Enrollment
1,294
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Milwaukee, WI
Obama School of Career and Technical Education
Federal NCES profile for Obama School of Career and Technical Education, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550960002993
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Obama School of Career and Technical Education earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of Wisconsin schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Wisconsin.
- #106 of 135
- schools in Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 27.5:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 87.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Obama School of Career and Technical Education has class sizes larger than 97% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Obama School of Career and Technical Education ranks #106 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550960002993 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
47.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
27.5:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+91% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
87.7%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+128% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Obama School of Career and Technical Education compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Obama School of Career and Technical Education
Obama School of Career and Technical Education is a high-poverty, large combined-grade school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 1,294 students.
Class loads run heavy: 27.5:1 is larger than about 97% of Wisconsin schools and 91% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need is high: 87.7% of students qualify for free meals, 128% above the Wisconsin average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 97% of state schools at 1,294 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.
Its student body is led by African American (77%) and Hispanic or Latino (14%) (diversity index 39/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 647 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
The surrounding Milwaukee School District spends $17,847 per pupil, 20% above the Wisconsin average, a better-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 15.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 294 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,294 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 3 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Milwaukee's public schools, it stands alongside Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students): Obama School of Career and Technical Education is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (27.5:1 vs 30.8:1).
Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students) and Hamilton High (1,472 students) alongside Obama School of Career and Technical Education.
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 Obama School of Career and Technical Education compares
Obama School of Career and Technical Education on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 27.5:1 | ▲ 91% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 87.7% | ▲ 128% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,294 | top 3% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
27.5:1
Leaner classes than 3% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,294
Bigger than 95% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
87.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 128% 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
27.5:1
students per teacher
- 91% above state mean
Top 97% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Funding equity
$17,847
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Somewhat above the U.S. public-school average, reflecting higher local or state investment per enrolled student.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 647 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 293 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 22.7 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
African American 76.7%
Hispanic or Latino 13.8%
White 3.7%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 2.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: African American at 76.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 39.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 39.0, Obama School of Career and Technical Education is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Milwaukee School District, which includes Obama School of Career and Technical Education.
$17,847
Per student
+20%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.3%
State 57.7%
Federal 15.0%
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 Obama School of Career and Technical Education Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Reagan College Preparatory High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| King International | Similar size | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Riverside High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Obama School of Career and Technical Education's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,974
- Students per teacher
- 30.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 1,472
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,372
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,308
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 1,240
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar other schools in Milwaukee
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12
Standard public school
1,974 students 30.8:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee Academy of Science
Standard public school
1,711 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Bruce Guadalupe
Standard public school
1,364 students 15:1 students per teacher
Golda Meir School
Standard public school
1,192 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee School of Languages
Standard public school
964 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Milwaukee Parkside School
Standard public school
859 students 19.1:1 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 (~1,294 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~27.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Obama School of Career and Technical Education's federal record.
- Compare Obama School of Career and Technical Education against another school. Compare schools
- Milwaukee 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 Obama School of Career and Technical Education
How many students attend Obama School of Career and Technical Education?
Obama School of Career and Technical Education has 1,294 students enrolled. It is a public school in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Obama School of Career and Technical Education?
The student-teacher ratio at Obama School of Career and Technical Education is 27.5:1, which is 91% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 75% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Obama School of Career and Technical Education?
87.7% of students at Obama School of Career and Technical Education are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Obama School of Career and Technical Education?
The largest demographic group at Obama School of Career and Technical Education is African American at 76.7% of enrollment, in Milwaukee, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Obama School of Career and Technical Education?
Obama School of Career and Technical Education has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Obama School of Career and Technical Education rank among schools in Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, Obama School of Career and Technical Education ranks #106 of 135 schools in Milwaukee, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Milwaukee on the city page.
Is Obama School of Career and Technical Education a good school?
Obama School of Career and Technical Education earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% 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 Milwaukee School District?
Besides Obama School of Career and Technical Education, Milwaukee School District also operates Hapa-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 (1,974 students), Hamilton High (1,472 students), and Reagan College Preparatory High (1,372 students). See the Milwaukee 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.