Enrollment
833
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Waukesha, WI
South High
Federal NCES profile for South High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 56/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 551578002025
👥 S:T ratio 54
📚 AP courses 100
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 54
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Wisconsin schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #2 of 6
- high schools in Waukesha · Resource Index
- 56
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.4:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 44.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South High has class sizes smaller than 75% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South High ranks #2 of 6 high schools in Waukesha, WI.
School address
District: Waukesha School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551578002025 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
73.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.9%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+17% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South High compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at South High
South High is a large high school in Waukesha, Wisconsin, enrolling 833 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 44.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Wisconsin, bigger than 93% of state schools at 833 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 125 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #30.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (41%) and White (40%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 65/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 20 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage is strong, about 231 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 48.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Among Waukesha's high schools, it stands alongside West High (1,167 students): South High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.4:1 vs 18.2:1).
Waukesha School District also operates West High (1,167 students) and North High (911 students) alongside South High.
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 South High compares
South High on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.4:1 | ▼ 21% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.9% | ▲ 17% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 833 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.4:1
Leaner classes than 80% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
833
Bigger than 87% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 17% above the Wisconsin average of 38.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.4:1
students per teacher
- 21% below state mean
Top 25% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
48.5%
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
$12,813
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wisconsin avg of $14,919
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors3.6 FTE
Per 231 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
9
in-school suspensions + 118 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
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
Hispanic or Latino 41.3%
White 40.0%
African American 11.8%
Two or More 4.8%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 41.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.3, South High is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
AP courses offered 20
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Waukesha School District, which includes South High.
$12,813
Per student
-14%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-23%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 54.8%
State 36.8%
Federal 8.4%
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 South High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| North High | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Butler Middle | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Eachieve Academy - Wisconsin | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Waukesha Stem Academy | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,167
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 911
- Students per teacher
- 14.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 786
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 639
- Students per teacher
- 23.7:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 580
- Students per teacher
- 13.8:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
Similar high schools in Waukesha
5 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
West High
Standard public school
1,167 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
North High
Standard public school
911 students 14.2:1 students per teacher
Waukesha Engineering Preparatory Academy
Standard public school
144 students 36:1 students per teacher
Waukesha Academy of Health Professions
Standard public school
112 students
Waukesha Transition Academy
Special-education school
36 students 36:1 students per teacher
Similar high 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 (~833 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South High's federal record.
- Compare South High against another school. Compare schools
- Waukesha 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 South High
How many students attend South High?
South High has 833 students enrolled. It is a high school in Waukesha, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South High?
The student-teacher ratio at South High is 11.4:1, which is 21% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 27% 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 South High?
44.9% of students at South High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South High?
The largest demographic group at South High is Hispanic or Latino at 41.3% of enrollment, in Waukesha, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South High?
South High has a Resource Investment Index of 56/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South High rank among high schools in Waukesha?
By Resource Investment Index, South High ranks #2 of 6 high schools in Waukesha, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Waukesha on the city page.
Is South High a good school?
South High earns 56/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Wisconsin schools. 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 Waukesha School District?
Besides South High, Waukesha School District also operates West High (1,167 students), North High (911 students), and Butler Middle (786 students). See the Waukesha 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.