Enrollment
462
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Verona, WI
Olson Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Olson Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 550852002775
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 31
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Olson Elementary earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #1 of 4
- schools in Verona · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 12.5:1
- students per teacher
- 24.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Olson Elementary has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Olson Elementary ranks #1 of 4 schools in Verona, WI.
School address
District: Madison Metropolitan School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 550852002775 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.5:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
24.9%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Olson Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Olson Elementary
Olson Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Verona, Wisconsin, enrolling 462 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.5:1 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 24.9% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 462 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 535 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #155.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and Asian (17%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 67/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 27.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Verona's public schools, it stands alongside West Middleton Elementary (334 students): Olson Elementary is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (12.5:1 vs 10.1:1).
Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students) and Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students) alongside Olson 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 Olson Elementary compares
Olson 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 | 12.5:1 | ▼ 13% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 24.9% | ▼ 35% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 462 | top 25% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.5:1
Leaner classes than 71% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
462
Bigger than 57% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
24.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% 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
12.5:1
students per teacher
- 13% below state mean
Top 39% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 61% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
27.7%
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
$17,181
per pupil, district-wide
- above Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.4 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 52.4%
Asian 17.3%
Hispanic or Latino 11.0%
Two or More 10.0%
African American 8.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Largest group: White at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.5, Olson Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Madison Metropolitan School District, which includes Olson Elementary.
$17,181
Per student
+15%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
+4%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 72.6%
State 18.4%
Federal 9.0%
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 Olson Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Vel Phillips Memorial High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lafollette High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hamilton Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Olson Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,222
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 2,004
- Students per teacher
- 16.3:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,643
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,541
- Students per teacher
- 16.4:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 790
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
Similar other schools in Verona
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 (~462 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Olson Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Olson Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Madison Metropolitan 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 Olson Elementary
How many students attend Olson Elementary?
Olson Elementary has 462 students enrolled. It is a public school in Verona, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Olson Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Olson Elementary is 12.5:1, which is 13% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 20% 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 Olson Elementary?
24.9% of students at Olson Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Olson Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Olson Elementary is White at 52.4% of enrollment, in Verona, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Olson Elementary?
Olson Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Olson Elementary rank among schools in Verona?
By Resource Investment Index, Olson Elementary ranks #1 of 4 schools in Verona, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Verona on the city page.
Is Olson Elementary a good school?
Olson Elementary earns 50/100 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 Madison Metropolitan School District?
Besides Olson Elementary, Madison Metropolitan School District also operates West High (2,222 students), Vel Phillips Memorial High (2,004 students), and East High (1,643 students). See the Madison Metropolitan 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.