Enrollment
131
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Shell Lake, WI
Shell Lake Primary (K-2)
Federal NCES profile for Shell Lake Primary (K-2), including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 66/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 551371000507
👥 S:T ratio 62
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 48
📋 Attendance 85
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Shell Lake Primary (K-2) earns 66/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% of Wisconsin schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Shell Lake · Resource Index
- 66
- Resource Index · Higher
- 9.4:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 39.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Shell Lake Primary (K-2) has class sizes smaller than 92% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Shell Lake Primary (K-2) ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Shell Lake, WI.
School address
District: Shell Lake School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551371000507 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
14.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
9.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-35% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.5%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+3% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Shell Lake Primary (K-2) compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at Shell Lake Primary (K-2)
Shell Lake Primary (K-2) is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Shell Lake, Wisconsin, enrolling 131 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 9.4:1, Shell Lake Primary (K-2) is leaner than roughly 92% of Wisconsin schools and 35% under the state's 14.4:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 39.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 131 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 98% of the 2,202 Wisconsin schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 233 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Wisconsin schools statewide, it ranks #4, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is predominantly White (91% of enrollment) (diversity index 17/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 262 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Attendance holds up well here: only 6.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Among Shell Lake's public schools, it stands alongside Shell Lake Junior/Senior High (300 students): Shell Lake Primary (K-2) is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (9.4:1 vs 13.6:1).
Shell Lake School District also operates Shell Lake Junior/Senior High (300 students) and Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) (153 students) alongside Shell Lake Primary (K-2).
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 Shell Lake Primary (K-2) compares
Shell Lake Primary (K-2) on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 9.4:1 | ▼ 35% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.5% | ▲ 3% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 131 | top 81% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
9.4:1
Leaner classes than 91% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
131
Bigger than 13% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 3% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
9.4:1
students per teacher
- 35% below state mean
Top 8% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 92% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
6.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$14,667
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
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 1 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.3 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 90.8%
Hispanic or Latino 4.6%
Two or More 4.6%
Largest group: White at 90.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 17.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 17.1, Shell Lake Primary (K-2) is less mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Shell Lake School District, which includes Shell Lake Primary (K-2).
$14,667
Per student
-2%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 56.1%
State 32.9%
Federal 10.9%
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 Shell Lake Primary (K-2) Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell Lake Junior/Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Shell Lake Primary (K-2)'s own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 300
- Students per teacher
- 13.6:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 153
- Students per teacher
- 9.6:1
- Resource Index
- 55/100
Similar other schools in Shell Lake
1 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 (~131 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Shell Lake Primary (K-2)'s federal record.
- Compare Shell Lake Primary (K-2) against another school. Compare schools
- Shell Lake 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 Shell Lake Primary (K-2)
How many students attend Shell Lake Primary (K-2)?
Shell Lake Primary (K-2) has 131 students enrolled. It is a public school in Shell Lake, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Shell Lake Primary (K-2)?
The student-teacher ratio at Shell Lake Primary (K-2) is 9.4:1, which is 35% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 40% 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 Shell Lake Primary (K-2)?
39.5% of students at Shell Lake Primary (K-2) are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Shell Lake Primary (K-2)?
The largest demographic group at Shell Lake Primary (K-2) is White at 90.8% of enrollment, in Shell Lake, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Shell Lake Primary (K-2)?
Shell Lake Primary (K-2) has a Resource Investment Index of 66/100 (higher 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 Shell Lake Primary (K-2) rank among public schools in Shell Lake?
By Resource Investment Index, Shell Lake Primary (K-2) ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Shell Lake, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Shell Lake on the city page.
Is Shell Lake Primary (K-2) a good school?
Shell Lake Primary (K-2) earns 66/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 92% 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 Shell Lake School District?
Besides Shell Lake Primary (K-2), Shell Lake School District also operates Shell Lake Junior/Senior High (300 students) and Shell Lake Elementary (3-6) (153 students). See the Shell Lake 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.