Enrollment
610
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · South Milwaukee, WI
South Milwaukee Middle
Federal NCES profile for South Milwaukee Middle, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 551404001831
👥 S:T ratio 50
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 39
📋 Attendance 29
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Milwaukee Middle earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wisconsin median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Wisconsin schools.
- #5 of 6
- public schools in South Milwaukee · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12.4:1
- students per teacher
- 46.5%
- free-lunch eligible
South Milwaukee Middle has class sizes near the Wisconsin median. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Milwaukee Middle ranks #5 of 6 public schools in South Milwaukee, WI.
School address
District: South Milwaukee School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551404001831 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
49.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
12.4:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-14% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.5%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Milwaukee Middle compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Milwaukee Middle
South Milwaukee Middle is a large middle school in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, enrolling 610 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 12.4:1 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 46.5% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 610 puts it in the larger third of Wisconsin schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 228 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #159.
Its student body is led by White (54%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 305 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
South Milwaukee School District also operates South Milwaukee High (920 students) and Rawson Elementary (371 students) alongside South Milwaukee Middle.
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 Milwaukee Middle compares
South Milwaukee Middle on the metrics families compare, against Wisconsin and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wisconsin | Wisconsin avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12.4:1 | ▼ 14% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.5% | ▲ 21% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 610 | top 14% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12.4:1
Leaner classes than 72% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
610
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% 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
12.4:1
students per teacher
- 14% below state mean
Top 38% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 62% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
28.4%
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
$14,416
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 305 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 105 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 17.5 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 53.9%
Hispanic or Latino 30.7%
Two or More 8.2%
African American 6.1%
Asian 1.1%
Largest group: White at 53.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 60.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 60.5, South Milwaukee Middle is more mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Milwaukee School District, which includes South Milwaukee Middle.
$14,416
Per student
-3%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-13%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.4%
State 52.8%
Federal 12.8%
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 Milwaukee Middle Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Milwaukee High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Rawson Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Blakewood Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeview Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| E W Luther Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Milwaukee Middle's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 920
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 33/100
- Enrollment
- 371
- Students per teacher
- 13.7:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 314
- Students per teacher
- 12.6:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
- Enrollment
- 274
- Students per teacher
- 11:1
- Resource Index
- 58/100
- Enrollment
- 197
- Students per teacher
- 13.1:1
- Resource Index
- 47/100
Similar middle 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 (~610 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~12.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Milwaukee Middle's federal record.
- Compare South Milwaukee Middle against another school. Compare schools
- South 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 South Milwaukee Middle
How many students attend South Milwaukee Middle?
South Milwaukee Middle has 610 students enrolled. It is a middle school in South Milwaukee, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Milwaukee Middle?
The student-teacher ratio at South Milwaukee Middle is 12.4:1, which is 14% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 21% 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 Milwaukee Middle?
46.5% of students at South Milwaukee Middle are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Milwaukee Middle?
The largest demographic group at South Milwaukee Middle is White at 53.9% of enrollment, in South Milwaukee, WI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 60.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Milwaukee Middle?
South Milwaukee Middle has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical 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 South Milwaukee Middle rank among public schools in South Milwaukee?
By Resource Investment Index, South Milwaukee Middle ranks #5 of 6 public schools in South Milwaukee, 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 South Milwaukee on the city page.
Is South Milwaukee Middle a good school?
South Milwaukee Middle earns 37/100 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 South Milwaukee School District?
Besides South Milwaukee Middle, South Milwaukee School District also operates South Milwaukee High (920 students), Rawson Elementary (371 students), and Blakewood Elementary (314 students). See the South 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.