Enrollment
514
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · New Berlin, WI
Poplar Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Poplar Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 551047001365
👥 S:T ratio 26
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 93
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Poplar Creek Elementary earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of Wisconsin schools.
- #4 of 7
- schools in New Berlin · Resource Index
- 63
- Resource Index · Higher
- 18.4:1
- large classes for Wisconsin
- 20.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Poplar Creek Elementary has class sizes larger than 90% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Creek Elementary ranks #4 of 7 schools in New Berlin, WI.
School address
District: New Berlin School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551047001365 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
+28% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
20.4%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Poplar Creek Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Poplar Creek Elementary
Poplar Creek Elementary is a mid-sized combined-grade school in New Berlin, Wisconsin, enrolling 514 students.
Class loads run heavy: 18.4:1 is larger than about 90% of Wisconsin schools and 28% above the 14.4:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 20.4% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 514 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 96% of the 2,202 Wisconsin schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 457 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #19, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (75%) and Hispanic or Latino (11%) (diversity index 42/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 2.9% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among New Berlin's public schools, it stands alongside Eisenhower Middle/High (1,095 students): Poplar Creek Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (18.4:1 vs 17.4:1).
New Berlin School District also operates Eisenhower Middle/High (1,095 students) and New Berlin West Middle/High (1,036 students) alongside Poplar Creek 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 Poplar Creek Elementary compares
Poplar Creek 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 | 18.4:1 | ▲ 28% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 20.4% | ▼ 47% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 514 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.4:1
Leaner classes than 22% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
514
Bigger than 63% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
20.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% 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
18.4:1
students per teacher
- 28% above state mean
Top 90% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 10% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
2.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
Funding equity
$13,480
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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 75.1%
Hispanic or Latino 10.5%
Asian 8.2%
Two or More 5.3%
African American 1.0%
Largest group: White at 75.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 41.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 41.5, Poplar Creek Elementary is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for New Berlin School District, which includes Poplar Creek Elementary.
$13,480
Per student
-10%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 68.1%
State 25.5%
Federal 6.4%
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 Poplar Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eisenhower Middle/High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| New Berlin West Middle/High | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ronald Reagan Elementary | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Elmwood Elementary | Similar size | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Orchard Lane Elementary | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Poplar Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,095
- Students per teacher
- 17.4:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- Enrollment
- 1,036
- Students per teacher
- 15:1
- Resource Index
- 56/100
- Enrollment
- 669
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 66/100
- Enrollment
- 567
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 65/100
- Enrollment
- 453
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 64/100
Similar other schools in New Berlin
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Eisenhower Middle/High
Standard public school
1,095 students 17.4:1 students per teacher
New Berlin West Middle/High
Standard public school
1,036 students 15:1 students per teacher
Ronald Reagan Elementary
Standard public school
669 students 16.7:1 students per teacher
Elmwood Elementary
Standard public school
567 students 17.7:1 students per teacher
Orchard Lane Elementary
Standard public school
453 students 14.6:1 students per teacher
Hoover Elementary
Standard public school
335 students 13.4:1 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 (~514 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Poplar Creek Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Poplar Creek Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- New Berlin 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 Poplar Creek Elementary
How many students attend Poplar Creek Elementary?
Poplar Creek Elementary has 514 students enrolled. It is a public school in New Berlin, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Poplar Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Poplar Creek Elementary is 18.4:1, which is 28% higher than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 17% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Poplar Creek Elementary?
20.4% of students at Poplar Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Poplar Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Poplar Creek Elementary is White at 75.1% of enrollment, in New Berlin, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Poplar Creek Elementary?
Poplar Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (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 Poplar Creek Elementary rank among schools in New Berlin?
By Resource Investment Index, Poplar Creek Elementary ranks #4 of 7 schools in New Berlin, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in New Berlin on the city page.
Is Poplar Creek Elementary a good school?
Poplar Creek Elementary earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 90% of 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 New Berlin School District?
Besides Poplar Creek Elementary, New Berlin School District also operates Eisenhower Middle/High (1,095 students), New Berlin West Middle/High (1,036 students), and Ronald Reagan Elementary (669 students). See the New Berlin 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.