Enrollment
235
Wisconsin · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Wausau, WI
South Mountain Elementary
Federal NCES profile for South Mountain Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 53/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 551590001409
👥 S:T ratio 55
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 53
📋 Attendance 34
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Mountain Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% of Wisconsin schools.
- #4 of 10
- elementary schools in Wausau · Resource Index
- 53
- Resource Index · Higher
- 11.2:1
- small classes for Wisconsin
- 19.3%
- free-lunch eligible
South Mountain Elementary has class sizes smaller than 78% of Wisconsin schools. Computed live against every Wisconsin school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Mountain Elementary ranks #4 of 10 elementary schools in Wausau, WI.
School address
District: Wausau School District · Wisconsin
NCES ID 551590001409 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.2:1
vs 14.4:1 Wisconsin avg
-22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
19.3%
vs 38.5% Wisconsin avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Mountain Elementary compares with Wisconsin and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Mountain Elementary
South Mountain Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Wausau, Wisconsin, enrolling 235 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 11.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of Wisconsin schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 19.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 235 students, its enrollment sits close to the Wisconsin median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,202 scored Wisconsin schools.
Against 330 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #75.
Its student body is predominantly White (80% of enrollment) (diversity index 33/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 235 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 26.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Wausau's elementary schools, it stands alongside Stettin Elementary (327 students): South Mountain Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (11.2:1 vs 18.2:1).
Wausau School District also operates West High (1,470 students) and John Muir Middle (967 students) alongside South Mountain 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 South Mountain Elementary compares
South Mountain 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 | 11.2:1 | ▼ 22% | 14.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 19.3% | ▼ 50% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 235 | top 63% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
235
Bigger than 23% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
19.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% 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
11.2:1
students per teacher
- 22% below state mean
Top 22% in Wisconsin - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
26.4%
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
$14,640
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 235 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.7 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 80.4%
Asian 13.2%
Two or More 5.1%
Hispanic or Latino 1.3%
Largest group: White at 80.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 33.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 33.3, South Mountain Elementary is less mixed than the Wisconsin school average of 35.7.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Wausau School District, which includes South Mountain Elementary.
$14,640
Per student
-2%
vs Wisconsin
Avg $14,919
-12%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 38.2%
State 51.1%
Federal 10.7%
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 Mountain Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| John Muir Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Horace Mann Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| G D Jones Elementary | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Mountain Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,470
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 967
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
- Enrollment
- 893
- Students per teacher
- 12.9:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
- Enrollment
- 635
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 49/100
- Enrollment
- 492
- Students per teacher
- 14.1:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar elementary schools in Wausau
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Stettin Elementary
Standard public school
327 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
John Marshall Elementary
Standard public school
231 students 12.2:1 students per teacher
Maine Elementary
Standard public school
229 students 14.3:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elementary
Standard public school
204 students 8.5:1 students per teacher
Rib Mountain Elementary
Standard public school
194 students 12.9:1 students per teacher
Grant Elementary
Standard public school
189 students 11.8:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary 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 (~235 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~11.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Mountain Elementary's federal record.
- Compare South Mountain Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Wausau 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 Mountain Elementary
How many students attend South Mountain Elementary?
South Mountain Elementary has 235 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Wausau, WI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Mountain Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at South Mountain Elementary is 11.2:1, which is 22% lower than the Wisconsin average of 14.4:1 and 29% 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 Mountain Elementary?
19.3% of students at South Mountain Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wisconsin average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Mountain Elementary?
The largest demographic group at South Mountain Elementary is White at 80.4% of enrollment, in Wausau, WI.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Mountain Elementary?
South Mountain Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 53/100 (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 South Mountain Elementary rank among elementary schools in Wausau?
By Resource Investment Index, South Mountain Elementary ranks #4 of 10 elementary schools in Wausau, WI. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Wausau on the city page.
Is South Mountain Elementary a good school?
South Mountain Elementary earns 53/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 78% 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 Wausau School District?
Besides South Mountain Elementary, Wausau School District also operates West High (1,470 students), John Muir Middle (967 students), and East High (893 students). See the Wausau 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.