.6:1 vs 12.1:1).
Eau Claire Area School District also operates North High (1,567 students) and Memorial High (1,558 students) alongside Northstar Middle.
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 Northstar Middle compares
Northstar Middle on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.6:1 | ▼ 6% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 37.7% | ▼ 2% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 529 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.6:1
Leaner classes than 61% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
529
Bigger than 65% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
37.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% 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
13.6:1
students per teacher
- 6% below state mean
Top 55% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.4%
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
$13,882
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
Counselors1.6 FTE
Per 331 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
19
in-school suspensions + 38 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 10.8 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 77.1%
Asian 12.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.7%
Two or More 3.6%
African American 1.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
Largest group: White at 77.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 38.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 38.6, Northstar Middle is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Eau Claire Area School District, which includes Northstar Middle.
$13,882
Per student
-7%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-16%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.5%
State 47.5%
Federal 12.0%
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 Northstar Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Memorial High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Delong Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| South Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Robbins Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Northstar Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,567
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,558
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 893
- Students per teacher
- 12.1:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 797
- Students per teacher
- 10.5:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 522
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle schools in Eau Claire
2 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle 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 (~529 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~13.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Northstar Middle's federal record.
- Compare Northstar Middle against another school. Compare schools
- Eau Claire 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 Northstar Middle
How many students attend Northstar Middle?
Northstar Middle has 529 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Eau Claire, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Northstar Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at Northstar Middle is 13.6:1, which is 6% 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 Northstar Middle?
37.7% of students at Northstar Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Northstar Middle?
The largest demographic group at Northstar Middle is White at 77.1% of enrollment, in Eau Claire, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Northstar Middle?
Northstar Middle 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 Northstar Middle rank among middle schools in Eau Claire?
By Resource Investment Index, Northstar Middle ranks #3 of 3 middle schools in Eau Claire, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Eau Claire on the city page.
Is Northstar Middle a good school?
Northstar Middle earns 45/100 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 Eau Claire Area School District?
Besides Northstar Middle, Eau Claire Area School District also operates North High (1,567 students), Memorial High (1,558 students), and Delong Middle (893 students). See the Eau Claire 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.